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Post by winic1 on Apr 12, 2017 13:43:14 GMT
OMG I NEED THIS STUFF TO BUILD AVIARIES FOR MY BIRDS!!!!! This is awesome. Bet I can't buy it without remortgaging the house, tho.
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Post by winic1 on Apr 12, 2017 18:26:21 GMT
chihirolee3 you were surprised with a wonderful little pet who has inadvertently thrown you into a whole new world of requirements, and there is so much to learn. So, let's simplify things a bit for you. For right now, Ludu needs timothy hay, unlimited amounts, and a good pellet. You said you got non-sugar/molasses chinchilla pellets. That's good for starters. A degu-specific pellet would be even better. You can order this one online, I've been using it for 8 years, so I trust it completely: www.amazon.com/Sun-Seed-Company-Sunscription-28-Ounce/dp/B0014DPCPU/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1492021081&sr=8-1&keywords=degu%2Bfood&th=1Okay, don't know why Amazon's picture has Japanese in the corner, ignore that, someone wasn't paying attention. It's not from Japan. Here's another source, Pet360.com, that I buy it from, they often have a better price: www.pet360.com/product/7679/sun-seed-sunscription-vita-degu-formula-small-animal-food . Sometimes the prices on Amazon are ridiculous, sometimes they're good. $8-9 a bag/can is good. Less than that is great. Sometimes buying a two-pack gets you a better price. Sometimes the listing will say $17 or $29 a bag, don't buy it then. Find another seller, or wait a bit for the price to come down. When the price is good, I buy a few bags, and never wait until I'm almost out to order more, so I don't get caught on bad pricing. If bags are unopened, the expiration dates are usually more than a year out. So, for right now, feed him timothy hay and good pellets. Occasional treats, nothing with sugar or too much starch. He will be okay for a while on just the basics, while you learn about forage (flowers, leaves, roots, the stuff he'd be eating if he was wild) and seeds (the good for everyday ones, not just the treat ones). Also, as spring and summer arrive, you can probably collect some of your own forage from your yard to feed him fresh and dry for later on.
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Post by winic1 on Apr 12, 2017 18:34:02 GMT
Next issue is his housing. Right now he's small, but he will be growing quickly. Planning on a pair, since you will find him a companion, even if it takes a bit, you need a cage of equivalent size to the Double Critter Nation. That's a 36"x24" base, and three levels of that size, minimum. The CN has two full levels and two half levels, so essentially, that's three.
It's best if there are big, long levels rather than lots of little shelves. Degus run, so full levels let them do that with less interruption than lots of jumping and climbing between floors and shelves does.
If you think you can start with that bookshelf and build it out to at least 2' in depth, that would be great, as with it being 7 feet tall, there's room for so many levels. Or, you might want to just build from scratch and make it to the right size to begin with. Overseas, their recommendations, in centimeters, is 100cmx50cm, and at least 3 levels of each. That's 40inches by 20 inches, which gives roughly the same floor space as the CN does, just slightly different shape. You just don't want the floors too tiny so they can't run more than a few steps, or too narrow so they can only run in a straight line like living in a tunnel.
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Post by winic1 on Apr 12, 2017 18:38:54 GMT
He needs a wheel to run in. You know they need at least a 12" wheel. Bigger is even better, but they are very hard to find here. It should be solid, not wire rungs, and preferably not mesh. It should have no crossbars across the diameter that could pinch long tails between the crossbar and the support frame. And, since degus run with a running-hopping-fast gait, it really shouldn't have a center post, as they can bash their backs against that while running. Hedgehogs are sedate little speed-walkers, they don't bounce when they run, so the center post is not a problem for them, but it can be for degus.
Plastic wheels may get chewed up. Some degus love chewing plastic, others don't pay it much attention. You won't know which until you find your plastic wheel reduced to rubble one day.
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Post by winic1 on Apr 12, 2017 18:49:29 GMT
Oh, a word of caution and advice, do not believe ANY pet store/site that is selling pet items when they say it is okay for degus. First of all, they are in the business of selling. They are not going to say, no, don't buy this, it's not right, if they did that they don't make the sale, no sale no profit, no profit no business. Secondly, they don't know any better. Since degus are so rare in this country, they view them as just another hamster, gerbil, or guinea pig. Completely unaware (nor do they much care, since they just want to sell stuff) that these things are harmful to degus. Even if they have a degu care sheet or page, don't believe anyone who is selling mass supplies about anything for degus.
Trust independent sites with current, up to date info, and those selling things designed specifically for degus, and only degus, who back up their items with reference to sites with current degu info. Many older degu sites have never been updated and are hopelessly incorrect now that more has been discovered and determined.
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Post by degugoodolls on Oct 19, 2017 22:20:35 GMT
I live in the USA too and was expecting to find getting ahold of degus pretty difficult. I actually got my initial pair of degus from my local ReptiCon and then I got super lucky with finding my degu a new friend after his brother died. I made several posts on craigslist and some exotic pet facebook groups. Not a day later I was contacted by of all places a reptile rescue??? (what is it with all these reptile-associated places and degus in my area???) Its a bit of a hike but I'll be driving to get my new little buddy tomorrow. Hopefully, you will get lucky too!! Put out as many feelers as possible and hopefully, someone will reach out to you. Best of luck!
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Post by claire on Oct 20, 2017 9:01:57 GMT
Welcome to the overwhelming ever learning world of degus. You sound very much like me and love to research to make your degu happy. Believe me when I say the only site you need is this one. Everyone is so friendly and helpful and they know better than any degu website. These are all people of experience they have helped me endless amounts. Just read these forums all you need to know is in here
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