Adopted solitary degu

[rowd76]

Hi, I have recently adopted a male solitary ex breeder and wondered if any one had any tips about wellbeing as I have read they do not like living in solitude?

[savvy]

Hi and welcome to the forum.

Degus do need company do I would suggest looking around for a male friend for him.

If you can answer a few questions we will be able to advise further. What cage do you currently have him in? What are you feeding? How old is he? Does he have a wheel? Also, does he have a name yet?

I know this may sound like a lot of questions, but getting the basics right can really improve their wellbeing.

[deguconvert]

Hello Rowd76!! Welcome to the forum!

You could have a look into our adoptions board and see if there are any there that you might be interested in getting if you are looking to do introductions so that your guy is not alone. If you do decide to go that route, and we do encourage that, then reading through our introductions guides will be of great help to you. Those can be found on the Fighting and Introductions board.

Degus are a colony animal, and they thrive when in the company of other degus. It is really a huge part of their whole being. That doesn't mean that they always get along . . . that they don't have fights or disagreements, they absolutely do. However, fighting with someone you love is better than being alone and not fighting at all. First law of degu kind, LOL. So, taking the time and effort needed to introduce is very important.


Just as important . . . being sure of their sex. MANY females have been identified as male because of the urethral cone, which all degus have. So when you do look for companion(s) know how to tell them apart for yourself and don't just take the word of the people you are getting from. They could be right, but they could be wrong. Even vets get it wrong, simply because they don't really know how to tell the difference.

[bouncy]

Although, if he's an ex-breeder, we'd hope he's already proved himself

Do you have any idea of the little fella's age? Presumably, he's adult, past his stud time?

[deguconvert]

LOL! I'm sure he has!! I wonder what qualifies a degu to be an "ex" breeder, LOL!

The potential new companions may not have offered proof yet, so be sure to check them.

[rowd76]

Thank you for the initial responses; I bought him from pets at home, he was in the adoption section and was told he was an ex breeder stud male. They also advised to keep him on his own? I am brand new to degus, but am very experienced with gerbils. I have called him dougie (twin peaks ref!) and he is 2 years old. He has a large cage, complete with house, oak branches, rocks etc but no wheel as of yetand currently resides in my shed. I have so far tamed him enough to feed him from my hands, but not enough to good him yet. Feeding him on hay, specialised degu biscuits, treats include dried herbs and some occasional vegetables. He seems very content so far and my concern is that if I buy another and they do not get on, i do not have the space to keep it, but ultimately would like him to be fully content.

[savvy]

You really need to bring Dougie indoors as degus really cannot cope with the temperature changes. They should never be kept outside or in a shed, they are house pets.

Pets at home are notorious for selling singles and also giving really bad advice on cages, feeding etc. I urge you to read through the beginners section on here so you can learn about his needs.

[rowd76]

Hi thanks for the advice, I shall have a read, but I've only just moved him to the shed from indoors on the assurance from degutopia who state that they are fine with the temperature due to their natural habitat and indoors can be too hot especially in the winter?

[Deleted]

Hi Rowd76! Welcome to the wonderful world of degu keeping!

It's great you've taken in this little guy, and you'll soon learn that unfortunately Pets at Home lie and have terrible advice, there are also some sources online, such as Degutopia that are extremely out of date! It must be frustrating to learn this, but you're in the right place now, so please don't panic!

Have you read our beginners guide?

[savvy]

Aug 15, 2017 20:13:46 GMT rowd76 said:

Hi thanks for the advice, I shall have a read, but I've only just moved him to the shed from indoors on the assurance from degutopia who state that they are fine with the temperature due to their natural habitat and indoors can be too hot especially in the winter?

I'm afraid that keeping him outdoors (in the shed) may kill him.  Sorry to be blunt, but it's true, especially has he has no one to snuggle up to for warmth.  Not to mention the loneliness of being in there.

Please bring him inside again. ☺

[Emziedee]

Oh Rowd76, I'm so glad that you are here!! I think that your instincts have been spot on and you have sought a second opinion on advice you have been given elsewhere. Well done Rowd! You're in the right place 😀

[bouncy]

He sounds like a proper little character!

Regarding the shed, I think it depends on your setup. As the others have mentioned, degu environment should reflect the area which they come from. This is a temperate mediterranen climate. The comfortable temperature range in the wild would be no hotter than 25°c and no lower than 5°c. Bear in mind that, at either end of this scale, a clan will likely remain in the burrow much of the time to keep warm/cool. Heat in particular is difficult, because they have no mechanism to cool themselves. Humans sweat, which then draws on body heat to evaporate it from the skin, and we accelerate this with a fan, but goos can't. If you are happy that your shed will meet their needs, has no drafts, and you are able to maintain the temperature range, then he may well love it in there. Do you keep your gerbils there? They are able to tolerate a wider range of temperature.

That said, you have a lone goo. P@H usually talk out of their backsides when it comes to degus and, if an ex stud, was likely their own. Degus are sociable creatures, who will become depressed, become aggressive, and self harm without companionship. Finding a friend for him in then necessary. We've only had one or two successful lone goos on here. One that springs to mind is Earwig, who outlasted his brothers, then repeatedly attacked his proposed new cage mates with increasing aggressiveness. You're lucky if he's reached two, as his hormones will have settled from those "teenage years". Have a look through our introductions section to get a better idea of your starting place. In the meantime, think about an imitation partner for him, like some rolled up socks, a cuddly toy, or similar.

The only other thing to point out is degus are addictive. I've now reached the point where I don't even turn my TV on anymore! You may not want him tucked away outside!

[deguconvert]

I am curious to know what this shed is like, love. My shed has a lawnmower in it, and a couple of fuel jugs for the mower. There are bags of dirt, and tools, and it is nothing more than corrugated metal.

May I ask you several questions about the shed you are using for your degu?

Is it insulated? Does it have windows, or even one window? Is there a source of light if there is no window? Is there heat for the winter? Is the shed secure from predators such as cats, other rodents, weasels? What else is contained in there? Does the degu have a lot of the day alone? Are there other reasons for moving it out into the shed, such as roommates/family that don't like it, or allergies?

[rowd76]

He appears to be very content on his own, none as of the listed behaviours, but I shall put him n a cuddly toy for now (great tip, thank you) as for the other enquiries regarding the shed; it is insulated and draft free with plenty of natural light and a lamp on a timer for th evenings. He is atop a 4ft high table, and in a sturdy wire mesh cage, I have two dogs who are fine with him but also keep most wildlife out of the garden (we live in Kent UK, never seen a wild weasel there!) and we are constantly popping throughout the day to see him (being country folk we are always outdoors in the garden all year round) the reasons for the shed was lack of space in the house. My only real concern is temperature, so basically I have two options which is to heat the shed during the winter months or there is a space in a large cupboard under the stairs indoors which I may convert (take doors off etc) if the shed proves unsuitable. Thank you for all your advice

[bouncy]

Thanks for the info - Kent is lovely (born on the isle of Sheppey, me). From my side, heating the shed sounds like a plan! Perhaps change the bulb to A UVA/UVB bulb in the winter? I'm assuming your gerbils have resided here?

Only because he came from P@H,would you mind either showing us your cage, or giving us the dimensions and number of levels? You sound like you're very aware, but the space a degu can take up is often grossly underestimated!

Must admit, I've got a brick shed outside that I would LOVE to convert into a goo haven, but I'd miss them trying to jump onto the worktop via my shoulder