Cage heating

[claire]

I can't see a thread about this so thought I'd start one. I'm looking at getting some sort of heating for my 3 boys. They have claimed one bottom section of their cage as a nest that is filled with hay and paper and god knows what else they drag in there.

Hopefully I can start a thread that is helpful for anyone else with the same question

What do you guys use?

Where do you place it?

Where did you get it from and cost?

[bouncy]

As well as a standby snugglesafe, my liberta has a ceramic heater designed for reptiles. It's a flat, black thing that fits like a light fitting. It's physically inside the cage, cable outside, and has a safety cage around it.

My big boys make it very clear to me if they think it's time to turn it on.



I'm not being mean, but the pups don't get one. They live in a build that's much more enclosed, so doesn't get drafty. I monitor the room temperature constantly. 

[moletteuk]

this is my cage heater thread:
deguworld.proboards.com/thread/18969/cage-heater?page=1&scrollTo=121474

My girls adore it and allows me to keep them warm without heating the whole house during the day.

I also have a slot for a snugglesafe underneath their nest so that they have some extra warmth at night time, I need to retake some photos of that as my old ones were lost when my laptop blew up.

They currently have a human 'hottie' heatpad with a fleece cover because it is a bit softer and comfier for flossie while she isn't very well. This wouldn't normally be safe with my lot, they will chew anything, but they seem to understand at the moment that special rules apply.

[Deleted]

I just use snugglesafes but I'd love a heat lamp! I'd need 4 though lol

[claire]

My boys have a 60cm x 60cm nest ( ment to be a digging section lol) would a snugglesafe be ok to bury under their hay? However I can't see if they were in there chewing it or should I put it somewhere else in the cage ? I don't think they get cold at night in that nest lol

[bouncy]

I personally wouldn't put a snugglesafe inside a nest in a burrow box. Chewing apart, they'd hate you for constantly messing up their nest.

Mine seemed colder when they were sat chilling through the day, so I used to pop the snugglesafe in the cage for day use.

[moletteuk]

Here's the slot I made under the nest area to house a snugglesafe:


2017-11-27_07-00-11 by moletteuk


2017-11-27_07-00-54 by moletteuk

2017-11-27_07-01-53 by moletteuk

I drilled a ton of holes in the nest shelf above where the snugglesafe sits to make sure the heat filters through into the nest. The holes don't go all the way through, they are just thinning the wood, so as far as the goos know, they are sleeping on a smooth, solid shelf, otherwise they would chew it to bits. The metal angle that protects the S.safe from the goos just slots over the 2 screws you can see.

[deguconvert]

That's downright brilliant, Moletteuk!!

[claire]

Mole that's really good😮😮

Think I'm going to set up a hammock and a snugglesafe for daytime. Llok8ng at my cage there's not many places they can't reach so probably the safest option if keep the fleece cover on it.

[beckerd58]

Nov 25, 2017 4:38:51 GMT claire said:

I can't see a thread about this so thought I'd start one. I'm looking at getting some sort of heating for my 3 boys. They have claimed one bottom section of their cage as a nest that is filled with hay and paper and god knows what else they drag in there.

Hopefully I can start a thread that is helpful for anyone else with the same question

What do you guys use?

Where do you place it?

Where did you get it from and cost?

I order two heating pads, photo included. One for each cage. They have been used for 8 months and are fantastic. They are rigid enough to use with a wood frame built under it, then I put the wood thru the wires of the cage. I've added a nice soft blanket on top and it becomes the top level. If they are cold they are on it, if not they have other sleeping places. This winter I have found them not only on it but they had moved a small blanket from another nest and covered themselves. This was my girls. My boys, they just cuddle on it.
The heating pads were bought from Chewy.com on sale for under $15.

[deguconvert]

WOW!! I think I should get one for my chair in front of the computer. Our computer room is the coldest in the house!

[beckerd58]

Feb 17, 2018 20:07:18 GMT deguconvert said:

WOW!! I think I should get one for my chair in front of the computer. Our computer room is the coldest in the house!

Wish I could share this deep south TX heat. This is the worst place (for me) when you have Fibromyalgia. We go cold then hot. I just turn the floor a/c on for the degu. Good old Texas winter.

[deguconvert]

I also have Fibromyalgia. It is an ever changing reaction to the environment, isn't it. This past year has been worse than I've had in a long time. Your comments make me wonder Fibromyalgia is why I couldn't enjoy sunbathing last summer like I usually do!

[beckerd58]

Feb 17, 2018 20:38:27 GMT deguconvert said:

I also have Fibromyalgia. It is an ever changing reaction to the environment, isn't it. This past year has been worse than I've had in a long time. Your comments make me wonder Fibromyalgia is why I couldn't enjoy sunbathing last summer like I usually do!

I'm so sorry to hear you suffer from this horrible... what is it? We seem to be in the beginning of our medical professionals "learning" stage. It took 7 years for some Dr to tell me what is wrong. I'm at 14 yrs of my diagnosis. After trying every known drug known to work on FMS I'm now Chemical and food sensitive ( funny, I've devolved a allergy to Timothy hay 2 months ago, that gave me a good laugh) and I seem to insult most Dr with my knowledge on my body.
I'm on a 2 year break of all Dr's with Hashimoto and Autoimmune Hep, what the hell. Learning to go with the flow, allow positive people in my life and how to say no. Good luck and if you ever need to talk, vent, etc I'm here

[degulord]

I never even thought of heaters. Why are they needed?
My room temperature is above 20C so that should be sufficient?

[misscatafer]

They are needed for the winter months, degus do get cold too which can lead to illness. They are also useful when degus are poorly or need some extra comfort, or are alone. I'm sure I read somewhere that degus shouldn't be kept below 14 degrees when I was researching.... However I don't know the truth in that as some people keep degus outside in summer etc. Generally if I'm cold at home.. I heat up their snuggle safes, or if I notice them napping during the day in their nests as opposed to out in the open that's an indication for me that they are chilly.

[moletteuk]

My tolerance to sunlight is getting worse too. Sunlight can be a trigger for mast cells, which I believe are heavily implicated in FMS/ ME etc, or if you aren't into that, then FMS/ME people certainly have issues with temperature control so it makes sense that exposing the body to temperature ranges will also complicate that. beckerd58 if you have FMS and chemical sensitivities you might like to look into mast cell activation disorder/syndrome.

I wouldn't say heaters are necessary for room temps over 20C, but they can be useful for the wellbeing and comfort of sick or elderly degus. My degus start fluffing up their fur when temps drop below 16 or 17C.

[beckerd58]

Feb 20, 2018 11:27:44 GMT degulord said:

I never even thought of heaters. Why are they needed?
My room temperature is above 20C so that should be sufficient?

In the Houston area our air conditioners are used thru out the year. I live in a older two story home with rooms that get more cool air then others. Then we have high humidity. I made a place for the degus to go if they needed to warm up. There is always a cut up pc of quilt on the heating pad to keep it cozy. I find the boys like to lay on the heating pad a few times a day as if "sunning" themselves. We sit our a/c at 71 and generally in our winters we do not need to use heat. Just layer our clothing. Dehumidifier are great to have.
I tend to over think everything and try to be prepared for the degu need. (Didn't see the cataracts coming!)
Hoped that help on answering why I have heating pads.

[beckerd58]

Feb 20, 2018 14:01:04 GMT misscatafer said:

They are needed for the winter months, degus do get cold too which can lead to illness. They are also useful when degus are poorly or need some extra comfort, or are alone. I'm sure I read somewhere that degus shouldn't be kept below 14 degrees when I was researching.... However I don't know the truth in that as some people keep degus outside in summer etc. Generally if I'm cold at home.. I heat up their snuggle safes, or if I notice them napping during the day in their nests as opposed to out in the open that's an indication for me that they are chilly.

I agree. Heat is comforting. In nature animals sun themselves - I understand they receive vitamins from the sun but they also receive the comfort from warmth.

[beckerd58]

Feb 20, 2018 17:14:12 GMT moletteuk said:

My tolerance to sunlight is getting worse too. Sunlight can be a trigger for mast cells, which I believe are heavily implicated in FMS/ ME etc, or if you aren't into that, then FMS/ME people certainly have issues with temperature control so it makes sense that exposing the body to temperature ranges will also complicate that. beckerd58 if you have FMS and chemical sensitivities you might like to look into mast cell activation disorder/syndrome.

I wouldn't say heaters are necessary for room temps over 20C, but they can be useful for the wellbeing and comfort of sick or elderly degus. My degus start fluffing up their fur when temps drop below 16 or 17C.

I Googled mast cell activation disorder/syndrome . I'm on info overload but in a good way. Thank you.
A few years ago a ant bite sent me to ER, then I had a adverse reaction to medication they used on me, making my throat close. (Histamine?)
Yes sunlight has been a problem for years. When I have the energy and temperatures are right I garden at night with the use of lights. I must seem crazy, but I call it flexible.