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Post by annanatya on Jan 27, 2019 22:14:44 GMT
Since i got my degus i used aspen shavings but my degus recently started sneezing and i thought it’s because of that. (i’ll take them to a vet if that’s not the case)
I asked at a petshop what kind of bedding should i use instead and the girl recommended cat litter (wood pellets) , im definitely not getting that.
What kind of bedding do you guys use for your degus? Im thinking about paper bedding. Whats the best one i can use?
(sorry for my bad english) ;(
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Post by savvy on Jan 27, 2019 23:45:13 GMT
Your English is fine, don't worry.
There are loads of options for bedding but please avoid cat litter as it's designed to swell when wet which could cause major problems if your degus eat it.
I use finacard, others use carefresh, a lot depends on what's available where you live.
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Post by bouncy on Jan 28, 2019 2:09:07 GMT
I agree, those pellets are horrible for a degu - just asking for a twisted ankle or hip and, as they're rodents, they risk choking to death. As they chew them (which they definitely will), moisture will expand the pellet to block the mouth or throat.
Try to look for a dust-free material. Some woodshavings are very fine, making them dusty. There are many options:
Broken cardboard (Finacard mentioned by Savvy)
Hemp chippings
Hemp matting
Equine woodshavings (much bigger pieces to be comfortable for horses)
Paper-based, such as Carefresh
Some I have likely forgotten!
It comes down to availability, tolerance to mess, cost, and degu preference. I currently use hemp matting on the shelves, and equine woodshavings everywhere else. The brand I am using at the moment has pieces circa 2.5cm diameter, some with bits of bark, and quite coarse. My lot love digging through them and sit chewing the larger pieces.
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 28, 2019 6:33:00 GMT
How long have you had your degus, Annanatya? Is there any other potential source of dust near them? Is there any kind of cool draft in the room? Are they all sneezing?
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Post by Deleted on Jan 28, 2019 8:15:17 GMT
You could also use cocoliner!
I’ve tried and tested pretty much everything now, with six degus and a chinchilla in 4 separate enclosures I need GOOD bedding.
I’ve come back to cocoliner 3 times now because of the ease. You can cut it into shape, put it in.
When they need cleaning out, empty their home, pull cocoliner sheet out, hoover up any poo left inside and put a new sheet in!!
They also like to ruffle it up and mess around with it.
Hemp flooring is very similar - except it’s thicker but works out to cost a lot more.
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Post by annanatya on Jan 29, 2019 22:21:39 GMT
How long have you had your degus, Annanatya? Is there any other potential source of dust near them? Is there any kind of cool draft in the room? Are they all sneezing? i’ve had my degus for almost 10 months and yes they’re all sneezing. there’s not any cool draft in the room also and i don’t think there’s dust near them, i clean the room where i keep them every week. i just bought new bedding today and i’ll see if there’s any change |
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 29, 2019 23:12:08 GMT
I sure hope you see a quick improvement! That would help to isolate if it is the bedding that has caused the problem. What did you get?
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Post by ntg on Jan 29, 2019 23:38:11 GMT
You could also use cocoliner! I’ve tried and tested pretty much everything now, with six degus and a chinchilla in 4 separate enclosures I need GOOD bedding. I’ve come back to cocoliner 3 times now because of the ease. You can cut it into shape, put it in. When they need cleaning out, empty their home, pull cocoliner sheet out, hoover up any poo left inside and put a new sheet in!! They also like to ruffle it up and mess around with it. Hemp flooring is very similar - except it’s thicker but works out to cost a lot more. Em where do you get your cocoliner from? Just wondering if it might work well to try and toilet train Gizmo a bit more... |
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Post by annanatya on Jan 30, 2019 14:15:39 GMT
I sure hope you see a quick improvement! That would help to isolate if it is the bedding that has caused the problem. What did you get? i got Carefresh bedding |
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Post by annanatya on Jan 30, 2019 14:17:03 GMT
I agree, those pellets are horrible for a degu - just asking for a twisted ankle or hip and, as they're rodents, they risk choking to death. As they chew them (which they definitely will), moisture will expand the pellet to block the mouth or throat. Try to look for a dust-free material. Some woodshavings are very fine, making them dusty. There are many options: Broken cardboard (Finacard mentioned by Savvy) Hemp chippings Hemp matting Equine woodshavings (much bigger pieces to be comfortable for horses) Paper-based, such as Carefresh Some I have likely forgotten! It comes down to availability, tolerance to mess, cost, and degu preference. I currently use hemp matting on the shelves, and equine woodshavings everywhere else. The brand I am using at the moment has pieces circa 2.5cm diameter, some with bits of bark, and quite coarse. My lot love digging through them and sit chewing the larger pieces. thank you for your suggestions! ❤️ |
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Post by Deleted on Jan 31, 2019 8:34:28 GMT
You could also use cocoliner! I’ve tried and tested pretty much everything now, with six degus and a chinchilla in 4 separate enclosures I need GOOD bedding. I’ve come back to cocoliner 3 times now because of the ease. You can cut it into shape, put it in. When they need cleaning out, empty their home, pull cocoliner sheet out, hoover up any poo left inside and put a new sheet in!! They also like to ruffle it up and mess around with it. Hemp flooring is very similar - except it’s thicker but works out to cost a lot more. Em where do you get your cocoliner from? Just wondering if it might work well to try and toilet train Gizmo a bit more... UK Garden Supplies! |
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Post by claire on Feb 14, 2019 18:57:31 GMT
I had shavings but it was irritating my boys eyes so I switched to help bedding. Called Aubios great stuff  dust free Smell's nice and it's safe for them to chew. Ratty like finding long bits to chew. Little weirdo |
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Post by skullblits on Feb 15, 2019 12:21:21 GMT
I might try that cocoliner out for my degus. It will help cut out the mess.
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dust free Smell's nice and it's safe for them to chew. Ratty like finding long bits to chew. Little weirdo