nika
Foraging Degu
Posts: 106
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Post by nika on Aug 16, 2019 10:24:45 GMT
So.... I’ve been mulling over my cage issue. Because the roof on my degus hutch is at an angle, it’ll be really difficult to build on an addition. Unfortunately, the people who build the hutches that would be suitable, are all the way down in southern England and they don’t deliver lol. They also come pre-built, which the size I need would be near on impossible to get into my house in the spot it’s to go fully assembled. I couldn’t sleep last night with the thoughts running through my head about the cage lol. But I think I finally cracked it. I’m going to get a carpenter to build me what I need. I’ve got a picture of the hutch that would be ideal I believe, and only a couple of changes need to be made - it’s meant to be a rabbit breeding hutch - but if I get ramps put in, it’ll be perfect I think. It also has removable dividers , which I’ll get rid, all but one so I have the ability to isolate a sick or narky degu. I’ll have the make the divider out of framed mesh. I’m thinking 2 metres long - but I’m not sure about the height of each level (what I’ve got now I think the levels are a bit tall), also the depth. I want to make sure they have plenty of room to get away from each other and to add on extra wheels and feeding spaces. I do scatter their foraging for exercise and interest/amusement though, so their bowls only get used for kibble. I’m hoping that this won’t cost me the world. Can I get suggestions regarding what wood to make the body of the cage from? I need to consider price as well, it’s already going to be expensive to get one built (but the degus are worth it). Can someone more experienced than I have a look at the hutch I’m looking at and tell me if it will be large enough? And what dimensions should I be aiming for to give them more than enough room? And if there’s any further suggestions, I would appreciate any advice, I would like to get this right. Hopefully the fighting will die down if they have more space and access to amenities. The double level hutch I have now will go to our rescue guinea pig. We’ll be getting a second guinea pig, a baby - because our rescue was found alone in the woods in a bucket 😡 and he needs a cage mate. That’ll give me more than enough room for everybody with a spare basic cage that I can store...somewhere 😂. Here’s the hutch ibb.co/bJn1qFLThank you!
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nika
Foraging Degu
Posts: 106
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Opinions
Aug 16, 2019 10:27:11 GMT
via mobile
Post by nika on Aug 16, 2019 10:27:11 GMT
This hutch and where I’m planning on putting it will give them a ton more access to natural light.
I hope it’s enough for 5 degus!
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Post by moletteuk on Aug 16, 2019 11:05:55 GMT
Our minimum recommended for 5 degus is 23,000 square centimeters of floor space, recommended is 30,000 sqcm. So if we aim for 30,000 and assume 4 levels at 200cm long that would mean each level would need to be 37.5cm front to back. I wouldn't recommend you make the shelves less than 40 to 45cm deep, you might know what your preference is with that as your current cage is in that region. The deeper you make it front to back I think the space is more flexible allowing to put a large item on the shelf and still have plenty of room for getting past it. If you go too deep the shelves get darker at the back. 50cm is usually about optimum but can vary according to your priorities. Shelf spacing depends on shelf depth (front to back) if you want natural light - the taller the spacing the more light reaches the back of the shelves. You can have some taller than others, a darker space will attract them for sleeping, you need plenty of height for a big wheel with substrate below it, a minimum of around 40cm for a 35cm wheel. I would simplify the front and make a full area mesh door for each of the 8 segments of the hutch shown. You want as few battens of wood as possible because they are all week spots for chewing and may need protecting with metal at some point which can be expensive. 200x50x4 levels = 40,000sqcm so that would be awesome or you would have scope to lose one of the levels or reduce the length. We have a cage build materials guide along with other useful links for cage building deguworld.proboards.com/thread/18718/guides-diy-cage I would recommend plywood for the carcase of such a large cage and I always prefer melamine faced furniture board for the shelves and base so they are wipeable. If the build uses a wooden frame then any kiln dried softwood is fine, you need to either make it oversized so that they can only chew the corner of the profile and not chew the whole thing away, or protect with metal, I quite like how you have it shown with frame only at the front for ease of attaching the doors.
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 16, 2019 16:48:22 GMT
Moletteuk, you covered everything I thought of, and then some! I've nothing more to add, so will just say . . .
DITTO!
Nika, I think your idea for the old cage and for the new cage, taking in to consideration the modifications recommended above for the doors and the dimensions, you will have an AWESOME cage and your degus will thoroughly enjoy it! I do have something to add about the doors ... if you have them hinged so that they open downward and lay flat against the cage when you open them, you will have no impediments to the inside, and they will be easy to lift and close when done. Having a door which is the full span of each segment of the cage means that cleaning out is much easier on you!
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nika
Foraging Degu
Posts: 106
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Post by nika on Aug 17, 2019 0:17:16 GMT
Thank you for the advice! I will be taking all of it on board.
In a hutch, the wire mesh is attached to the inside of the doors - so there’s no chewing on the doors because it’s already protected by metal. Every other area is flush wood. Since the guinea pigs won’t really benefit from the ledges I’ve put in the double hutch, I’ll remove them and put them in the new cage.
Unfortunately, Roo and Honey are still trying to fight through the mesh. I’ve put the baby in the isolation ‘tank’ lol, and I keep switching out Roo and Honey so that neither loses contact with the other sisters. Both Roo and Honey are perfect with rest of the degus, just not each other. Both have tried to make a play for alpha and neither are backing down. I’ve read that this can take weeks/months to sort? I’m dreading when the baby (Mia) hits her puberty stage - she’s feisty as it is and brooks no shite. Even as a tiny baby she was chasing rest of the degus about when she first got introduced. She’s only subservient now lol. I’m expecting trouble. With that thought in mind, I’ll make sure that when I get this bloody cage built, that - as I said - I’ll have a mesh divider, but also I’ll be able to remove a ramp so that I have access to 2 isolation tanks. I figured the top level should be modifiable - that will give me 2 spaces in case anyone decides to be an arse while another decides to be ill or also an arse.
I will admit, although I did plenty of research, it was more on nutritional needs etc - I assumed the hutch was huge, the degus were tiny, so it would be fine - adding a third level was only thought of as a luxury. I admit the error of my ways lol. The last thing I want is these degus to be unhappy. Luckily I’ve got a bare wall in my room and attenuated earplugs (means I can hear clearly things are just much quieter) - I’m autistic lol. So I’ll be able to deal with the sound of 2-3 wheels going at once lol.
On that note....any recommendations for actual super quiet wheels? 😳
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nika
Foraging Degu
Posts: 106
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Post by nika on Aug 17, 2019 0:23:14 GMT
Maybe 4 wheels. 1 for each level 😬😳😂. No one can talk me into 5!
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Post by savvy on Aug 17, 2019 0:45:23 GMT
The quietest wheels I know of come from Tic Tac Wheels, but they're not cheap, although they are well worth the price. www.tictacwheels.co.uk
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nika
Foraging Degu
Posts: 106
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Post by nika on Aug 17, 2019 1:58:35 GMT
The quietest wheels I know of come from Tic Tac Wheels, but they're not cheap, although they are well worth the price. www.tictacwheels.co.ukI’ve bookmarked that page. The wheel I have cost £22, so an extra £16 on a ‘cosmetically marked’ wheel.. gulp... isn’t too horrible. Maybe get a couple and use the wheel they have now as well and then grab another 2 a few weeks later. Do you know if the wheels attach to the side of the cage? I find it easier to have them floating - itherwise they seem to migrate lol
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nika
Foraging Degu
Posts: 106
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Post by nika on Aug 17, 2019 2:00:08 GMT
Wait - sorry. Yes, it seems at least the one I was looking at does. I’m assuming metal is the way to go preferably??
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Post by savvy on Aug 17, 2019 2:19:02 GMT
I have both of mine attached to the sides of the cages.
You need to get the biggest wheels you can, otherwise degus can damage their spines if they run on a wheel which is too small for them. Both of my wheels (I have two separate degus, Dixie who is an 8 year old male, and Reggie who is a 15 month old female) were from the cosmetically not perfect section and to be honest, I can't see anything wrong with them.
I've had the wheels about 3 years now and both are well used by my gang. You will need to measure the space you are going to fit it really well though as the wheels tend to be bigger than you think.
Edit : yes - metal is better! I regularly find my guys using the spinning wheel to grind their teeth, lol.
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nika
Foraging Degu
Posts: 106
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Post by nika on Aug 17, 2019 2:36:01 GMT
The one I have now is 30cm/12in. That was the largest I could find at the time and from what I could find - suitable. They are 6-7 mos old, except for the baby... I didn’t look closely, but I saw 14in for £38. What is the sizes that you, the degu experts recommend??
Are you in the UK? It’s awfully late here lol, I don’t much sleep on the weekends or holidays, but I wasn’t expecting anyone to respond to me! Thank you xx
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nika
Foraging Degu
Posts: 106
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Post by nika on Aug 17, 2019 2:37:16 GMT
The wheel we have now is plastic - but thankfully, they are more interested in chewing the kiln dried pine ledges lol.
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Post by savvy on Aug 17, 2019 2:59:03 GMT
Yes, I am in the uk. I'm an insomniac so only get about 2-3 hours sleep a night, and tend to head off to bed between 4 and 5 am to give me the best chance of sleeping.
16 inches would be best, but 14 inches is sufficient (mine are both 14inches due to space issues) 12 inches is a little on the small side for adult degus.
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Post by moletteuk on Aug 17, 2019 9:35:05 GMT
I think most of us have 14". If you want 4 it may be worth your while figuring out how to make your own, if you use a proper bearing they are even quieter and an aluminium cake tin is maintenance free. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/18484/molettes-35cm-home-metal-wheel The loudest part of a good wheel is the 'sprong' when they jump in or out and the tapping of their nails. Yes, the recommended sizes seem a bit mind blowing until you actually have the degus in that space and see how they use it.
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