Want degu to be happy - but loads of conflicting advice

[degunewbie]

Hi everyone,

I've had my little one for 5 days now. She is a rescue, and very skittish; the team when I adopted her warned me about this many times and seemed definitely aware and considerate of her nervousness. But this is why I wanted her; because I didnt mind if she wants to stay that way, as long as she was happy and in a safe home. First couple of days she would run to a corner and stay in it, but she has come on leaps and bounds (excuse the pun) I would say. I was told she might never be able to socialise, and may always be terrified of me. But she is already happy hop on to take treats from my hand, and comes to the door to ask me for stuff. I moved the cage around today, because I got a new hide for her, and she kept jumping to my hand. Not sure if it was because of dissatisfaction with her new cage, or begging for a treat, but still it was nice she was comfortable with me. I think she is doing well, but this is my first time with a degu, so it is hard to say.

I am still worried about a lot of things. I want her to be living her best degu life.

I bought her specific degu food, but the food had molasses. I've read in many places molasses are bad, should I throw it away? I dont understand why they would make a degu pellet and it containing things bad for degus?

I've put in so many different wood things, all sorts, hides, wooden toys, those woven balls, I even replaced her metal ladders with mopani wood, but she is chewing her plastic tubes. I was recommended by the RSPCA to get the tubes, and they were right she absolutely loves running through them. So I dont want to take them out, but she keeps chewing them so I'm worried that's not going to be good for her, I dont want her eating plastic! The only thing that seems to distract her is her I love hay cube from rosewood, which she loves. But she has so many other things to chew on, why does she keep going back to her plastic tube?

She doesnt seem to be drinking much. I put her bottle on the top shelf because I wanted to motivate her to move around as much as possible. Is this a bad idea, should I just place it the easiest place? How much water should I expect her to drink?

I put loads of hides in. But she doesnt use them. The hides take up a lot of space though, but I heard that they need a lot of hides. Should I reduce them? Why isnt she using her hides?

I'm worried shes not chewing enough hay. I thought they were meant to eat tonnes of hay, but it is not being eaten at all. Even the hay cube, shes loving chewing the cardboard and digging in it, but doesnt eat the hay? I do not understand it. She has two boxes of hay, and doesnt seem to be eating either. I read on this forum to put dried herbs in. What are the best herbs for her?

I've given her soft hammock types of things, for small pets, like rats. Is it dangerous for her if she chews on them?

When should I start letting her have a run around on the floor? Should I ever? From what I read, degus will eat anything, so what if she finds some rubbish she eats? I definitely dont feel comfortable yet letting her out fully because I dont know if she will come back to me to go in the cage. Will this damage her, if she doesnt get outside time?

Also, I read that degus need stimulation, but want routine. This is hard to figure out. I am thinking to rearrange her cage when I do her cleanings, to have something new. But will that just make her uncomfortable? How often should I rearrange if at all?

Just because I know some of you might be alarmed because you are wary degus needs a social life - On pairing, I understand that degus are social. As she was a rescue, she wasnt suitable for a pair, and in fact was removed from her pair while with the RSPCA. I think she needs a social buddy eventually. In time, I'm hoping I will be able to pair her, once shes settled in, and upon the advice from the RSPCA. I'm not getting in the way of it... just going to have to play by ear on how she feels comfortable.

Sorry for the long message. If anyone could just suggest anything on how to make her the happiest (and healthiest!) degu, I would appreciate it.

Thanks all, sorry for being panicky!

[savvy]

Welcome to the forum. You will find that degus are weird, if they can find a way to confuse you, they'll do it.

Firstly, it's great that she's jumping on your hand, just be aware that she may regress a little, that's only natural.

Degus chew everything! And she's probably finding the plastic softer to chew than the wood, but you're right, it's not good for her, it is possible to get cardboard or wooden tunnels instead. Cardboard carpet tubes are great and usually free.

In terms of food, I too have found degu specific food that had molasses in and I refused to buy it. There are plenty of other foods you can feed which are added sugar free, please read through our food section for more information deguworld.proboards.com/board/24/diet-nutrition and if you need any help, we're here.

Can I ask what cage you have? We may be able to come up with layout ideas to maximise the space.

[degunewbie]

Thanks so much Savvy! Ahh, thank you for the quick reply!

I've ordered some other tubes already. I bought them to add to her environment, but maybe I should use them to wean her off the plastic ones. It's a shame because they are bendy, but I will investigate the carpet ones, maybe I can find ones with some flex for her to run through still. She does have some others that are shorter and made of thick card already, but I should have more options in a couple of days. It's crazy that she is addicted to plastic ones, she has started nibbling them again while I have been typing!

Thanks for the warning, that will put me at ease if she does regress. Otherwise I would probably be panicking she was ill or I did something bad if she did haha. Good preparation.

This is my cage www.petplanet.co.uk/p28577/rat_and_ferret_cage_by_petplanet.aspx?ptm_source=google&ptm_medium=shopping&ptm_campaign=over50_68616&campaign=439957091&adgroup=33472599131&keyword=&gclid=CjwKCAiAsaOBBhA4EiwAo0_AnK6gve20alcIIdJp-8FP8I2V2PFrj66h2L1wpR0mlUGylt3arbyGeRoCwjMQAvD_BwE
I don't have those hammocks though, I replaced them with other bits, including other fluffier hammocks. Any advice, I would love!

I'll get the new food for her. I can't believe this food was made for degus, and isn't good for their health. So bad of them, that is terrible.

Thanks again Savvy! It's really appreciated!

[degunewbie]

Note on the cage: I have replaced the metal stairs with some aquarium wood - mopani. So there is some more space, because they go more straight down rather than the wide breadth in the picture with the metal stairs.

[savvy]

That's a great cage choice! You can improve the space by adding extra levels, and extending the half levels.

Does she have a wheel? Tictac wheels are very good, although initial outlay may seem expensive, they last for years. She will need a wheel that's at least 14 inches in diameter and must be fully open fronted, no cross bars or centre rods as they can easily damage themselves on these.

[Xellie]

This is the same cage I have, and it's very good. I kept the ladders but they have fleece covers to protect little feeties and they do love to zoom up and down them.

Regarding the tubes, take the plastic ones out, she will adapt to the cardboard ones... mine have hay tubes! Depending on how old she is (for size) she may like toilet tubes (even complete toilet roll) to play with too.

Soft hammocks are fine. They love them and don't tend to chew on those as much. Its the straps they will go for, anyway, every degu is different and check all hammocks and such daily for damage - if its damaged, remove it immediately!

She WILL ignore toys for a while. That's okay, it's what Degus do. They'll ignore new things then suddenly it'll be their favourite thing. They also like pumice blocks and shelves (like lava ledges).

For food, well the topic linked above is very comprehensive. For a good starting point mine eat : www.vetuk.co.uk/small-animals-degu-food-c-671_2352/science-selective-degu-dry-1-5kg-p-20837 - with unlimited hay, various forage (I shop around and get them new things to try all the time) and a small amount of seed mix. ratrations.co.uk is a great place to find forage and seeds.
They can be picky with hay, it can take a while to find which hays they like, but keep trying (and limit the nuggets!) she will get there in the end.

Stimulation can be things like... hiding treats in hay in empty egg cartons.... stuffing a toilet tube with kitchen roll and hiding treats in there. Have them forage around their cage to find goodies. Mine have a trixie snack ball to entertain them, a running disk and a running wheel. They also like little wooden toys and loofah toys, little paper pom pom balls and wicker balls.

For letting her out the cage, you can look into setting up a playpen. But I would suggest not doing it until she's coming on call... Train her with treats... say "come here" or her name when you give her treats. and she'll soon come running when you say the word.

I can show you a picture of how my cage is set up (I have 2 identical to yours) - mine are babies and the cage levels will be extended when they grow - for some ideas of what they can play with.

Rearranging somethings is fine and interesting to them, but don't mess with their favourite nest!

[moletteuk]

Welcome to the forum and to the world of degus

Degus are widely underestimated and misunderstood, even by organisations like the RSPCA, but also pet shops and pet food producers. People tend to think they are similar to other small mammal pets, but degus live much longer and have much more complicated social structures and behaviours and they can even use tools, they are very intelligent. You have done the right thing coming here where we have lots of degu experience and many of us have spent thousands of hours watching and trying to understand our furry friends.

I'm going to link beginners guide, you should find it useful deguworld.proboards.com/thread/19754/beginners-guide-degu-keeping

Get some Science Selective and then choose another food that is grass based like the Rosewood Meadow Menu or JR Farm Grainless Guinea or Versele Laga Complete (if those are still available). They can be very fussy about hay so be prepared to buy some different brands. Don't forget forage like herbs, flowers, tree leaves, hedgerow plants etc, this is what degus are designed to eat and they often enjoy it more than hay, you can buy from Zooplus, Ratrations, Galen's Garden, Pets at Home.

Degus will often drink more in the morning and evening, she should drink somewhere around 10 to 30ml per day. I think it's good to place the water near or on the same level as the wheel or wherever she is active in the evening.

When she settles in a bit more you can figure out which things she likes and uses in the cage and maybe rearrange some things. They do generally need hides or other objects that provide some cover so she isn't right out in the open and feeling vulnerable (as a prey animal does).

There can be some slight risk to fabrics but it depends on the degu. Watch for her chewing it or getting her nails caught in the fabric. Some degus love things like hammocks so much that it is worth providing.

I would probably wait to let her out of the cage for now. The way to do it safely is to take her in a box or tube to a small room or a small area of a room divided off or use a playpen (with solid wooden sides, you may need to make your own).

Don't rearrange her cage for the sake of it until she settles in more. Do watch for hints of improvements to how she would like things placed. For example if you put a load of kitchen or toilet paper in the cage she will take it all to where she wants her nest.

It sounds like she is a normal degu that fell out with their partner or perhaps the cage was too small or the previous owner didn't know how to deal with it. Anyway, there is no reason to think she shouldn't be paired up again, so once you find your feet that will be something to think about and we can help you with options and ways forward.

[deguconvert]

DITTO!!

[degunewbie]

Hi all,

Thank for all the useful advice!! I did read it all, sorry I didn't reply quickly, I have been very busy this week with work.

So Savvy you were spot on, she got a bit defensive again for a couple days, and perhaps still isn't quite back to where she was. But she stills comes to the door sometimes, and still takes treats from my hands.

I kind of have a good development, she's been out. On Tuesday, she had a bit of a fall unfortunately, but I think she is OK. I had my hands out with a treat, a bit further from the door than usual (won't be doing that again any time soon). She jumped on fine, but she rushed to get back after she got a treat, and slipped on the metal rim of the cage. She was loose! I thought it would take me forever to get her back in, so was a bit nerve-wracking. But actually I got her in, in just a few minutes. I had read about tube training before which is what helped. I used one of the now redundant plastic tubes, stretched it out, blocked one end and put treats inside. She walked straight in! When I put the exit in the cage, she then strolled out really calmly, I was so surprised.

So just wanted to let you all know I've been taking your advice. She no longer has any plastic tubes. I now have Science Selective, and I actually think she prefers it to the molasses one any way. I've just got Timothy Hay. She hasn't really been nuts about it yet, but I only gave it to her today and she did have a cage clean so is a bit nervous today anyway. When I cleaned it, I put it all back as is, and added a couple of extra cardboard bits because she was brave and well behaved through it. I've added some loofah toys as well.

Quick question on the TikTak wheel. Is it relatively quiet? I have got her a saucer and wheel at the minute, but they are plastic so I probably should replace them. That being said, she doesnt show any interest in chewing them yet. I ask about the quietness because the "Silent" spinner she currently has, is really not that quiet after all. It jumps around the cage and rattles the doors sometimes, so sadly on a couple of occasions I had to remove it at night. I live with an NHS worker, and it is certainly not fair on her at least, keeping her up.

In terms of getting her another degu, I really think it is a good idea. I sometimes think she is actually more active when I am with her than not. So even though she can be a little scared of me sometimes, I think she does want company. Thanks for reaffirming for me this could work, and it's not in my head. I really think she was misinterpreted. She is social, she just didn't get along with her previous cohabiter. I'll give it a couple weeks, but I am beginning to think, the sooner the better for her.

Lastly, I thought you might be interested/have some thoughts in my set-up, so here are picture links. My camera is rubbish sorry. There's a bonus picture of my young girl too...

drive.google.com/file/d/1K89ypclg3yTAZaxB1a9hlMYGk_h07r3G/view?usp=sharing
drive.google.com/file/d/1G5aOB6UzCZ3zMFx3RwLdeHH4SnQwQ5dh/view?usp=sharing
drive.google.com/file/d/1W1VTXJPEU3XtC8nOtZiZeDpAcq-JFhtX/view?usp=sharing
drive.google.com/file/d/1TJXOAiCJ62AvAIsYQBKsOfrkjbK0VBJX/view?usp=sharing
drive.google.com/file/d/1NiFzUc-hjqndxcRiYlcH06i6Ge5-1hEb/view?usp=sharing
drive.google.com/file/d/1TlDRbLxnfqz8ksMCbIKs30XK8i9Ybah4/view?usp=sharing

[Xellie]

She's very cute!

I use the silent spinner too (have done for years) and it doesn't really get chewed. That is something that varies from degu to degu. The running disc is more likely to get chewed, but just check them regularly. Try putting a large piece of card under the spinner or take the yellow bit off the back (it'll unscrew) and screw it to the cage wall. Mine is set up like this and I take it out at night. The goos don't really mind because they mostly sleep all night anyway, they are diurnal.

When you clean her cage, just mostly spot clean. They actually don't like it too clean.
I get the worst of the poo daily, take out soiled bedding weekly (hay etc) and a full clean once a month.

She's so lucky to have you.

[degunewbie]

Aww thank you! She is very cute. And sensitive, which I really like. She's beginning to regularly sleep on her yellow hammock and she wriggles around in it trying to get comfy, just like a person, it is absolutely the loveliest thing you can imagine.

Oh gosh, such good advice. I had no idea you could do that. I'll do that tonight, and everyone can rest. She is still up at night for the timing being, I think she is still settling. Also, I do think she might be resting more than she should in the daytime at present, because she doesn't have a degu friend. I think she moves more when I'm with her, and her cage is actually in my bedroom at the minute (hopefully not a bad idea); so I'm with her all night, but only some of the day.

Woops on the cleaning. That's actually even better for me, because it was quite a long task doing it all at once. Will spot clean from now on, she will definitely prefer that.

Your goos are gorgeous Xellie, I want them!

Thanks for the help!

[Xellie]

I haven't posted pictures of all of my babies yet! There's 6 youngsters and 2 nearly adults now.

My goos know the taking the wheel out as part of their bedtime routine. They all run upstairs because a cuddle comes shortly after the wheel is taken out.

[degunewbie]

Wow, you are one lucky lady. So many goos, and so well trained. Cant wait for more pics of them!

[deguconvert]

You've got a great cage, but . . . you have a lot in it. She may want a little more open space to roam in. I think you could remove some of the hides that you have in there . . . maybe reduce by about 50% and see what she thinks. If ever you decide to have a playpen area for her, you can then put some of those extra things in there with her and she will be glad to have them.

I love your description of her wiggling about in her yellow hammock as she gets comfy! She is a really sweet and pretty little thing!