bottom tray??

[savvy]

Aug 30, 2021 13:50:58 GMT hazel said:

also, they don't use the ramp to get to the bottom floor? they fall BOOMPF onto the grating and i dread to think what it's doing to their poor feeties.

This is why you need to put cardboard on the grating, as soon as they have proper ramps, they will learn to use them.

Degus tend to ignore you when called, unless you have something tasty to give them, lol.

[savvy]

Ooh, ratrations sell lovely ramps as well.

[hazel]

RATE MY SETUP 2.0

bug fixes:
· cardboard now covers mesh floor

improvement:
· added empty whiskas box and coconut hideouts
· zip-tied second bottle to cage walls

ummmm... but the upper ramp is wobbly. 

[hazel]

my cage is so clapped lol no wonder they're all little houdinis when i go to ruffle the hay into place

[savvy]

Small points;

Is the water bottle right over the food bowl on the first ledge? If so move the food bowl across a bit so they can access both and their food doesn't get wet.

Can the bottom ramp be turned around so it allows access to the bottom ramp?

My ramps are a bit wobbly, but as long as they're secure it should be OK.

You will find out that they will decide where they want their hay, lol.

Also try putting a toilet roll in there, if they are used to building a nest, the paper will give them hours of fun.

[moletteuk]

Congrats on getting your degus

What are your plans for housing, Hazel? Were you hoping to make this cage suitable, or were you going to see how you get on and then perhaps upgrade?

This current cage is always going to be tricky becuase it's not long enough and the doors are very small and limit extra shelving and it needs a lot of extra shelving.

For right now I agree with Savvy that I think the wheel needs to be moved nearer the floor for safety reasons. Also the wheel is too small so will need replacing at some point. The hammock is too high up with too big a drop below. You can probably use it if you attach some longer rope or chain so that it sits somewhere at mid height level.

Next priority is more floor space, two degus need 1.2 sqaure metres of running surface, so this could be two lots of 100x60cm (so floor plus mid height full area shelf) or whatever equivalent fits your space. Small shelves do not count towards this, so I suspect at the moment you only have about 0.4 sqaure metres.

So for anything more than a few weeks, I think you need to put a mid height full area shelf in, but that is still not going to be close to our minimum recommendations, and I don't think the doors allow much more. You could put several more of the smaller shelves you currently have in so that they more or less meet up to create one bigger space at mid height, if you want to see how you get on for a little while. It's worth bearing in mind that the more space they have, the more natural degu behaviour you see so everybody has a better experience.

[moletteuk]

Best way to post photos is to upload them to a host site like FlickR or postimage.org and then you copy and paste the bblink or forum code into your reply here.

[hazel]

and here i was, compressing my photos to hell.

[hazel]

whenever i open the cage the mottled one (carrie?) rushes to the door and tries to make a leap of faith :/ and yes, it is ineffably clapped to use real human names on a pet... carrie is one of the provisional names i've chosen.

[bouncy]

Ok, you have degus! Congratulations!

Now, take a deep breath!

Adding a full level is easy. You need something like wood, metal, or perspex the same size as the cage inside. Cut a hole for access, then edge it with something like wood to stop substrate from falling out. Use a nuts and bolts with a penny washer on each side of bars, then rest your new level on the bolts! If you use something porous, you might want to seal or cover it to prevent wee from soaking in.

For the existing floor, you can go into any DIY shop and get some ceramic tiles. Fit them closely together to avoid stuck toes . Places like B&Q let you buy single tiles.

Now, we need Degu pics!

[hazel]

(i hope the technical side of things sorts itself out...)

behold, the girls!
(inscription transcription: ECCE·PVELLAE)

does anyone know where i can get that wood burning thing done? i unironically want to commission a plaque.

worryingly, they don't seem to be eating their biccies. the only food they've responded to so far is the treats i pushed through the bars to make them feel more at ease.

[hazel]

OH AND OF COURSE IT DIDN'T, back to bashing photos back into shape



girl 1/3

[hazel]

girl 2/3

[hazel]

girl 3/3



she's my fave x


she's also the mother of the shy smooth blue... and the shy smooth blue is the mottled blue's sister, but the mottled blue is not the sandy's daughter.

which is weird, because at least in coat colouration and behaviour the mottled blue is a lot more like the sandy than the smooth blue is!!

[hazel]

the mottled blue leapt out of the cage, actually stuck her muzzle into the gap between the plastic and tried to escape onto nearby furniture. whenever i open the cage she's the first to try an escape, and would probably jump to her doom if i let her. disconcertingly, she also paws at the latch...

the sandy is the oldest by a whole year, so she's a more settled than the others. she's also the most friendly.

the smooth blue hid in the carrier cage for so long i had to scoop her out... and she's always hiding in the little log shelter.

[bouncy]

It'll take them a while to settle. They have new scents, sounds, and movements to get used to. All the behaviour you're describing is a version of nervousness or fear. Just sit quietly next to their cage to get them used to you, then start talking quietly. Try to hold off on the bribery. If they're eating so many treats, they won't be hungry for normal food, and their diets will be unbalanced.

Just take it SLOWLY!

[hazel]

i was unrewarded for my impatience i captured the sandy in the carrier cage and tried to pet her but she squirmed so much i had to put her back... no amount of dried rosehip could bribe her

[winic1]

Back to the bottom tray problem--that's originally a bird cage, right? So there's a metal grid that slides into a slot, then the plastic tray that slides into another slot underneath the metal grid, right?

The trick to this is simple. But first you'll need to get the degus safely into the carrier cage or somehow contained.
Then:
First, remove both tray and grid.
Then put the tray up inside the cage. Not slid into either slot, just maneuver it up inside the cage itself, and you may need to hold it there.
Then slide the metal grid into the top slot of the cage, underneath the tray.
So now the tray is resting on the grid, and the grid is in the top slot so there's no extra gap there.
Now, securely tie that grid into place, so it can't slide out again. Using wire is even better, so the tie cannot be chewed through.

The tray rests on the grid. The grid keeps the cage secure, which is why you also want to tie it in tight, so it can't accidentally shift and create a gap they can escape through. You'll clean the tray by simply reaching in the cage door.
Since it's plastic, yes? they may chew it up, but even if they do they cannot escape the cage because of the grid. And they may not chew it up, mine never did.

[winic1]

Have you had a look through the Cages, Housing, and Accessories section?
You'll want to look at the Choosing and Improving your Metal Cage choices, lots of photos and how-to's in there.
deguworld.proboards.com/thread/18717/choosing-improving-metal-cage

[hazel]

it's a bird cage?!

but thank you... and no, it's all painted metal.