Converting Ikea Deltof for Degus

[cobolt]

Hi all,

We've used a Deltof for years for gerbils, but sadly they have all passed. We've been considering Degus for a long time and wondered if anyone else has make a topper for the Deltof suitable for degu. How tall did you go? How many layers? How did you manage doors? Would the weight needed be too much for the glass or metal supports?

Thanks!

[savvy]

Welcome to the forum.

Unfortunately glass units are not suitable for degus, they need a ventilated cage otherwise they suffer from respiratory problems due to the high build up of moisture.

If you are considering getting degus I would recommend looking at either the Aventura or Liberta explorer, or similar, cages as they are large enough for up to three degus and more if adapted by adding additional levels.

www.mydegu.com/product-page/liberta-explorer

littlepetwarehouse.co.uk/products/metal-aventura-huge-metal-rat-ferret-chinchilla-cage/?gad_source=1

If you're good a DIY it is possible to build your own custom cage.

[cobolt]

Thanks for the info, I was thinking about making a very open and ventlated topper, like this one we made for our old gerbil cage - i.imgur.com/4TTgbD9.jpeg - or would the deep glass section of the deltof still have a humidity issue even with a basically open top?

[bouncy]

Love the gerbil home! I used to have many different cages joined with a maze of tunnels

If you're looking to house degus in a cabinet, we recommend a minimum footprint of 100x50cm because they need floor space to run. None of the IKEA cabinets are deep enough, although a couple are wide enough. You may find some wardrobes to adapt, though.

As for how tall, the limit is your ceiling! Degus can never have too much space, but they will fight if they don't have enough. I personally couldn't find anything to improvise with, so I made my own.

village.photos/images/user/69083821-90a2-4a21-a972-2069f5119619/resized_83823f78-dcbb-41ff-a04b-acd5df757ee6.JPG