Baby Degus Gone Wild!

[sarah]

Overnight our almost 2 week old babies have gone from being timid, shy and hiding in the nest to wild frolicking and having dangerous fun! Last night two were wrestling in one corner, two others were climbing up the sides of the cage and falling back down, and the fifth was standing on top of the nest box and leaping toward the bars where the protective shield stops.

We have a tall parrot cage with adjustable shelves on 4 levels. We thought we had arranged it so only the adults could get up to the higher levels but last night one of the babies made it all the way up to the top and couldn't figure out how to get back down.

We have to do some serious cage rearrangement today including removing the wheel. I'm still not sure if they can squeeze through the bars, which are 1/2 inch apart. Just when I think we're doing everything we can to stop them from hurting themselves, they come up with new forms of mischief!

I'll try and get some pictures this weekend.

Sarah

[ra]

Sarah,

They are quite active and very athletic little creatures. Take care, the babies may be able to squeeze through 1/2" bars. I ended up wrapping my entire cage in hardware cloth a heavy screen like material to keep the babies in. One of Mocha's babies climbed the whole way to the top of the Condo (two Chinchilla cages stacked vertically one ontop of the other) and wriggled out through the top while I was sitting there with them! I was shocked to look up and see a baby out of the cage.

[sarah]

I've spent an hour or so watching them today. They tried to squeeze thru the bars but couldn't -- their little heads are just too big. They certainly show no fear! I love watching them and would sit in front of the cage for hours, if I could!