Their New Home

[marumba7]

This is the cage we purchased to fit atop our 20 gallon aquarium.



Results.



It took a little while for the five of our babies to search out the heights of their new home.



But eventually, they discovered everything.

[Aimeelou]

I would be verry worried about that water bottle being on the inside! Its only a matter of time untill they realise its chewable.....

[squirrelygirl3]

I concur.
I had almost the identical cage, and the girls chewed everything. Those plastic platforms are great (but they get very stinky) but they will be gone in a matter of time. Modifications
This is just some food for thought,

[ra]

I have the plastic platforms in our cage. They do chew on them, but thus far I have only had to totally replace one in about 11mo. Not bad. I bought a couple of replacement ramps and shelves to keep on hand. Have replaced two ramps. Once they get bigger, you will find they don't really need the ramps to get from one level to the next. The little buggers can really jump! Three feet vertically! They also climb up the cage wire to go level to level.

Haven't found a suitable shelf they won't chew. Wood they chew, plastic, plexi-glass..... you name it!! Glass or metal would work but not galvanized metal. It reacts with the urine.

You do have to watch the plastic water bottle. You could hang it on the outside with the metal drinking spout through the wires at an appropriate level. This past weekend, one of my girls chewed a hole through their plastic bottle which I had hung on the outside of their carrying cage while I cleaned their condo!! I looked to find the bottom of the small cage all wet and wondered what the heck? Then I noticed the small stream of water flowing out of the side of their drinking bottle!! A sure fire cure is to buy a glass bottle.

[Hanlou]

Lol ra! How persistent are they? I bought a bottle with a metal 'chew-guard' on - now I know it was definitely a sound investment!

It's a nice set-up, but I'd shift the water bottle to the outside too, as said.

[marumba7]

Done and done. I've moved the bottle.


I've noticed the chewing on the plastic a little bit, but like Ra said, it's not that bad.


They're jumping and climbing skills are INCREDIBLE. We've purchased a ladder (as seen above) and connected it to one of the lower level holes. Those darlings will climb directly up AND down it. It's amazing.


As for stench, there are seven of us living in a small dorm room, five of which are degus. The room is cleaned daily and the cage is cleaned nearly every other day. Mainly because we can only study so much and cleaning the cage is a great alternative.

[rusty]

hi,
just wondering where you got the mesh wheel for your degus:D

[Hanlou]

rusty said:

hi,
just wondering where you got the mesh wheel for your degus:D

momma of 5 is based in the USA, where these wheels are common. I've never seen them here. I have a John Hopewell wheel which is brilliant. It isn't cheap, but it's solid metal with no gaps and plenty big enough so it's safe for them. I figured I may as well spend the money on a really good metal wheel fist time round, rather than have to keep replacing plastic alternatives. I got it from here:

www.johnhopewell.co.uk/wheel.html

This website also make Easy Run wheels, which are supposed to be safe also:

www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/rodents/accessories/toys/13209

.... Zoo plus also sell degu food. The 30cm wheel is the one suitable for degus.

[diet otaku]

that's almost EXACTLY the cage my degus escaped from when i first had them. replacing the plastic bottom with the aquarium will help, but they WILL chew the life out of those bowls. mine didn't really attempt to chew the ramps or shelves, though. they'll probably chew up that wheel, too.

i would really recommend replacing the mesh wheel with a john hopewell wheel. the mesh wheels can really hurt a degu's feet, considering how much they love to run, and there is also the possibility of their tails or limbs getting caught between the wheel and the stand. even the small animal version of the JH wheel is considerably large - all 4 of mine can fit on it at once (though they can't really run ). but 2 at a time can get up a pretty good pace on it. and they really enjoy being able to stretch out and run full-speed, which they couldn't do on vertical wheels.

[marumba7]

Yes! They are quite the chewers. You wouldn't believe (well... you WOULD) how much of the platforms are gone and the ramps are a mess.

As for the wheel, we've yet to have tail to toe issues. When we clean the cage, we also re-mark their ears and check for sore of any sort. However, we also have a second wheel that is much like the JH wheel, but plastic. Surely though, if I see any sign of damage to their feet, we'll get rid of the wheel we have; we take it out at night anyway, because now that the paint coating has come off of the spokes, it squeaks a fair bit.

And you were exactly right Hanlou.