Bedding in food bowls

[Anna]

I was cleaning out their cage today and noticed that my boys cover their food bowls with their bedding. Could it be that maybe theres a problem in the cage between the two boys? They never did this before.. I find it kinda hard that their bedding could of gotten on the top shelf of their cage without them putting it up there. It's never been there before. I'm pretty sure there might be a problem because they never wanna share their food bowls. Which is why one is on the top and one is on the bottom.

My bigger degu wont ever let the little one close to the bowl when he eats. I've tried every thing from a bigger bowl to two bowls. It seems the bigger degu is only interested in the food bowl when the smaller one is. I've never had a problem between them before and I hope this can be fixed some how??

-Anna

[ra]

It sounds as though your boys are burying their food intentionally. Try giving them less food in their bowls. Degus will bury food for later if they are not hungry. Mine are so cute, they'll grab a treat and scramble to get it buried before the other one sees where their stash is then they return for more. If they are hungry they take the treat and go to their favorite spot to eat in right now. I've learned to not give them a second treat if they bury the first. No sense in wasting the food. Sometimes they seem to forget to go back and eat it. I wonder if it's because the treat is no longer fresh. I'd read it's better to give them fresh food daily- only the amount they will eat in that day, rather than to give them a full bowel and refill when it's empty. They waste more that way.

As far as your bigger Degu not allowing the smaller one to eat - that's primarily a dominance thing. I don't think he will continually not allow the smaller one to feed, he may just lord over the small one and only allow him to eat when he sees fit.

[flibble]

Mine hide food from each other too!! it's so funny, they forget where they've put it too and then find it later and get all excited!! I just feed mine a small amount each day too, enough for them to eat as it just gets buried otherwise.


Naomi

[Sunshinemeg]

Hey Anna

Dont worry about finding bedding in the food bowl, its natural in that they are trying to hide it in case you want to take it away! mine did it all the time until the group grew in size, now they want the bedding in the bed to make it softer!