ava
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 215
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Post by ava on Nov 9, 2011 8:49:14 GMT
Firstly, I forgot to mention that using a coconut shell for water didn't work. Not only did the degus take no notice of it, it also started to leak at some point - no idea how. I've been using a standard plastic water bottle for their water instead. Unfortunately they're chewing it through the wire mesh and will soon break it - so I'm trying a small-ish cup now. Trouble is, they still don't seem to understand they can drink water from somewhere other than a bottle I really don't get it. They just climb over it and ocasionally sniff it. One accidently dipped his nose in it and jumped back immediately. What on earth do they do in the wild? I was just wondering how other people got their degus to drink out of a cup/bowl rather than a bottle?
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Post by Kins on Nov 9, 2011 9:20:45 GMT
I think when I first started using a water bowl for my goos instead of a bottle they weren't too sure about what it was for. They would almost sniff the water and jump back then do a little sneeze type thing. After a few goes doing this they just sort of got the hang of it. Seeing them drink out of a cup is so cute! Are your goos quite tame? If they are you could always sort of splash about in the cup a little to entice them over, as we all know goos are very nosey and have to be in on everything. Or if this doesn't work I now use these water bottles www.netpetshop.co.uk/p-29641-ferplast-sippy-water-drinking-bottle-small-pet.aspxwhich have lasted the best part of a year so far. They don't leak and the goos can't really get at them to chew them. We did have to do a slight midification with one though as Jim decided it was a good idea to chew the white plastic bit that goes into the cage and ruin it. My OH just put a metal sleeve over that part and Jim hasn't made a dent on it. He does have a bit of a thing about his bottle though and rubs all over it. It almost looks like he is trying to seduce it or something. Funny gooey! Hope that helps?!
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Post by fred on Nov 9, 2011 9:21:11 GMT
My girls never had a water bottle since they have been with me (but were used to one before). Degus can go a couple of days without water, so I wouldn't hesitate to remove the bottle. Obviously keep an eye on them; degus are sometimes the strangest of creatures and at some point you rather than they may have to give in
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ava
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 215
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Post by ava on Nov 9, 2011 16:55:53 GMT
Kins, I'll try the splashing, thanks Also will have a look at the water bottle later, internet connection is rubbish at the moment and won't load the page properly. Lol, Fred, I would do that, but nobody else here would be happy with it so I can't I probably wouldn't last very long anyway.
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Post by NightwishRaven999 on Nov 10, 2011 1:35:18 GMT
Similar experience here. Used a water bottle for the first few months of housing degus, but did not like the look of this in the cage. Switched to a ceramic dish/cup/bowl and it took the degus a bit of time to figure out what is was for.
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