Degu Help

Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum

Help Support Chinchilla & Hedgehog Pet Forum:

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links, including eBay, Amazon, and others.
S

sinfulcindylou

Queen of the Sinful Chins
Joined
Nov 21, 2009
Messages
125
Location
CO
Ok I’ve started doing some research on Degus and I have some sites bookmarked and a list of things together of do’s and dont’s but I wanted some input from owners here as well.
Here are the biggest questions I have:
1.The Degu Diet: I’ve read where some people feed straight chin food and supplement vit C, and I’ve read where people mix chin and GP pellets 50/50- what would be best? Also I occasionally feed primarily orchard grass to my chins if the timothy hay isn’t the best quality at my feed store (they’ve had some weird bales lately), is orchard grass ok for degus? Or timothy hay only? What about hay cubes?
2.Degus are social animals from what I read so would it really be best to adopt a bonded pair, or would a single degu do fine w/ lots of attention?
3.Cages: Is 1” bar spacing too big? I haven’t found much to indicate that it would be, but Degus are rather small and my instinct says they could squeeze thru that maybe? Also would a cage close to 24x24x24 suffice for a single or pair of degus? And solid or wire flooring?
4.Is an 11” chin spin big enough, or would 15” be better?
5. Is pine bedding ok really? I read soft woods are bad? I use pine for the chins right now, but I could switch to aspen if I needed to.

I think that’s all for now. Mostly things that I’ve read conflicting information on so I would like more input. I'm sure your responses, and more research that I do will spark more questions lol
 
1. I feed a mix of GP and chin, that way I don't have to worry about giving too much or too little vitamin C. I feed the same hay and cubes that I feed to my chins, which is Oxbow timmy. I would assume that orchard grass would be fine as well. Watch anything sweet or for too much weight gain - degu are prone to diabetes.

2. Absolutely get a pair. I cannot imagine what my degu would do without each other for entertainment. They are incredibly interactive with each other and are constantly curled up around each other, on the wheel together, in their house together, etc.

3. My adult degu are in a large super pet cage. When they were kits, they had to be in 1/2 x 1" wire or they would squeeze through, now they wouldn't fit (or maybe they just don't try).

4. Mine have a 11" mesh wheel. Normally I would never recommend a mesh wheel, but you would have to see the degu on it to understand. One grips through the mesh with her toes, the other runs like a madman on the wheel and spins the first one around while they both squeak and scream. They are very odd. :)
 
I currently am fostering a degu, and I back up everything tunes said. The main thing I've noticed is the fact that Chile, the degu, is a lot more vocal than my chinchillas. She squeaks at you whenever she wants something, be it attention, more hay, or a cheerio. She is living alone right now, but she is in the same room as all of our chinchillas, so she has other things to observe through her cage bars. I also keep a TV on most of the time (low volume) so each have something to watch.
 
Since I've only ever owned chins, what is a high quality guinea pig pellet? And is 50/50 a good ratio w/ the GP and Chin food?
 
I use Oxbow, but I believe APD makes a GP pellet that is really good as well.

Yes, I do 50/50. I just mix some up and put it in a container next to the degu cage so I don't have to mess with it each night.
 
I know nothing about degus, so I can add nothing constructive to this thread. I just think Peggy needs to get a video of her degus on the wheel...
 
Peg and I feed the same kind of food...and I have 2 degu as well. They are adorable together and really need the companionship, much like rats.

I have a Martin's cage- a Rat Cabin (R-670) which I am going to upgrade soon so they have more space. If you get babies, you 'll need the 1/2 X 1" spacing.

I also have a 15" Silent spinner, which they use constantly...

http://www.degutopia.co.uk/ I like this site... Have fun researching, degus are really cool!
 
Ok, would a melamine cage work for a degu if it was made w/ plenty of shelves and ramps inside? or would a wire cage be preferable?
And what about pine bedding vs aspen or fleece?
 
I use pine and I would think a melamine cage would be okay, as long as they can't get their teeth into any part of it. My degu are anti-fleece. I put a hammock in, went and did dishes, came back, and it was destroyed.
 
ok cool. Maybe I can talk the new BF into making me a cage to match the chins cages if I decide to go thru w/ this.:hmm:
I've still got a lot more reading to do. Thanks for your help guys! Much Appreciated!
 
Ok I thought of another question. Do Degus need their nails trimmed?

ETA: NEVERMIND> I Found the answer right after I posted this. LOL. OOPS
 
I have two degus that are almost 8 years old. Definitely get a pair. Mine have a 15" wheel, but I'm sure they'd do fine with an 11". I use pine shaving.

I haven't had to clip any nails...they run on their wheel so much I think that's enough to wear them down. (I have a solid wheel)

As for diet, I disagree with the mixing guinea pig and chin feed for the sole purpose of adding extra vitamin C to the diet. I prefer to feed chin food (or in my case rabbit food) and add vit C in a supplement. This way I know they're actually getting the extra C, rather than trusting the feed companies. Vitamin C is a water soluble vitamin so any excess that the body can't use just comes out with the urine. Chinchillas benefit from extra Vit C too, so I feed all the animals (chins and degus) exactly the same: rabbit pellets, supplement, and a mix of hay and hay cubes. Any hay you feed the chins will work for the degus too.

Degus (at least my girls) aren't very discretionary about where they pee. Everything in the cage gets peed on (except the food dish, but that hasn't always been true). I wipe the entire cage and everything in it down with vinegar and water weekly.

My girls didn't care for their fleece hammock when I had one in the cage. They'd rather just nest at the bottom of the cage. I give fresh paper shreds and/or fleece scraps at cage cleaning and they have fun arranging it to their liking.
 
As for diet, I disagree with the mixing guinea pig and chin feed for the sole purpose of adding extra vitamin C to the diet.
Click to expand...

I suggested that to the breeder I got them from, and was told not to do that, just to mix the pellets. That was, of course, after I was told they even needed the vitamin C (they were 3 by then) and someone on CnQ got all over me when I just fed chin food to the degu. I was told to mix the pellets and that it would be enough. Mine aren't 8 yet, but they are 5 and still going strong, so I assume I must be doing something right. :)
 
OK, so because I've read about the urinating everywhere I have been trying to think of solutions for shelves so i wouldn't constantly be sanding or replacing shelves. What does everyone think about melamine shelves if I covered all of the edges w/ metal so they coudn't be chewed? I've seen that on a chin cage and it seemed to be ok, and that would make clean up very easy.
Also I determined where I would like to put my cage if I do do this. It would be a custom melamine cage (ALL edges covered of course- just like the chins). Does 18w x 29L x 42H seem ok for two degus?
 
ACK! I hate always finding conflicting information.
Ok so is Aspen ok to use for degus? I had read that it was, but just now read two other sites that listed it as not safe.
I was just at my feed store yesterday and they are selling aspen now instead of pine. Go figure.
 
Shoot missed my edit period- same question about Elm and Willow. I read conflicting info on those too.
 
Aspen is fine. Lots of people use aspen as opposed to pine. My degu get the same wood that my chins do to chew on. I'm assuming the elm and willow refer to wood chews (I never saw them as shavings)? If it's on the safe chin wood list, I give it to the degu.
 
That's a huge cage...plenty big enough for a small colony of degus...lol. In your cage design, just keep in mind that degus (unlike chins) are climbers, not jumpers, so you'll need ladders and ramps and things to help get them between levels. I've used large branches before. They work nice, but do get peed on.
 
In your cage design, just keep in mind that degus (unlike chins) are climbers, not jumpers, so you'll need ladders and ramps and things to help get them between levels.
Click to expand...

We used leap 'n ledges and made steps all over the cage, and they love to hop from one to the next. We staggered them sides, back, and around the cage door. They definitely do love to climb.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Back
Top