How did you find out about degus? - Paw Talk

**Sasami** · #1 11-19-2005, 08:35 PM

I was wondering...how'd everyone find out about degus? They aren't very common pets (or at least not here) and there isn't a whole lot of info on them.

I found out about them a few years ago when I saw one for sale in a petstore. I'm not sure what drew me to them, but I just had to find out what they were. I researched and a year ago I finally got my first degus...Hikaru and Ichigo. Now I find myself addicted

.

So, where did you first hear of them?

Purplebunny · #2 11-20-2005, 08:11 AM

I went to my local pet shop in January 2004 and saw these two adorable little critters.. I asked about them, and had a look through a book that was in the shop.. Pete said that he would think about letting me have them.. A week later, after looking on the internet etc, We went back to the shop and they were still there. Well what were we to do? We got them both, misinformed about their gender as they were sold as 2 males.... We took them home, along with a cage etc and 2 weeks later 4 babies came along.. They were actually 2 females, and the babies were 3 girls and a little boy..

I am so glad Pete gave into me, the enjoyment I get from watching them is great.. I have lost two of the babies since they were born, but I do my best to make sure that remaining four are spoilt rotten..

Oh and I'm addicted too!

Amethystbelle · #3 11-20-2005, 02:02 PM

About 7 years ago now i walked into a petshop whilst on a short break and i saw these two adorable little creatures which i instantly recognised from my rodent encyclopedia to be Degu's (which i'd had for about 2 years previous and had read it back to front hundreds of times). I had never seen them before in real life and i was intrigued by them and fell instantly in love. I asked about them and got some information on care etc.... but decided i should research them thoroughly first before purchasing any so i went home and searched everywhere finding little to no information but it was too late they was all i could think about and i was hooked. The following weekend i went back with a cage and luckily they was still there and i got my first two boys Nippa and Jerry. And its gone on from there, i now have 7 boys and i wouldn't ever be without them as they give me so much joy and happiness

xoTink · #4 11-20-2005, 04:54 PM

Well, I was looking gerbils at the time. Which are hard to find around here.

Called 'Complete Petmart' and asked if they had any. Their answer was "No, but we do have this new rodent. It's a mix breed speices of a Chinchilla and a Gerbil and it's $19.99" As werid as that suonded, I headed over.

That's when I fell in love with Degus. I had no info. Bad I know! I bought him. And 3 days later he died. He never did eat, run, play or anything. At the time I figured it was normal, ya know never having one. But now that I own some I know it wasn't normal at all! Degus are hyper lil fellowers.

Then I found out he was a pet someone didn't want and just dropped off. So, I figured he was eiither old or sick. I saw no signs though. I got my money back. And at least I gave him a good home for 3 days and I took him home to burry.

Two weeks later their was a reptile show in Columbus I went ilke always and saw three. I freaked out. Now after having all my research I had to have em. They were not feeders by the way. Just small animal breeders selling there. They were $5 a piece. I didn't want all 3, but couldn't take 2 and leave one. And knew having one was bad. So, we left to go eat lunch and think on it. I came back and they were gone. A girl just walked away buying the last two. I cried. Kinda threw a fit. lol. I was so upset. My boyfriend at the time went and takled to her. She came over and we talked it out. She promised to give me one as long as it wasn't a feeder. I got him! The next month I contacted a breeder to keep me one of the sam sex and I got him also. Now I've have my two boys for over 2 years!

=)

kandy · #5 11-20-2005, 06:50 PM

Ever since I was a little girl I've always liked squirrels and thought they were the most adorable little things. One day while my husband and I were walking through the pet shop looking at all the little pets I seen 5 little degus and I thought they looked just like mini squirrels! I fell in love with them instantly and my husband thought it was cute how 2 at a time would run in the wheel and how fast they would go. That weekend my husband and I got married and when we got back from the honeymoon he suprised me with 2!

At first we didn't know anything about them, but as soon as I got them I started looking on the internet for info, and my best source for info was Paw-Talk! Thanks to everyone on PT, now my degus are spoiled and taken care of properly like they should be!

Just like Purplebunny, I was also told I had 2 males, but they had 5 babies 3 months after I got them.

My first two Degus were Squirt (Female, lucky her name could either be male or female!) and Nibbles (male) who I've had for 6 months now, and I got to keep 3 of their babies

.Sadly I had to give 2 of their babies to a friend because we didn't have enough room, but I gave her all of the information I knew!

I am also addicted to degus!

Sammy H · #6 11-21-2005, 05:09 AM

We went to an RSPCA shelter looking for a pair of rats!!

We walked in the door and saw these two little cute furry things sat in a cage with a fact sheet about degus next to them. I fell in love straight away!! They were just the cutest most gorgeous, most inquisitive things there.... we bought a book the same day, and the next day, managed the cage and everything else, then picked them up in the afternoon!

We found the other two in the same RSPCA shelter about a year later. We were moving house and donating some old bedding/sheets to the shelter and thought we'd just pop into the small animal section quickly to have a look around, and BAM, two more gorgeous little boys!!! It took tears this time to persuade my boyfriend to let me take them home!!

I'd love to have more, but i get far too upset when they are ill/die, so paul won't let me.... he won't go near that RSPCA shelter.... just incase there are ever any more!!!
He knows i love them more than him and he's just jealous

Ilovesmepets · #7 11-21-2005, 12:53 PM

I went to a pet store and they had like 10 in the same cage (a 10 gallon aquarium...ugggghhh!!!) They had them for sale as, get this, Gerboas. I knew they weren't gerboas, but I didn't know for sure what they were. I bought one, because I felt horrible for them. I wish I would have gotten more of them at the time. I went home, and researched rodents on the net to find out what my little critter was. I was bitten badley within our first hour home together.

But I didn't give up. At first I though I had gotten a jird. But then I researched some more cause I still wasn't sure. I came upon a degu website. BINGO!!! I was so excited, but scared cause I hadn't been feeding my little girl right. But she's still here almost 3 years later, along with another little girl I got a year after I got my first. Their names are Gugi and DeDe. Oh, and that horrible pet store got shutdown pretty soon after I got Gugi.

DeguCrazy · #8 11-22-2005, 09:09 AM

I had known of degus for over 2 years...though it never really occured to me that I could own one. About 6 months ago, I asked a petstore that I frequent if they ever sell them. He said no but that they once did and he will never again because 50% of them are biters and people were returning them constantly. So,...about Oct. 20, 2005, my sister tipped me in the direction of a 23 year-family owned business within 15 miles of my home. She told me about it because I love rats and when she visted the place she saw plenty of them for sale so she thought I might want to visit as well. My sister rode with me to this petstore so I could find it. Just as we were parking she said, "They also sell degus, whatever those are." I just sat there looking at her then I asked,..."Are you kidding or are you being serious?" I quickly got in the store and asked of the degus. A male and female were for sale in the same tank, they were about 3-3 1/2 months old. I bought the female and asked when they would have another female for sale (to be a cagemate).
They breed their own so I had to wait at least a week (Oct. 27) for the babies to be 5 weeks old. I told them that is too young but I will look at them to reserve two females. They said yes they are too young and will not be sold for at least two weeks...I went in Oct. 28 to reserve my babies to find them out in the same tank as the 3 1/2 month old male, for sale! I chose my two darlings and went home happy as my birthday was Oct. 23...