I think my degus are bored

[XTRAWLD]

As the topic states....I'm thinking they are bored. Anything I can do to make them happier? They have plenty to chew, they have a wheel to run in and a little space to sleep and hang out. I've tried a little hamock in there but they could care less.....and they just seem bored.......any ideas?

[degu mad]

have you got a sand bath? mine spend ages in theirs, and bury all thier treats in it too.
i also have some wooden branches that screw in to the bars of the cage, mine like to hop across them and chew them. i also tear up card and give it to them, they enjoy carrying it around the cage and making a nest with it. i like to swap their toys round every week so they dont get bored of them.

[Amethystbelle]

If you haven't got a sand bath that would be a great idea of something as simple as branches like degu mad said . I also have stones in my cage for them to scramble over and flowers pots for them to hide in so its a bit like there natural home. Also have ropes etc but they don't seem as interested in them apart from in the pulling them to pieces sense Mine spend a lot of there time in there wheels or in there sand baths and they also like to dig in there shavings Basil my oldest degus also likes to build stick piles like they do in the wild to show whose the most important he spends hours doing that, collecting up straw and hay and then ripping his carpet to pieces (as mine have carpeting on the bars of there cage floor to prevent bumble foot not because they are posh) and cardboard boxes and he has this massive pile in the centre of his top shelf, i call it fawlty towers with him being called Basil

[Purplebunny]

I give mine the inside of toilet rolls, they love running around with them and burying it in the sawdust.. They have a hammock which they all sleep on, and I have 2 rope bridges aswell.. They have 3 wheels, chewing blocks and loads of tubes to play in.. I also put them in another cage once a day, where they have a sandbath.. Hope this helps..

[Ilovesmepets]

I give mine little balls that are supposed to be kitty toys, with these you just have to make sure when they start chewing them up alot to give them a new one. They like to tote them around and toss them. They also have little smooth stones (too big for them to eat of course) that they like to push around in circles. Toilet paper rolls are good as someone else suggested. Dust baths are great, too. Mine also have the little tiny tennis balls for little dogs to play with, they tote them around and drop them from the top of the cage.

[XTRAWLD]

Yeah, I have a dust bath that I put in there every other day or so, and they love it. They are also litter trained so they don't make the rest of the cage stink up too bad. I thought the glue on the toilet paper rolls made those a no no for them. And just yesterday I was looking at little cat toys (balls) for them but thought they would just tear them apart. Flower pots and stones are a new one for me. They don't really dig in their bedding much, but they do tear up a tube they have and make bedding out of it by their sleeping hut. That was helpful. I have a big shiny rock I'll put in there. Do you guys worry about ink on paper - i.e. instead of giving them plain white/lined paper, old flyers or something? Thanks guys, this is helpful. Mind you, they like to destroy more than play!

[degu mad]

I think black ink is ok, im sure i read somewhere that coloured ink in newspapers is bad for them, but im not sure on that. i give mine shredded paper, they love it and like chewing it up for bedding.

[Amethystbelle]

The only thing i have to say on the toilet roll tube front is becareful and if you can try cutting them up the middle as one of mine once got stuck in one and its hard work cutting out a grumpy degu whose stuck fast

[degu mad]

Quote: The only thing i have to say on the toilet roll tube front is becareful and if you can try cutting them up the middle as one of mine once got stuck in one and its hard work cutting out a grumpy degu whose stuck fast

lol i can just imagine!

[Amethystbelle]

I shouldn't laugh really as he bit me as was so mad as he was stuck tight i was lucky to get him out, also happened to a gerbil i have too but he's fat so his own fault lol!

[XTRAWLD]

My degu once tried to go through a hole in a little wooden piece, and got stuck cause she tried to go straight through....my lord did she squeal!

[Purplebunny]

I must point out, that I cut the toilet roll tubes up first, before I put them in the cage!