Lonely Degu

[lilbeyo]

When I was about 8 or 9, I finally persuaded my parents to let me have a pet, so they took me and my brother to a place called Dales' Garden Centre where they knew hamsters and so on were sold.

I remember standing on tiptoes with my brother, gazing at all the pets in their big glass cages. I saw this furry little guy called a 'Degu', but my mum wouldn't let me have it, because he looked too much like a rat. Anyway, she'd agreed to let me have a hamster, so I should just choose one from that cage.

Two hamsters later (Belle and Rolly, later Hammy) and I waved goodbye to the Degu.

A while later, we went back to Dales'- I loved that place & I guess my dad was taking me just to shut me up, and the Degu was still there. I was a bit sad that no one wanted him, but I was only 9 or 10 at this point, and I had no idea what the Degu really was...

I always wanted one, though..!

11 years later, this Christmas past I got my 2 boys Bobby and Niblet after going on the Internet and finding all about them. They have to have company, toys, stuff to chew and hide behind, a wheel, cuddles etc. As far as I remember, this Degu had nothing! He was in a glass cage with some food and bedding, maybe a chew toy. I don't remember a wheel at all : (

I still think of that little Degu in the glass cage when I'm caring for my boys. It's such a shame that all these Internet resources didn't exist... ****, I don't even think we had a computer back then! I'm quite glad I didn't end up with the Degu, because I don't think I would have given him a good home at the time. Dales' shut down a while ago (not for a bad reason, I think the owning family moved or something), but all of the pets I got from the were top notch. My first hammie Belle is the reason I love animals now!

Basically - good work, Paw-talk & all of you who contribute online to help people look after Degus. I'm just glad that I can give Bobby and Niblet a happy life, and I will always remember the little lonely Degu in the pet shop.

[emmzie87]

i wish i had known about degus when i was younger, my mom sounds alot like ur's, i wasnt even alowed a hamster. still went on to become animal mad thanks to the help of my dogs, went on to work in a pet shop, met my first two degus me me and bobo,love at first sight, they came home with my the next payday.less than a week later she gave birth to the 7 dawrfs as i called them....i really think goos are in my life for good now...

[marmalade]

That was a sad story, but maybe they eventually found a home for him.

[emmzie87]

im sure he went to a good home...

[lilbeyo]

I like to think that someone bought him and gave him lots of cuddles : )

[emmzie87]

do you see many degus in england?im from ireland and not many people know about them

[jade1030]

That's very sad...i just have one and would like to get him a friend but i'm worried hes too old for a friend and its really hard to find them around where i live....

[lilbeyo]

You occasionally see them in 'pets at home' - my mum's colleague had 2 goos, and when one of them died, she took the remaining one to pets at home to be sold alongside another solitary goo. The last I heard of them, they were living quite happily alongside each other in a cage at the shop. Then they weren't there the next time, so I guess they're both living it up in a new home!

TBH I don't know about the Irish situation of Degus. I bought mine from a breeder I found online near my parents' house. Got the cage for xmas & filled it with my 2 boys! I'd been keeping them in an aquarium glass cage, but they really didn't like it : ( Now they're free to roam around a huge cage and sniff through the gaps in the metal : D (and get treats every now and then/chew stuff I leave too close grrr!)

Jade1030, have you read about the degu Jez from degutopia? As long as you spend a few hours a day with your degu it should be ok : ) And I bet your old one wouldn't mind a young playmate. You could always seperate them if it's a problem, but leave them close enough to sniff & talk..!