Ideas for cage?

2187 Views 5 Replies 3 Participants Last post by skyie, Jul 2, 2012

StargirlJ

Discussion Starter · Jun 10, 2012

HI all,
Its been a while!! Little monty & dobby aren't so little anymore. They are a year and 4 month old now. I am guessing they are fully grown now and aren't going to get any bigger.

Currently they live in the bottom half of a 2 storey cage with the top storey removed. I am thinking of re attaching the top half now as I have a new job and do not get as much time as I would like to free run them. They used to get 3-4 times now a week now they are down to 1-2. I always make sure they get 2 hours at a time though and longer if possible. They still get 10 minutes of attention in the morning and 30 minutes in the evening where I get them out if they want to.

I did not get them from babies, they were 6 months old, so they have always been temperamental when it comes to handling. They will nibble you when they have had enough and want to return to their cage.

I was just wondering what people thought about making the cage 6 foot again. Would it unsettle them? I am worried it would make them fight for top degu all over again as everytime I clean their cage they have a fight. They have only ever had serious fight resulting in the skin and hair missing from a back wound.

Also at the moment their cage has 3 platforms, a hay ball, 2 tunnel, a ledge, a hammock, a coconut, a sisal chew, a wooden puzzle ball, mineral block. They also a piece of rope that runs along the top of the cage for them run along. I was wondering what other things could be suggested to add? They have a sand bath every couple of days.

Sorry for the essay. Thanks

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16degus

· #2 · Jun 20, 2012

I think it's an excellent idea to make the cage 6 feet again – they will enjoy the space. I have three four-level, 6 foot cages (one with 6 females, one with 5 females and one with 5 males). I clean them one level at a time over the course of a week, not all on the same day, and I have no problem with my goos.

You have a good selection of items in their cage to keep them happy. I also have at least one hut in each cage as well and pumice stones. Check out some of the dedicated degu forums like the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum or Degutopia for cage accessories ideas.

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StargirlJ

Discussion Starter · #3 · Jun 21, 2012

hi 16degus,

Thankyou very much for the advice. depending on how tired I am on sunday my boys will either be moved in sunday evening or monday.Monday is my day off so will have a chance to definately do it, if I do not get chance on sunday.

I will look on degu and chinchilla world forum. I have looked on degutopia before and they did not like some of the suggestions.

I tend to Clean Dobby and Monty once a month as they have certain toilet corners and they do it on kitchen roll that get changed 1/2 times a day depending on how dirty they have been during they day and night. Other then that and their food shelves and sand bath they are very clean and only ever do there business on there kitchen roll.

Sounds good with all of your goos, I would love more but my boys did not get on with girls in there first home and I do not think they would appreciate any more boys. I also don't have the time for anymore animals in my life right now or else some will suffer from lack of attention.

Thankyou once again,

x

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16degus

· #4 · Jun 21, 2012

Glad I could be of help StargirlJ.

Just a side note: I wouldn't have this many degus either if it wasn't for a sexing error by the people at the local rescue shelter. I adopted what were supposed to be four sisters because they had been there for almost 6 months and I didn't want the family to be split up. Little did I know that I actually adopted three females and one male, and all three females got pregnant. Hence, I now have 16 of them.

And, yes, they do take alot of time and alot of $.

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StargirlJ

Discussion Starter · #5 · Jun 21, 2012

Well I am sure you wouldn't want it any other way now that you have your family lol. I know that I wouldn't want anything different from my 2 boys. They are loved by everyone in my house, cats and guinea pigs. They have free run with the guinea pigs and occasional meetings with cats but usually threw the bars on the cage. I am well aware that they are not child pets but my little nieces love them. they stroke them whenever they come over.

thanks, happy deguing!!

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skyie

· #6 · Jul 2, 2012

the larger cage sounds good

the bigger the better! noticed your list didn't include an exercise wheel, they really like them

(make sure its a large 12" one, and solid -not one with metal rungs), branches to climb on are good.. (certain branches such as apple, hazel and hawthorn are meant to be safe) I have made ours a bit of a rockery as well!

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