Degu or Chilean squirrels are incredibly cute fluffy animals with high mobility, easily tamed and trained in various actions. In the wild, degu's natural habitat revolves around a multitude of endless burrows. In fact, it was observed that wild degus form what researchers call “digging interlocked tunnels” to create a woven network of underground holes; degus work in a coordinated manner.
In these dwellings, animals can safely look after the young, relax, eat and socialize. Therefore, caring for degu in captivity, it is important to choose and equip that cage, house, shop window, terrarium, aviary, which will contain all the amenities your pet needs to become a happy and healthy member of your family.
Cell
Daegu requires a lot of space. Choose a large cage with a hard bottom and place it in a dry room without drafts, protected from direct sunlight. The height of the house is as important as the length with the width. Degu likes to climb. If the cage has different levels, shelves need to be covered with untreated wood so that degu does not injure its legs. Cover the floor with special bedding, such as aspen or pine shavings, recycled paper sheets or corn cobs. Do not use cedar shavings that contain harmful oils.
You can buy or make a degu house such as a birdhouse, that is, a box of raw wood or an old cardboard box that your pets will be happy to bite. Food for degus is best offered in a ceramic bowl, and fresh water in a bottle.
Degas need a lot of exercise and stimulation, so it is important to provide the animals with a variety of toys. A great choice would be a large exercise wheel.
Many degus like metal wheels with crossbars, but only at the same time you need to carefully monitor your pet to make sure that it does not injure your legs. The branches of maple or fruit tree will pleasantly and comfortably climb to a height of degu. A large, deep box filled with soft sandy soil provides a place to dig.
Cardboard or wood is a favorite material that degu so love to chew on, by the way, this is what helps them to keep their teeth in shape, to grind them correctly.
Keep your degu's habitat clean, remove dirt and debris daily.
Once a day, thoroughly clean a glass or plastic bottle of water. Wash dishes and the bottom of the cage once a week. After washing the cage, it must be completely dried before adding chips to the bottom.
Health
If you want your pet to remain healthy and active, you need to choose a wide and rather high cage so that not only a wheel fits in this house, but also ledges for climbing, a hammock or sleeping mat, treats, food, shavings and other necessary toys and accessories. As the bottom of the cage with metal bars, a plastic tray is considered an excellent solution.
Most cages designed for chinchillas and other rodents can do just fine. Small plastic parts should be avoided as your pets will gnaw them.
Before choosing a cell, first make sure that you have studied the required dimensions in detail and selected the right accessories to make sure that you have considered all the possible ways. For example, if in the installation some moving part could potentially catch a leg, tail or neck. Will degu gnaw at the bottom of the cage? In general, all materials from which the cage or toys are made should be non-toxic. The lock on the door in the house must be securely closed.
Finally, comparing ideas and drawings for choosing and creating a house for degus, do not give in to the temptation to use an aquarium. Even the largest aquariums will not provide the right type of ventilation or layout that will support a multi-level living environment that your pet will really enjoy.
Cell installation
These animals are social animals, and when there is at least one more degu with them in the houses, they are simply happy. Your pets are very fond of communication, so do not leave them unattended. By the way, they can often begin to chat excitedly or even grumble nervously, and this cannot but touch. The average life expectancy of these animals is 5-10 years. Before you start these cute fluffy animals, think about the following.
- Degou will constantly need nutritious food, fresh fresh water and a clean living environment.
- Degu needs daily exercise and games. All your family members must understand how to keep your pet.
- Degu social animals, so you need to constantly communicate with them and pay attention to them.
- Of all species of rodent, degu require more free space.
The main items that should be in the cage
The free cage should be equipped with a hard bottom. It must be covered with chips. There should be a bowl of food, a bottle of water. Food for your animal can be selected from feed for guinea pigs or pellets for chinchillas. The arrangement of the cell includes not only important items for climbing or feeding, mandatory is the existence of objects that degu will nibble.
The exercise wheel needs to be selected as much as possible with a hard surface.
Additional items
In addition to the basic items and accessories that should be in the cage, For a healthy and active life, degu will need additional accessories:
- hay rack;
- a beautiful frame of raw wood;
- place for digging holes;
- hammock;
- tree branches without pesticides.
Appeal
Most degu should be treated very carefully. If you want your animal to remain tame, you need to communicate with it and pick it up daily. Hands in the cage need to be pushed neatly and slowly so as not to scare your pets, and so that your sharp movements are not perceived degu as aggressive actions of predators. Let the degu come to you on their own, at first they sniff your hand, then they can eat from your hands, and then they will easily climb up to you.
Never pull degu from the cage by the tail!
General care
Regular exercise outside the cell is essential to the health of your degu. The room in which your pet will live should be made as safe as possible. For example, you must definitely prevent access to electrical cords, remove all dangerous objects and block access to furniture and appliances. An excellent solution is the use of a playpen for hanging out degu outside the cage. Here your pets will be completely safe. Never leave degu outside the cage unattended.
Degas clean themselves by rolling in the sand or the ground. To provide a place for your pet to clean, you can use a special bathtub that will be filled with sand or special soil. For example, a large ceramic bowl can be filled with special soil for chinchillas and placed in a cage. As soon as your pet finishes cleaning, this bowl or bath can be removed from the house. Repeat this action several times a week.
Diet
Feeds for guinea pigs or chinchillas are best suited for feeding degus. Sugar is unsuitable for degu food, so check the list of ingredients on the feed packaging. Dried fruits or molasses should be avoided and not added to your pet's food. Fresh hay should always be available. You need to supplement your pet's diet with fresh vegetables, but not fruits, in which there is a high content of natural sugar. You can try to offer your furry animal seeds or puffed rice.
About what should be a cell for degu, see below.
