# Liberta 2nd Edition - Split cage into two



## Redirect Left (Mar 20, 2016)

Hello.

I have a group of Degus, and they are using a Liberta 2nd edition cage, very robust and handy. I have been offered another group of degu (2) from a friend who can no longer care for them, I have 3 currently. I've confirmed with several people this cage is big enough to handle 5. However, obviously I need to naturalize the two groups of degu so there isn't fur and missing tails flying everywhere. To do this, its been suggested I split the cage into two seperate ones, that is block the top level from the bottom.They'll get used to hearing the noise from each other, and the scent will naturally waft around, hopefully easing the meeting up later on in the neutral territory.

Does anyone have any ideas on how i could accomplish this? Incase you're not familiar with the cage, i have taken an image of the hole in the floor. Does anyone have any idea the best way I can cap this off? Degus are notorious for chewing through anything that is in any way chewable. - the hole that needs capping: http://imghst.co/5/IMG_20160412_245250024.jpg - Excuse the mess, the Degus decided now was a good time to reorganise their bedding and throw it everywhere!
From the bottom I can just remove the ladder up. But the guys at the top would more than likely try to chew their way through whatever I used to cap it, if it was in any way chewable, and an early meeting may not end nicely if this was achieved. In the image it looks as if there is a bit sticking out the side of the hole - this is not the case. So there isn't a little anything to place a piece of wood over.

As I said, i've already confirmed that the cage, if split, would be able to handle both groups, my original is a group of 3, and the friends group is 2, and once they've got used to each other (a long process I am aware), once the two levels are put back as one big cage, it'll be more than happy to have 5 as a big group in.

I tried googling to see if Liberta sell spare parts, and I would have just gotten another of the lower level floors without a hole in, but i cannot source this spare part, if anyone else can, or has one spare. Let me know!

Cheers for any advice!


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## TabulaRasa (Apr 1, 2016)

That looks really similar to my chinchilla's ferret nation cage, which has a cut out like that, except mine has a wire rack that the top floor pan sits on. Yours doesn't look like it has that though, which is a pity as otherwise you could have just turned the floor pan around or slid something between the pan and the wire to cover the hole up. I think your best bet would be to measure the hole, get a cheap metal baking tray (one of those flat ones) as near the that size as possible, then depending how good a size match it is, sit it in or over the hole and put something heavy on it so it can't be moved. A porcelain dog bowl or Pyrex dish would probably work and you could even fill it with something like sand (do degus use sand?) or bedding to add some extra weight. I wouldn't go drilling the cage or making holes, especially as it's only temporary, as you might start it rusting and I wouldn't use wire mesh as its too sharp on the edges.


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## elmthesofties (Aug 8, 2011)

I have the first edition, which has the plastic trays, and tried very hard to find metal tray replacements with little luck. John Hopewell does make them (http://www.johnhopewell.co.uk/default.asp?template=productdetail.page.xml&productId=381) but I did not end up buying one as the sides were quite shallow, so I cannot vouch for it! I know some of the metal trays on the site are only appropriate for the 1st edition so I'd recommend double checking to see if it'd fit, though.
TabulaRasa's idea sounds a lot cheaper and easier, though!


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## Redirect Left (Mar 20, 2016)

I've actually just bought a tin of shortbread, as the lid of it was just the right side to place under the hole. Plus I love shortbread! So when I am ready to proceed, i'll no more nails the far edges of the lid (far edges, as this is part of the lid that the degus will never have access to or be able to consume the glue) and test how much pressure it takes to get it to break, and if it handles a few degus pottering around cotinuously, i'll proceed to the getting the other degus. I may also duct-tape it in place slightly (As degus aren't tall enough to reach up to the roof of the level above) to act as a safe guard incase the no more nails doesn't do the job.

I've introduced lone degus to a group before, that wasn't too hard as there is only one new one to monitor. However introducing a group to another group will be a whole new challens, not enough eyes for 5 degus to make sure there's no one fighting in the corner of the bathtub (the 'neutral' ground I use for introductions)


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