# help with a degu please



## mstori (May 22, 2009)

Hi I took 2 degus in to foster about a year ago. unfortunately their new home fell through and I still have them with me.

I do not have much background on them apart from they are father and son. Recently one of them has had a bad eye (which i have to bathe) but Ive noticed his tail getting drier and he has hardly any fur left. Is this normal or something I need to have checked out?

I have read up alot on them they have a varied diet etc but can not find anything about this

Thanks
Tori x


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## Myanimalmadhouse (Mar 6, 2011)

I dont really know much about degus im afraid but I'd say it sounds like something that needs checking out by a vet x


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2011)

I would pop him along to the vets tbh, are you sure there isn't any bullying happening in the cage?


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

they never show signs of bullying. Just didnt want to take them back to vets and be charged £39 to be told that it was normal as they get old or something lol.
Will take them in x


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## Guest (Apr 11, 2011)

mstori said:


> they never show signs of bullying. Just didnt want to take them back to vets and be charged £39 to be told that it was normal as they get old or something lol.
> Will take them in x


It sounds like he could have picked up some mites maybe. Can I ask what is his diet at the moment?


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

He is on a mix of degu and guinea pig pellets. he also has dried mealworms and small bits of veg, leaves, etc
The other one is showing no signs of anything, and as i do not know their ages was unsure if it could be old age?
going to vets on thursday if not better.


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## Snippet (Apr 14, 2011)

The fur loss and dry skin sounds like thyroid issues to me.


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

mstori said:


> He is on a mix of degu and guinea pig pellets. he also has dried mealworms and small bits of veg, leaves, etc
> The other one is showing no signs of anything, and as i do not know their ages was unsure if it could be old age?
> going to vets on thursday if not better.


Sorry missed this earlier.

This sounds 100% diet related, Degu's are herbivorous so why you are feeding mealworms is beyond me 

I suggest you read up about their diet here


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

B3rnie said:


> Sorry missed this earlier.
> 
> This sounds 100% diet related, Degu's are herbivorous so why you are feeding mealworms is beyond me
> 
> I suggest you read up about their diet here


I was told to by the vet, and also on a degu forum. was told to hide them in their hay as a treat.

Thanks for the link, its a one i have used, but couldnt find anything about this on

They have plenty of pellets, always have hay and get veg, so I dont understand how it can be 100% diet related?


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

mstori said:


> I was told to by the vet, and also on a degu forum. was told to hide them in their hay as a treat.
> 
> Thanks for the link, its a one i have used, but couldnt find anything about this on
> 
> They have plenty of pellets, always have hay and get veg, so I dont understand how it can be 100% diet related?


Which Degu forum? (you can pm the link if you don't want to put it here)
I say it is diet related due to the meal worms, as I said Degu's are herbivorous so feeding them won't be doing them any good imo

Not have a go so please don't think I am, I'm just shocked that you have been advised to feed meat (all be it dried) to a Degu


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

B3rnie said:


> Which Degu forum? (you can pm the link if you don't want to put it here)
> I say it is diet related due to the meal worms, as I said Degu's are herbivorous so feeding them won't be doing them any good imo
> 
> Not have a go so please don't think I am, I'm just shocked that you have been advised to feed meat (all be it dried) to a Degu


it was deguworld. Id been told on supervets that they are great for gerbils 9which i also have) so had asked if they were any good for the degus also. My vet said they eat bugs in the wild, so its good for them.

Thanks for the reply, I will stop giving them the mealworms and see if things improve. I have no idea how old they are, so could it be connected to age too?

thanks


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

Personally I wouldn't feed them, so I think you have made the right choice to stop 
It could possibly be related to age, but it isn't something I have seen happen without there being an under lying issue.




Just had a random thought, do you toys have lots of things to do in their cage? 
Do they have a wheel?
It just popped into my head because I've had Degu's in that have been bored so started self mutilating  and this can then become learned behaviour 
Have you seen him over grooming or pulling hair?


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

in their cage they have 2 bridges with toys on, then a wooden log thing, some cat type balls, a sock with treats in, some wooden shapes that hang on, a wooden ladder with toys that hang off, a rabbit ball and i have branches that i put through the cage that go accross all different angles for them to chew, and i also put tubes in, but i dont have a wheel.. do you think it would be worth investing in one?

thanks


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

oops, meant to say they groom each other but never seen them pull fur out?


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

Well it sounds like you have the toy situation sorted lol. I would say yes to getting a wheel, once they get used to it they will never be off it haha, here is a link to the best wheels on the market for degu's imo John Hopewell (Marketing) Rotherham South Yorkshire, Chinchilla Cages - Degu Cage - Degus Exercise Wheels - Cages - Animal Cages - Rat Cage - Ezi-Filla - Ezi - Easy - Automatic Water Drinking Systems - Guinea Pig Runs - Rabbit Feed Hoppers - Birds - 
I'm sure you know that plastic is toxic so a metal wheel is a must :001_smile:

I would probably treat them both for mites as well just to be certain that they haven't acquired any visitors from their hay :nono:

Ohh do they have a sand bath?


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

just walked over petstore but they only had plastic ones.. 

will order one on-line, was just worried about the amount of space it would take up. Will pop over vets and get some mite stuff, i only have guinea pig mite treatment so dont know if its suitable. Will go check now before they close.

Yeah they have a sandbath, But I dont keep it in the cage. They have a bath twice a week. They also have a wooden box they sleep in, which i put hay and newspaper in x


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

mstori said:


> just walked over petstore but they only had plastic ones..
> 
> will order one on-line, was just worried about the amount of space it would take up. Will pop over vets and get some mite stuff, i only have guinea pig mite treatment so dont know if its suitable. Will go check now before they close.
> 
> Yeah they have a sandbath, But I dont keep it in the cage. They have a bath twice a week. They also have a wooden box they sleep in, which i put hay and newspaper in x


How big is their cage?
And yeah John hopwell is the only person that does metal wheels I believe lol
I keep my guy's sandbath in the cage so they can use it when they want (obviously I take out any wee or droppings regularly lol) I use an old metal biscuit tin with sand in so that I don't have to worry about them chewing the sand bath


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

this is their cage

Chinchilla and Degu Cage by Thickets House | Pets at Home

and their dust bath is like this but not as high. Its a chinchilla bath

Chinchilla and Degu Cage by Thickets House | Pets at Home

I had been told not to keep the bath in? I used to.

oh and they have sold out of wheels... everywhere else i put degu wheel in it brings up plastic ones, or metal with gaps in, which would surely catch their tails...
Tori


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

mstori said:


> this is their cage
> 
> Chinchilla and Degu Cage by Thickets House | Pets at Home
> 
> ...


imo that cage is far too small, my 2 have a 4ft viv with 2 or these on top all connected up, those cages are ok as a temp measure but not good for permanent use because as you say when you put a wheel in it will take up most of the cage 

As for the sand bath, if we were taking about chins then I would agree but with Degu's it isn't a problem, if you don't feel happy about leaving it in (I take it when you say a chin bath you mean the plastic ones, which can't be left in al the time due to plastic being toxic) you need to at least offer the bath for 10 - 15 mins everyday as this is a very important part of their behaviour.

With the wheel I'm afraid it is going to have to be a waiting game, either search on ebay for anyone selling one second hand or wait for John to get some more made (he did have an issue with one of his machines and I'm not sure if this has been resolved yet), because as you quite rightly said those metal wheels with gaps is a no go due to tails and claws getting caught.


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

the bath is metal, its the same as the picture, just the shallow version which they dont sell online.

Will put it back in.

Darn it! the cage said suitable for upto4!

I need them better asap then so I can rehome them. I have neither the space or money for a bigger cage  

thanks for all your help. going to pop to vets now and get some more ivomectin, just in case

Cheers, Tori x


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## catz4m8z (Aug 27, 2008)

Alot of the Degu's Ive known have self mutilated their tails. Sometimes from stress but more often from boredom. They def need lots to do (and lots to chew on) to keep them amused.
Although one boy that I bred and gave to a friend (with another Deg) actually chewed most of his tail off! No health issues, tons to do in his cage and more outside interaction then most Degu's get but he seemed to have developed a compulsion for it..


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

mstori said:


> the bath is metal, its the same as the picture, just the shallow version which they dont sell online.
> 
> Will put it back in.
> 
> ...


Oh sorry I didn't realise you were rehoming them, in that case I understand why the small cage 

I think stopping the meal worms, treating for possible mites and letting them have a bath as and when will go a long way to helping at least 
It's a shame they aren't girls I would have said to send them here and I would have bonded them to my original residents lol


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

B3rnie said:


> Oh sorry I didn't realise you were rehoming them, in that case I understand why the small cage
> 
> I think stopping the meal worms, treating for possible mites and letting them have a bath as and when will go a long way to helping at least
> It's a shame they aren't girls I would have said to send them here and I would have bonded them to my original residents lol


i was only meant to have them for 3 days.. and that was a year ago! The man who was meant to have them told me that he was going to get a hutch to put them in! when i said they couldnt live in a hutch he said he wouldnt then. I decided not to take the risk. he had already adopted a pair of guinea pigs from me and under the conditions id said if he needed to rehome they have to come back to me, but i found out he gave them to a neice :nono: so im really pleased he didnt take the degus...although my OH isnt, 

vets wont sell the ivermectin without seeing them, so going to have to go on tuesday.thanks


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## Guest (Apr 21, 2011)

Oh dear, sounds like they had a lucky escape then 

Let me know how you get on at the vets


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## mstori (May 22, 2009)

thanks, will do :001_smile:

sams eye is looking loads better than it did, so hopefully on the mend..


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