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Any ideas on how I can manage my bloody degus

24 replies

hereidrawtheline · 07/07/2009 13:48

Yes its the crazy animal woman here, I have 10. If it isnt one species giving me hassle its another.

Today its the degus, they are driving me MAD.

We have had them for around 6 months, we rescued one on her own and they arent supposed to live alone so we adopted her 3 sisters to keep her company. They are interesting, odd little things, and DS adores them but they are pissing me off. And it isnt really their fault!

Firstly I must admit I am just tired of seeing a whopping huge cage in my conservatory. And the cleaning, feeding etc. But I took them in and so that is my responsibility.

But they wont stop throwing their sodding poos all over the place. They pick them up and throw them. And straw. I do clean but I am so fighting a losing battle. The area around their cage is always covered in straw and poo. You clean it up and 5 mins later there is more. I just dont know what to do its driving me mad! The poos are hard btw like rabbit poos so they dont splatter. I am just feeling very put out by it all. My other 6 animals are very well looked after and I do their cleaning but it doesnt seem so bloody invasive as needing to sweep poo up 3 times a day in your conservatory!!! I dont know what to do. DS loves them, and is (in diagnosis process) ASD and if I rehomed them he would be soooo confused. And I would feel terrible. But I just am so grossed out by the mess. I did of course research them thoroughly but no one, and I mean, NO ONE tells you they throw poos out of the cage! There are flies!

OP posts:
hereidrawtheline · 07/07/2009 14:04

must say I'm not surprised I'm the only one with poo throwing degus

You are all probably far too sensible to adopt small animals from Chile.

OP posts:
sweetnitanitro · 07/07/2009 14:37

They have degus at the animal park near me, can't say I've ever seen them throw poo! I will keep a close eye out next time I'm there

Can you put their cage in some kind of tray (like a big litter tray or something) to prevent the poo being thrown a long way? I dunno if this is recommended, I've never kept any kind of rodents. Just an idea to keep the poo-throwing contained to a smaller area.

They like to dig like gerbils, right? Maybe they just need a little sandbox to get their digging fix?

hereidrawtheline · 07/07/2009 14:58

they have a sand bath, a litter tray, and a 3 foot long space full of straw! The cage is too big to put inside anything. Maybe mine are especially badly behaved.

OP posts:
sweetnitanitro · 07/07/2009 17:22

They must be send them to degu boot camp. Maybe if they had a target they would only throw the poo in one direction

CarGirl · 07/07/2009 17:26

Can you make some sort cover (like budgies used to have) that goes around the bottom and half way up the sides.

Am off to google degus, never heard of them!

hereidrawtheline · 07/07/2009 17:36

most vets have never even seen a degu so there are sadly no researched degu behaviour techniques.

I dont think the cover would work either because they are multi-level animals, they climb all over like squirrels. So they can throw poos from their ceiling.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 07/07/2009 17:46

perspex sheets is clearly the way forward then!

They look fab, how long do they live for?

hereidrawtheline · 07/07/2009 17:57

do you want them?

I am being very difficult I know but they cant get too hot so perspex is out! I have a fan pointing at them all day

I honestly cant remember how long they live for, but I'll look it up in my book. I seem to remember it was quite a long time. Mine are all very young. One of my girls, Gannymede, has lost her tail. Did you know their tails are detachable? They dont grow back. And they are naturally diabetic so must have a specific diet.

I must be mad.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 07/07/2009 18:02

you clearly are. Hmmm can you move the cage to somewhere cooler and then do perspex?

Wonder if they are bored.

Chinchilla's live for about 20 years wonder how closely related they are.....

hereidrawtheline · 07/07/2009 18:05

Well they have loads of toys. And I am a big animal nut, my animals (all bloody 10 of them) live very well. My rabbits live in a purpose built enclosure with around 160 sq ft, PLUS underground burrow (they built that bit, I'm not that bad)

But god I am at the end of my patience.

I just cant stand looking at them and their poo.

The only other room they can go in is my living room and they were in there before and I refuse to do it again because when I am sitting down relaxing I dont want to find stray poos. They have a huge chunk of my conservatory.

Ugh. I am short tempered wrt them today!

OP posts:
moshie · 07/07/2009 18:12

Can they live outside?
You're going to say 'no, they can't get too cold' now, aren't you?

CarGirl · 07/07/2009 18:14

Shed with heating for the cold months?

hereidrawtheline · 07/07/2009 18:15

LOL

Well they just arent meant for this climate so no they cant live outside here. Anyone fancy taking some extra baggage with them on holiday to Chile?

They need to live in a private home who will care for them or a bloody zoo of some sort.

My house appears to be across between the two.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 07/07/2009 18:16

A well insulted shed would be okay for 10 months of the year surely? It gets cold o/night in chile?

snigger · 07/07/2009 18:25

Mosquito net?

Air will get through, it'll look all wispy and attractive, and if you attach the base to a hula hoop, you'll have a distinct rebound area?

hereidrawtheline · 07/07/2009 18:30

Ah the brilliance of MN.

You can put your minds to anything cant you.

OP posts:
CarGirl · 07/07/2009 18:36

circular tray at the bottom?

snigger · 07/07/2009 18:55

CarGirl, would you expand on the construction of a well-insulted shed?

"You B, you're not even bloody MDF, are you?"

CarGirl · 07/07/2009 19:05

you get insulation stuff and then dry line on top of that - all walls & ceilings, thermostatic electic heater, monitor carefully to ensure you don't cook/freeze degus....alternatively donate degus to local zoo.

snigger · 07/07/2009 19:07

insulted

rather than

insulated

  • sorry, wasn't being a pedant, just made me giggle.
CarGirl · 07/07/2009 19:10

ha ha - yes very funny typo!

I'm on the laptop standing up in the kitchen whilst clearing up and listen to dh put the 3 horrors to bed!

mumski · 13/07/2009 15:51

Hi hereidrawthelin
sorry you are having trouble with your Degus - must look up what they are.
You were kind enough to send me your e mail address to try and help me with my house rabbit. But have been totally unable to find it. Would you be able to send it again?
many thanks

mumski · 15/07/2009 13:35

bump

Jenasaurus · 02/06/2018 11:30

I was searching for help with this today on google and this very old thread came up. I too have 3 poo throwing degus, mine are in the lounge and I was drinking tea quite a way from the cage and a poo came flying out and landed in my tea! really not sure I am suited to these lovely little creatures. They belong to my adult son, we got 4 when he was younger but as they died and we were left with one, we got 2 more as they get lonely. They can live up to 20 years in a domestic setting (less than 4 years in the wild)

My son is moving out in October but him and his girlfriend don't want them and to be honest I think we should find them a new home as sadly I can no longer cope with the poo throwing contest and constant mess

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