The Right Degu Cage

The degus from Chile, which are related to the guinea pig, inspire people in Germany and other countries. No wonder, because the small, lively rodents have a great character and are simply exciting to watch. The little rascals have been kept as pets in small groups since the 1980s, but this is not an easy task to solve. Degus are particularly demanding when it comes to keeping them, so anyone who decides to keep these animals assumes a lot of responsibility. Not only the diet has to be right and varied. In addition to nutrition, the right degu cage plays a particularly important role and that is exactly what this article is about. The perfect degu cage should therefore not only be big enough, the furnishings must also be right in order to make everyday life as pleasant as possible for the animals.

The size of the degu cage

Degus are rodents that need lots of space to climb, romp and play. In general, one can say that the accommodation, which is inhabited by two to four degus, should have a floor space of at least 120-150 cm x 60-80 cm, with a height between 100-150 cm being optimal. However, these are the minimum dimensions, because bigger is always better and offers both you and your loved ones a lot more options. A degu cage should also be divided into at least three levels. In a large cage, the little rascals can let off steam and play with each other. The stress among the animals also has no chance, so that territorial fights hardly ever occur. However, a large cage in no way replaces free running, which you should offer your degus as often as possible.

All facts at a glance:

• Base area: at least 120-150 cm x 60-80 cm
• Height: 100 – 150 cm
• three floors
• the bigger the better

The different housing types for degus

You can keep degus in different types of housing. Of course, the material plays a particularly important role here, since degus like to nibble on everything and can therefore break it. In the following, we will present the possibilities in more detail:

The small animal cages and chinchilla cages for degus

Small animal cages are generally not particularly well suited to housing degus. This is mainly because the floor pans of most small animal cages are made of plastic and sooner or later the degus will discover them and gnaw them. Furthermore, the grid is often coated with plastic, which would come off when the degus nibble and could therefore be swallowed by the animals and could be dangerous. Chinchilla cages are better suited because the base of these cages is made of metal. Since chinchillas are also rabid rascals, these cages have been specially manufactured to meet these requirements. Visually beautiful is probably something else, although of course tastes are different and vary widely.

The aquariums and terrariums

An aquarium or terrarium is also popular for keeping degus. Not without reason, of course. Above all, the sight of an accommodation made of glass is great and this option is also practical. However, it is important that these are large enough, which is of course not really easy in this case, since large aquariums and terrariums are very expensive. Furthermore, these are easy to clean and observing the degus is possible without restrictions. In addition, glass is rodent-proof, so that safety is also guaranteed against the animals escaping. But these accommodation options do not only have advantages for the small pets. Here it can quickly happen that the rubber comes off the edges, which means that the little ones can injure themselves on the small grooves. However, the glass containers have the advantage that the environment stays clean, because degus like to dig, with the litter flying around.

Due to the fact that an aquarium is not particularly high, many use the option of combining it with a mesh cage and building an attachment. This gives the degus the opportunity to move up and use the space. Of course, the bigger it is, the better it is for the animals.

Build the degu enclosure yourself

More and more degu keepers are now deciding to build housing for their darlings themselves. No wonder, because there are no limits to the imagination and it is possible to use the available space, such as a niche in the living room, optimally in order to offer the animals as much space as possible. When choosing the material, you should make sure that it can withstand the degu teeth, so that wood would only be the right choice under certain circumstances. For example, there are coated chipboards which, due to the smooth surface, do not offer the animals any surface to attack. You can protect corners and edges, for example, with aluminum strips or benage, although glass plates would of course be even better. You can either have these made or you can see that the enclosure is adapted to the glass panes, which can be bought in the hardware store. If you work with wire, the meshes should not be too big, since degus like to nibble on the one hand, but on the other hand they will also try to put their heads through, which of course can be very dangerous for the animals. However, there are also portals with building instructions. Many owners build an additional shelter that can be placed in the garden in the summer, with caution, because it would not be the first time that the small rodents break free and escape.

The perfect location

Not only the enclosure itself is important for species-appropriate degu keeping. The location of the accommodation also plays an extremely important role and should therefore not be underestimated. So the little rascals should not necessarily be placed next to the television or the hi-fi system, as the noise would simply be too much for sensitive ears. Since degus are diurnal animals, they also need a lot of light. In addition to the bright places, you should also ensure that there is shade in the enclosure so that degus can withdraw to rest a bit. You should also make sure that the enclosure does not get too warm. A place where the cage is in the middle of the sun in summer should not be chosen. Otherwise, the little rodents could get a heat stroke from which you can even die. Furthermore, it is important that the accommodation for the animals is set up in a smoke-free room, because cigarette smoke is not only very harmful to human health, but also to the animals.

The perfect location:

• not in the direct sun
• not in places where it might be too loud
• Provide shaded areas
• lots of light

The litter and nesting material for degus

Degus are among the rodents that not only nibble on everything, but also like to dig extensively. The main task of the degus in the wild was to build a burrow in which the young animals are born and raised. The degus also want to follow this instinct in human care and should also be given the opportunity to do so, since this point is also part of species-appropriate husbandry. With the right bedding, you can offer your animals exactly this opportunity, whereby you should make sure that the layers are appropriately high and at least 15 cm. Here, too, the higher the litter, the better for the animals. However, it is not only the amount of litter that matters, the quality is also very important so that the rodents can use it for digging at all.

Which bedding suits degus?

Most degu owners use the very typical bedding products from the pet trade, which are known as small animal bedding. These are wood shavings, which are inexpensive. Furthermore, it is not only cheap, but also light in weight and can also be composted. However, the dug corridors keep collapsing, so that they are not particularly stable. However, the touch-up with some hay makes the aisles a bit more stable. In addition, caution is advised for allergy sufferers due to the high dust content of the bedding products.

Under no circumstances should you give your pets the hemp litter available in pet shops. Although this is dust-free and therefore particularly popular with allergy sufferers, there is no stability whatsoever. This also applies to straw pellets and beech wood granules, so these are also completely unsuitable. However, these products can be mixed with the normal bedding, so that caves and small corridors become more stable.

Cotton-based bedding products, which can also be found in many pet shops or online, are particularly suitable. These products are both dust-free and particularly stable. This is because the individual fibers have the properties to bind together so that the passages and caves will no longer collapse. Furthermore, the odor binding is to be emphasized positively, which justifies the higher price.

Buddelkiste in case of space problems

If the degu cage does not have a floor pan that is high enough to offer the animals this digging opportunity, there are also ways to make the animals happy. For example, you can offer your loved ones a digging box. A small aquarium, for example, is best, which can now be placed in the degu cage. Now fill this with a mixture of peat and sand, which is slightly moistened. This way you can ensure that the gears remain nice and stable. You can also put bark mulch in the digging box, although the larger pieces of mulch are of course also a nice change from gnawing. Unfertilized potting soil is another alternative, although this should also be slightly damp. If the dimensions of the digging box are too big, you can always take it out and only offer it from time to time, which gives the animals a great change.

The nesting material for degus

Many degus would like to have caves and corridors even more comfortable afterwards and pad them accordingly, so that you should provide nesting material. Most of the animals use hay here, which is optimal and also very healthy. In addition, hay should be available at all times, because people like to eat it and therefore serve as a healthy snack in between. However, the quality of the hay plays a very important role. It should definitely smell fresh, otherwise it will already have become damp and moldy. Before you put the hay in your darling’s cage, you should not only do a smell test, but also check that there are no plastic parts or sharp objects, which unfortunately has also happened from time to time in the past. You can also offer your degus as nesting material in the form of kitchen paper or toilet paper, which must be unprinted and fragrance-free. However, please keep your hands off hamster cotton, there is a risk that the animals will strangle their limbs.

The perfect setup for degus

In addition to the accommodation for your degus and the generous amount of space, the furnishings should not be forgotten. The degu cage should always have several floors in order to use the space optimally and thus offer the animals many great options. The individual floors should be at least 35-40 cm apart, and they should be as large as possible. If you are now afraid that your loved ones might fall, you can use the option and also hang up small hammocks. Incidentally, these now offer great play and climbing opportunities for the small rodents. The connections between floors can be created with trunks, bridges and small openings.

Don’t forget the basic equipment

Of course, the products in terms of basic equipment should not be missing either. These include the feeding bowl, which should be made of ceramic or clay, and the drinking bowl. Plastic should be avoided, as the bowls are eaten by the animals and plastic can quickly become dangerous. Make sure that the bowls are never too small and that they weigh a lot so that the little rascals cannot tip them over. Eating all degus at the same time should be factored into the size, otherwise small fights could occur. If they don’t want to reach for water bowls, drinking bottles are suitable, although these should only be attached to the outside of the cages, as the plastic can quickly become dangerous with these products too.

Accessories for your degus

You can let your imagination run wild with the rest of the furnishings, because everything is allowed here that does not entail any danger. Whether things are made of wood, clay, cork or untreated cardboard, what you like and what is not made of plastic is allowed. Suspension bridges, branches, tunnels made of cork or other hiding places are particularly popular. Why don’t you keep the boxes, they are also dismantled with passion and bring the little ones a lot of joy in their everyday life.
Since degus like to move around a lot, you can also make the animals very happy with an exercise bike. The running plates are also particularly suitable as accessories for the degu cage. When buying a walking step for degus, however, you should make sure that it is absolutely safe and that the animals cannot get stuck. The rungs of the plates or wheels should therefore not be too far apart. Furthermore, you should pay attention to the size of the impeller. Under no circumstances should these be too small, as is the case with hamster wheels or the models for small gerbils, for example. Running wheels that are too small for degus can lead to poor posture and severe pain in the animals. Experts therefore recommend buying an impeller with a diameter of at least 30 cm.

Our conclusion on the topic of degu accommodation

Degus are cute little rodents, but they place high demands on their owners when it comes to keeping them species-appropriate. You should be aware of this fact right from the start and the equipment is not necessarily cheap either. However, if you want to enable your new pets to be kept in an appropriate way, you will have a lot of fun with these small and lively creatures. However, don’t just make sure that everything is perfect in the cage, but also allow the degus to roam freely in the apartment as often as possible, where of course everything must be safe for small animals.