does a degu make a suitable pet for an 8yr old

[calamityjane67]

My 8 yr old has had a hamster for near on 2 yrs and I'm taking him the vet tomorrow as he has a sore leg, I think this is due to old age, although she is upset and loves him to bits, she saw a cage fulll of Degus'. They were very friendly and seemed quite tame and didn.t seeem to bite when she put her finger in the cage{which I told her not to do}......Anyway never heard of them before and wondered if anyone could enlighten me. Thanks

[wolf63]

I don't know much about Degu (apart from the fact that they are cute) but it might be worth asking the vet when you go in tomorrow. Some animals require a vet who specialises in them.

Our vet specialises in farm animals but some of the vets in the practice only deal with cats and dogs.

Good luck in researching the subject - there are bound to be sites out on the net that can help you decide what to do.

If you want a stroppy, vicious and spiteful longhaired female cat just get in touch.

:-)

[tinkerbell23]

Soo cute degus! X

[tinkerbell23]

http://www.myhomezone.co.uk/degus/Right.shtml


Found this on google, lots more if you want a wee nosey xxx

[lcg]

cheers, tinkerbell. was jus gonna say What The Funicular is a degu?! cute x

[tinkerbell23]

V cute...thy have yellow teeth! I hear thats healthy for thm, but dont quote me on it x

[what..the?]

I have had hamsters, mice, gerbils, guinea pigs, rabbits. All have been common pet shop breeds through to rare bred lines. As I don't have children I also don't mind being adventurous and getting something that might bite down the line.

I have seen degu's many times in large pet shops and they do appeal to me, I believe the reason I am not interested in getting them is that they are pack animals they live together in large groups so in small numbers they can possibly get stressed. Therefore considering their larger size (compared to a hamster or gerbil) and the fact you have to buy a few, you are talking quite a large enclosure. In addition I would only ever recommend one type of enclosure for these animals and thats an aquarium. You can buy very large aquariums suitable for a group of degu's but it would be quite expensive and quite heavy/impossible to move. Aquariums are better because these animals are desert animals they like to dig and burrow, you have to also give them a special dust to bath in which gets kicked everywhere (same as gerbil). All this can lead to a lot of mess.

I have two gerbils male very friendly they take time to tame as not as stupid as a hamster but the constant activity far more than a hamster would entertain any 8yr old just as much as the larger more specialist breed of degu. They require a much more sensible sized aquarium too. Gerbils don't sleep all day but take little naps throughout the day. Gerbils are also more well known by vets.

Any questions let me know but a gerbil in my view is the best step up from a hamster bought as a pair same breed, and they will be the best of friends forever. I bought my gerbils at a breeders meet, some in the pet shop versions look of poor breeding so look for smooth clean coat, bright eyes whilst friendly to siblings. Mine have never had a health complaint.

[divegirl]

Hi, I own a group of Degus so will give my opinion!
They need to be kept in single sex groups of two or more...never keep one on its own as it will not be happy!
They are by nature diabetic...so no sugar at all in their diet!
They are messy and the males will spray urine out of the cage....bless!
They can be very noisy...if one becomes alarmed it can send out its 'alarm call' for over an hour!!!

[divegirl]

oppps posted too soon!
They are super fast and need to be exercised outside of the cage in a secure place!

On the plus side.

They live longer than most small furries I lost my rescue boy aged 9 and the goup I have now will be six this year!
If handled well from young they make amazingly affectionate pets.
They don't bite like hamsters do!!!

Have a look here for further advice!

http://www.myhomezone.co.uk/degus/

Lisa x

[calamityjane67]

Thank you all for your repies. And links they were very useful and gave me a lot to think about.

[Sir Alec]

Hello tinkerbell and thanks for your link as I had never heard of them either. I was just saying, How cute, to myself when I read divegirl's write up. It gave me a laugh, anyway!

[Jemisa]

If you're new to degus, you may be wondering what the big deal is. Of course all of us who have degus don't need to ask! Degus make the best pets simply because they fulfill all the 'ideal pet' criteria, and more...

Degus are small and easy to keep
Degus are diurnal (awake when you are)
Degus are very intelligent and have huge personalities
Degus love to be stroked and will groom you back if you give their
Degus don't need 'special' diets (other than restricting sugary foods)
Degus love human company and can learn to see their owner as another degu
Degus will keep you entertained for hours with their antics; they're cute, funny, clever, naughty and playful!
Degus are loyal and brave little creatures
Degus are amazing at adapting to new environments and are not easily stressed
Degus don't produce strong-smelling urine unlike some other small animals
Degus are fascinating creatures and have contributed to great discoveries in the scientific community
Degus can give you the inspiration to write a whole website dedicated to them and helping other people get inspired!

I hope this helps Jane.

jem