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Question
QUESTION: Hello Carol! I am really thinking of getting a degu but i dont know the proper treatment for them. Can you explain everything like how to take care of them what to feed them, and what kind of cage should i get for them. And any other additional things that i need to know. Thank-you!

ANSWER: For starters you should never get A degu...they need to be in groups of at least 2 or more.  They need a mesh wheel (tail can come off if it's just the bar-style), wire/glass cage (no plastic as they will chew thru it in a heartbeat) with a solid bottom, a house/nesting box, water bottle, food bowl, and if possible a critter ball so they can run around the house.  Make sure your litter is not aromatic (cedar, etc.) and is highly odor absorbing as their urine is highly concentrated.  For food they need half chinchilla food and half guinea pig food with a constant supply of either timothy or alfalfa hay.  They cannot have sweet treats such as fruits.  They should not be exposed to drafts or areas that are too hot, and they will need a dust bath a couple of times a week just like chins do.  They are very snuggly, but it will take your goos a while to get used to you, so be patient.  Do not try to catch them, but rather let them crawl into a wide mouth jar and then let them crawl out onto your hand at their pace.  Unfortunately there is more misinformation out there than correct info, so be wary of your sources.  Also be very careful where you get your pets--not everyone socializes their animals from infancy if at all so they may not be used to being handled.  you also should inquire about the bloodline.  Quite often babies are a result of an unintended pregnancy in a family, and those offspring will not be as healthy or live as long.  Even in pet stores the people selling them don't often know much about the animals.  

Good luck!
Carol

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Thanks so much, but where are some breeders that can ship? I live in MN so they dont have such a variety of here.

Answer
No there aren't.  As a breeder, the only way I could ship is via a first class airline ticket with full vet certification of health.  Several hundred dollars for a couple of degus isn't practical.  Your best bet is to plan on driving a couple of hours, and keep your eyes open.  Often folks will get them with little or no research and then want to get rid of them, so check your local animal shelters and rescues as well as the newspapers.  There are also several online forums for posting you should check, just do a google search for 'degus wanted' or 'degus for sale' and the latest boards should pop up.  Just be patient.

Good luck!
Carol