gerbils and degus (not together)

[becks]

my local pet stores, since stopping selling birds, have all suddenly turned their avairies into selling places for degus.

they are being sold at a pair for £40, just wondered if anyone had any experience of degus,a nd how different they are to gerbils?

i know that they grow larger than gerbils, but liek teh gerbil enjoy being kept in social groups.

i understand tehy need more space, but that they eat the same diets.

any otehr tips?

if i ever got a pair (would eb a while off yet) it woudl be in addition to my gerbils, not insteda of ;-)

[aquajird]

I wouldn't buy degus off anyone who claims they require the same diet as gerbils. Rule number 1 for degu keeping is that they need a very low carbohydrate and fat diet. Basically they require just pellets and hay.
Despite appearances, degus are not relatives of gerbils. They are South American rodents from the same group as guinea pigs and chinchillas. If you feed them correctly, they live a long time. I had a pair that lived to 8 and 9 years. If you feed them incorrectly, they get health problems and die quite young.


Other differences. They are rock hoppers and climbers, not burrowers. They need a cage, not a tank. They pee a good deal more and need to be cleaned out at least once a week. They are very vocal. Depending on whether you like being constantly chirped and wheeped at, it is cute or annoying. They get addicted to treadmills. They don't like being handled as much as gerbils but will happily sit on your shoulder. They are more discerning of humans than gerbils. Gerbils are quite happy to be petted by strangers. Degus are likely to behave very differently, according to whether they know and like the person. They have long memories and if someone has dome something that has upset them, they will remember that person and bear grudges.

If you like gerbils and are wanting to branch out with something different, then you are probably better looking at one of the jird species suich as Shaws or Persians. These are gerbils, but larger and much more like what you are used to.

Sue

[becks]

thanks for that sue :-)

the noise wouldnt bother me too much - with cockatiels you become immune to noises! but i will when the time comes have a look at the other jirds too.

i am very into my hams, however my partner prefers the gerbils, so i am looking towaards soemthing we can both enjoy together. he loves sitting wtaching our "trumpton boys" (six identical albino brothers) playing, and shredding, but i admit being less dem,anding on teh cleaning side than teh hams is a great plus side.

nick is also more confident when handling thegerbils than the hams...i have had some very nasty nips before now, when the dwarfies have been in a sulk.