How to Build a Degu Cage !

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How to build a degu cage ?

Many degu owners would like to give their degus a bigger home. After owning degus for a short period of time, we quickly realize the amount of room these creatures need. Degus are highly active animals. They love to climb, run, dig, play and explore.
Commercially sold cages are not well suited for degus. They are often too small to provide these animals with the nessecary running space and are usually very costly. Most cages are also unsuitable for digging activities. They become untidy very quickly and are often a hassle to clean.

Some might have considered building a cage for their degus.
Sadly, the lack of information on this matter often proves discouraging to those seeking to undertake a cage-building project.

This article will focus on answering some of the most common questions about building a degu cage.
I will also point out the benefits of building a cage and will offer useful tips and advice on the matter.

Here is a list of themes and topics you will read about in this illustrated guide;
-What are the benefits of building a cage ?
-What materials could be used to build a cage ?
-What skills must I have to successfully complete this project ?
-How big should the cage be ?
-How many degus can I comfortably house inside my cage ?
-Where should the cage be located ?
-Is a wooden cage hard to clean ?
-Can degus chew through a wooden cage ?
-How many levels should the cage hold ?
-Following a plan and finding a helper
-General tips and advice on building an enclosure
-The growing popularity of wooden DIY enclosures
-How can I recreate a natural looking setup in the cage ?
-How can you install a water bottle to a wooden cage and what are the alternatives ?
-Can I use artificial lighting to light the cage ?
-Photos of cages from around the world !
-Various testimonals from degu owners who chose to follow this guide.
-Other helpful sources of information

Hundreds have benefited from the information found here...hopefully you will be one of them !
It is my sincere hopes, that this article will forever change the way you view degu housing and inspire you to join us in this cage building frenzy.

What are the benefits of building a cage ?

To start off, let's talk about a few of the benefits you get by building a degu cage !
There are many benefits. Building a cage is a great way to give your degus lots of room, without spending a fortune.
Building a cage can also be a very educational and fun experience.

Depending of the materials you use, the cage will stay clean for a long time...monthly cleanings become the norm.
Building a cage is much cheaper than buying a commercially sold metal cage.
You can build a cage that will fit your own specifications.

Most importantly, building a cage is the best way to give your pet degus the room they require.
This will increase their happiness and will ensure their physical fitness and well-being.

What materials can I use to build a cage ?

There are several different materials you can use to build a cage.
There are also many different ways to build a cage. I will focus on one of these ways and will let you decide for yourself whether or not this is the right setup for you.

Wood is my favorite material for cage building. It is relatively inexpensive and is readily available in most parts of the world.
You should stay away from stained, varnished or painted wood...these are highly unpractical for building a cage. Plywood, Pine wood, MDF and Kiln Dried Pine are the most common choices for cage building. They are cheap and easy to find. The sheets of wood will need to be atleast 1/2 inch (1.4 cm) thick.

The amount of wood you need depends largely on the size of the cage you want to build.
Wood should consist of the main material. The cage itself should be made of wood and so should the levels, ramps, and ledges inside the cage. Beware however ! Most woods are not safe for degus to chew on ! We will discuss this more in details a bit further in the article.

You will also need a clear opening at the front of the cage.
The idea here is not to confine your degus to a large wooden box. Rather, the cage should look like a big aquarium, except that
the bottom, sides and back will consist of wood. The front should be clear and mobile, allowing a clear view and easy access to the entire cage.

The three most commonly used materials for this are; glass, plexi glass and wire mesh.
The glass should be solid and thick enough to take a little beating.
Glass is clear, heavy, reliable and overall ideal for a degu cage. Two glass sheets, can easily come together to form a pair of sliding doors...allowing clear view and easy access to all parts of the cage.
The cost of glass can vary depending on quality and thickness...but in general, glass is affordable.

Plexi glass is another option. Its clear, reliable, flexible and much lighter than glass.
On the other hand, plexi glass is more expensive and is prone to getting scratched.

Wire mesh is sometimes used for the front of the cage.
There are several pros and cons to using this material.
Wire mesh is less expensive than the materials mentioned above.
If you live in a very hot, humid area and are worried about ventilation, wire mesh can prove to be your best option.
On the other hand, wire mesh will not stop hay, bedding, food and other small items from being thrown out the cage.

The top of the cage should be covered with wire mesh.
This will allow adequate air circulation and stop your degus from jumping out.
If using glass or plexi glass in the front of the cage, it can be a good idea to add ventilation grids on both sides of the degus cage.

The last material you will need, is a single or double track metal slider.
If you use a single track slider, you will be able to have one sheet of glass or plexi glass in the front.
If you have a two way slider, you will be able to have two sheets of glass or plexi glass...simulating two sliding doors.
I have build cages using single and double track sliders and both work equally well.

So to sum this up, you will need:
Cage structure: wood
Cage front: glass, plexi glass or mesh
Cage top: wire mesh
And single or double metal sliders to slide the glass or plexi glass on.

Do I need any special wood working skills to successfully build a degu cage ?

Defenitely not !
When I decided to build my first degu cage, I had no wood working experience.
But with careful planning, you can successfully build a decent cage.

Follow the tips and pieces of advice given in this article.
Use some of your creativity, plan carefully and you will come out victorious.

As you can see in the photo below, building a cage is rather simple.

How big should the cage be and how many degus can I comfortably house inside this cage ?

How big the cage should be depends on the number of degus you keep or on the number of degus you plan on keeping.
As a general rule, the recommended minimum for a pair or trio of adult degus is 100x50x100 cm (Length x Depth x Height).
Remember to keep 100x50 cm of floor space as a minimum.

But why should the cage be atleast 100 cm high ?
Easy, you will need room to fit the levels and thick branches.
Although floor space is much more important, degus enjoy and benefit from climbing and jumping...what better way to encourage these activities than by providing them with over 100 cm of height. But the cage height is not only important for these reasons. It is vital for the cage to be tall enough so you can add atleast two or three large levels.
Horizontal space is vital for the degus...the cage should reflect this by holding as many complete levels as possible.
In a cage of 100x50x100 cm, you would be able to add two full levels to the cage...meaning your degus would have three times 100x50 cm as a living area.

Degus cannot float or fly, so there is no use in having a tall cage if the height is not going to be used.
Large levels will give the degus more surface area and provide them with more space to run on.

Some of you might want to try saving space by building a tall, narrow cage.
You might figure that by providing the degus with many small levels, you are giving them the floor space they need.
This is not so...length and depth of the cage should always come before height !
In any case the height should not fall short of 100 cm. Nothing stops you from making a tall cage, but do not sacrifice floor space for height. Always keep the 100x50 cm minimum floor space in mind.
And if you truly want to build an ideal enclosure for your degus, why not go a bit further with a floor space of 120x60 cm.
This may not seem much to you and I, but for the degus it makes a big difference !

About tall and narrow cages, a good friend and an experienced degu keeper once reminded me "Degus dont live in trees".

By doing some research online, you will come accross a few degu cage calculators.
These calculators will measure you cage volume and use this to determine how many degus can be kept in the cage.
This method of evaluating a cage is too inprecise and unreliable. Why do I say this ?
To illustrate: Degu owner ''A'' decides to build a degu cage measuring 100x50x100 cm in dimensions. He decides to add two complete levels measuring 100x50 centimeters...giving the cage a total surface area of 15,000 square centimeters.
Upon entering the cage dimensions (100x50x100 cm) in the calculator, a message saying the cage to be suitable for 2-3 degus would pop up.
Okay, this is fine.

Now let's go to degu owner ''B''. Degu owner ''B'' decides to build a degu cage measuring 100x50x100 cm as well.
Degu owner ''B'' decides that two small triangular shaped corner levels would look neat in the cage.
The surface area provided by these two levels would be minimal at best (lets say 1250 square cms each).
The total surface area of the cage would add up to a meager 7500 square centimeters...HALF the surface area of degu owner ''A''s cage.
Yet when degu owner ''B'' punches up his cage dimensions in the calculator, he would get the same results.

Why is this ? Because the calculator has no way of knowing how the space inside the cage is being used.
It calculates cage volume instead of surface area. The degu owners who created these calculators figure most people will add large levels to the cage, making them suitable. However, there is no way for a volume-dependant tool to promote the use of full length levels in the degu cage.

That is why, Fred Kippert (one of the most devoted degu owners I have come to know) decided to put together a tool that will help you calculate if the cage you plan on building will be suitable for degus and if so, how many can be housed inside it.

It is a very precise and efficient tool that is accompanied with a quick guide and explanation of how you can evalute your own cage and its suitability.

CARA (cumulative available running area) - A new way of calculating suitability of a cage, that is based on actual floor space rather than volume.
http://deguworld.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=Cage&action=display&thread=9396

Degus are very active ground living animals and need sufficient possibilities to run in their cage.
Rather than volume as used by others, our recommendations are based on running space.

How to calculate CARA ?

This is easy:
- Take the measurements for all levels of your cage
- For each level multiply length by depth
- Add up values for all levels

This is an example for a four tier cage with a depth of 50cm:

The cage size chart below gives two recommendations of how many degus can be kept in a cage of a given size.
The first is for minimum cages and these values need to be met. (The minimum size for two degus is based on measures advised by the RSPCA). The second is recommended by the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum and should be considered as a sensible compromise between the absolute minimum and ideal conditions... like a full room which remains unrealistic for most degu owners.

Thank you Fred Kippert for providing us with a helpful guide and chart to CARA !

Where should the cage be located ?

Keeping in mind that degus cannot sweat, and are not tolerant of heat and humidity, the cage should be located in a cool, well ventilated area of the house. If you are a light sleeper, the cage should not be in the bedroom. Although degus are diurnal animals, they tend to wake up in the middle of the night and start running in the wheel or chewing on the wood branches.
The degu cage should not be placed in front of a window where sunlight will shine through most of the day. It should also not be placed near a heating unit or any other object that produces heat.

The living room is often the chosen location for the degu cage. A hallway or a spare bedroom would also serve as an ideal location. In short, any room that isnt too warm or doesnt occupy a light sleeper will do.

If you live in a hot or humid area, you should invest in an air conditioner.
The ideal temperature to house degus is between 17 C and 20 C. The room temperature should never reach 25 C.
Since a wooden cage is a relatively "closed system" compared to a wire/metal cage, you want to keep the cage in a well ventilated area of the house. Even a ceiling fan running on the lowest setting will help ensure adequate air circulation inside the cage.

The cage should hold several full length levels !

How many levels should the cage hold ?

Ideally the cage should hold atleast two large levels.
Why are they important ?

Levels are very important in a degu cage. They provide more floor space, therefore giving the degus more room to run, hide, explore and play. Degus enjoy heights, they will often perch on one of the high levels of the cage.

Although the cage should ideally hold two large levels, nothing stops you from adding more.
The more levels there are, the more room your degus have. You can make levels of different shapes and sizes, giving your cage a very interesting and appealing look.
Small levels and perches are near useless for the degus. The best way of using the cage volume to its full potential, is to add large/complete levels to the cage.

Keep in mind that although degus are fond of climbing, they can sometimes be clumsy.
Some degus have been known to fall and hurt themselves.
When making the levels, plan carefully in which order you want to place them.
By placing a large level near the middle of the cage, you will stop one of your degus from falling all the way down to the bottom if he/she were to fall. In any case, plan carefully and be sure that the degus have easy access to all the levels, especially those placed high up.
Degus are ground animals, meaning horizontal space is far more important to them than height or climbing opportunities. You can put this thought into practice by choosing to add large levels in the cage, rather than a mulitude of small ones.

Follow a plan and find a helper.

These are the two most useful pieces of advice I can give you.
You dont need any special wood working skills to successfuly build a degu cage.
As long as you follow a plan, you will be fine.

Planning is the first and most important step.
Figure out how much space you have in your house and decide how big you want the cage to be.
Use two sheets or paper, a pencil and a ruler.
On the first sheet, draw a rough draft of how you want to cage to look.
Once this is done, use the second sheet of paper to draw a precise layout of the cage.
You will need to take measurements and inscribe them on this plan.
Take time, do not rush.

Once you have established a solid, decent plan...you will known how much wood you will need.
You should also visit some of your local hardware stores. Look at the price of the different materials, this will give an idea of what to choose between glass, plexi glass and wire mesh.

Secondly, you will need a helper.
This is especially vital if you want to build a large cage.
You need someone to hold the sheets of wood while you glue them, and nail them together...etc
This person can also help you in other areas of this project.

In any case, having someone to help you with this is highly recommended.
Its much easier, quicker and a lot more fun working together.

Here are two cage plans I made. Hopefully you will find these helpful.
The measurements of the cages in these plans are suitable for groups of 2-5 degus.

This third plan is a design for a much larger cage. One that could that could potentially provide a home for a group of 7 to 8 degus. This is of course, considering that several full length levels are added to the inside of the cage, therefore providing a large group of degus with adequate running space.

Tips and advice on building a cage.

- Make sure that you make a deep base.
You will need to keep several inches of bedding on the bottom of the cage.
The cage base should be deep enough so that you dont have tons of bedding falling everywhere on the floor everytime you open the cage doors. If you are using mesh in the front, this is especially important. When degus dig, they will kick the bedding all over.
Mesh will not stop the bedding from being flung out the cage, for this reason you should strive to create a deep base.

You can do this, by simply installing a wide strip of wood on the bottom of the cage. (like you see in the photo on the right)

- Install strips of wood on the edges of all levels.
Why is this important ? Simple...degus urinate like every other animal. When urine comes in contact with wood, it dries up and stains...often leaving white calcium deposits. This looks unclean and will eventually smell.
By covering all the levels with an inch or two of bedding, you will be able to keep your cage clean and dry.
If you do not install strips on the edges of the levels, the bedding you put will simply be pushed off everytime the degus walk by.
By installing these strips of wood, you will ensure that the bedding stays in place, protecting the levels from urine and other liquids.
Although the cage structure will not be vulnerable to degu teeth, the cage levels are. It is fine to use plywood to build the levels, but you dont want your degus chewing on these unsafe woods. The strip of wood you use on the edge of the level should be degu safe. A common choice is Kiln dried pine.

- Allow the degus easy access to all levels.
You can do this by cutting holes in the big levels, allowing the degus to jump through.
Place the levels in a strategic position, use branches, or thick ropes to allow them to climb from level to level.

HOW TO: helpful illustrations on aspects of cage building and the importance of protecting vulnerable areas.

Is a wooden cage hard to clean ? How do you remove the levels ?

Contrary to what many might think, cleaning a wooden cage is actually very easy as opposed to cleaning a metal wire cage.
The use of bedding is nearly impossible in wire cages. This is one of the main reasons why they become dirty after such a short period of time. In a cage where bedding can be used in large amounts, cleanliness stays a lot longer.

Wooden cages require less frequent cleaning.
They also keep all the bedding and food in the cage and not outside on the floor...no more constant sweeping under and around the cage !

Degus have sometimes been known to pee in the running wheel...this can be a problem if you are using a metal wire cage.
Small drops of pee are flung all over the place, staining the walls and cage bars. This eventually looks very dirty and will give off a very foul odour. In a wooden cage this isnt a problem. True some pee might get on the cage walls, but by simply using a moist cloth, you can easily keep the cage clean.

Another sad truth about wire cages, is the akward and often unpractical positioning of the doors and openings.
Some cages have many doors, but most only have two. This can make cleaning very hard and tiresome.
In a wooden cage with glass or mesh front doors, you have easy access to ALL areas of the cage.
Since the entire front of the cage is mobile, you will have no problem fitting in large branches and moving things around.

To compare, the typical commercially sold metal cage will become quite dirty after 3-4 days.
A wooden cage on the other hand, will stay clean for a couple weeks.
Of course, this will vary depending on the number of degus you have and the amount of bedding you use.

As for the levels, its really simplistic.
The levels are mobile and can be removed very easily.
They are supported by screws...let me explain.
When I plan my cage setup and decide where I want a level to go, I draw a straight line in the cage.
I then screw in a few thick screws directly on this line. The level then sits directly on the screws and is securely positioned.

Triangular levels are a bit more tricky.
They are also supported by screws, but require two additional screws placed on top of the level, right over the 90 degree angle that fits in the corner. This will stop the triangular level from tilting inwards and will keep it securely in place.

Overall the cleaning is quite simple.
You will need a dust bin and a hand held broom to sweep the dirty bedding off the levels and into a trash bag.
This does not take long and you will find it much easier than cleaning your metal/wire cage.

Wooden Degu Cages, growing in popularity !

Although it is a common view, among english degu owners, that degus should only be housed in metal cages...more and more people are beginning to explore wooden DIY cages as a type of alternative housing for their pet degus.

Wooden cages have been popular in Germany, Sweden, France and other European countries for a long time.
Strangely though, this type of housing has been highly discouraged in the UK, USA and Canada.

Despite this, degu owners from these regions are beginning to accept the idea that metal cages are not the only way of housing degus. One can create a chew-proof cage using wood !

I have seen so many wooden cages being build this past year (2010) and still more being built now.
I have yet to talk to someone who regrets building such a home for their degus.

Conversations, heated discussions and inspiring blogs are starting to appear on the web.
One I would like to draw your attention to is a blog called: Degu Progress - http://deguchronicles.weebly.com/index.html

This informative and helpful blog focuses mostly around the cage building experience...giving insight and helpful pointers about the cage building process itself and how one successful owner managed to create a fantastic enclosure.
The guide is fully illustrated and even deals on one topic that has puzzled many: How to install the glass runners ?
Here is the link to this helpful guide:
http://deguchronicles.weebly.com/1/post/2012/02/building-a-large-degu-enclosure-phase-4-glass.html
Thank you Joshua (Username: smithomatic on the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum) for allowing me to share your informative blog with our readers !

I have read that degus can chew through wood.
So what will stop them from chewing through the cage?

This is one of the most popular questions I get. Yes ! Degus will chew on the wood.
They need to chew in order to keep their teeth trim.

But what will stop them from chewing right through the cage ?
First and foremost, degus cannot chew on a flat surface !
If the cage is well built, the degus will have nowhere to chew on. Of course, they will occasionally chew on the cage levels, but this is unnavoidable and has little consequence on the cage structure itself.

Think of it this way. If you place a degu in a wooden box, he will not be able to chew his/her way out.
The teeth are not positioned in a way that permits chewing on a flat surface. The inside corners are all sealed, glued and nailed together. There is no way a degu can chew through a wooden box.

The cage we have been talking about all along this article, closely resembles a wooden box.
The only difference, is that the front consists of a clear material (glass, plexi glass, mesh).

Secondly, degus that are kept in small cages will spend most of their time looking for a way out.
When degus feel confined, their instinct is to dig with their claws or chew with their teeth.
In large cages, degus are content and do not spend their time looking for ways out.

On a sidenote, providing your degus with many toys and thick branches of safe wood will greatly reduce their tendancy to chew on the levels.

So, no...if your cage is well built, there is no way your degus will be able to chew their way out.

Can you install a water bottle in a wooden cage ?

Yes, installing a water bottle may be possible, although difficult. I recommend against it.
Degus can drink in small cups. Some may worry that the cups will get soiled quickly due to bedding or food being thrown in the water. So what is the solution ?
Avoid placing the drinking cup on the bottom floor of the cage. Naturally the floor of the cage should contain several inches of bedding and hay. The degus will spend a lot of time digging and creating pits...so it would not be logical to place the water bowl, or the food bowl for that matter, in such an area. Rather, choose one of the levels to place the drinking and food bowls.

You will need to change the water on a daily basis, much like you would in a bottle.
Cups are easier to maintain...they do not grow algae like water bottles and there is no danger the degus will chew on them.
When choosing a drinking cup for your little friends, avoid mugs, or coffee cups. Choose small tea cups, preferably only a few centimeters deep.

Can I use lighting in the cage ? If so, what kind of lighting can I use ?

Yes, there are several benefits to using artificial light to brighten a degu cage.
First of all, lights will give you a nice, clear view of the cage. It will also establish a feeling of "day and night" for the degus.

Cages with no lights are often dark and shady. Degus are active late in the evenings, usually many hours after the sun has set.
When the sun goes down, your home will naturally rely on lamps and lights to stay bright. But you dont always want to have your lights on. Why not set a lamp over the degu cage ?

Turn it on in the morning and shut it off before going to bed.
You will be able to see clearly in the cage even when the room lights are shut.
A well lit cage not only looks good, but benefits the degus that live within.

Although degus cannot tolerate high levels of heat, they do enjoy small amount of it...whether it means laying down in the sunlight for a few minutes or taking an afternoon nap under a small lamp.
Some larger, more powerful lights can heat up the cage a degree or two...but the ideal room temperature to house
degus is 17-18 C. Heating the cage up 1-2 degrees during the day will cause the degus no harm.

Fluorescent lights do not produce heat and are relatively cheap to buy.
Small heat lamps, UV shielded lights and halogen lamps can also be used ( with a UV-absorbing filter over or around the bulb).

* If you do decide to use a small heat lamp, it is imperitive that you closely monitor the temperature. Using a thermometer inside the degu cage is the best way of doing so.
Ideally, the cage temperature should not surpass 20 C.

Lightly heated cages also hold a small benefit. Not only to the lights give the degus a sense of "day and night" as pointed above, but the change in temperature when the light(s) go on and off also accentuates this effect. During the day, when the lights are turned on, the temperature will rise slightly. When turned off at night, the cage temperature will drop...encouraging the degus to snuggle together for warmth and respite.

Some of you may worry that the degus may use this time to run in the wheel, since they are more active in cooler conditions.
This may be so, but if the cage temperature stays under 20 C even when the lights are on...this should not affect their activity level during the day and will not turn these diurnal animals, into nocturnal creatures.

In my opinion, lights are a great asset to any degu cage.
Whether or not you choose to employ small heat lamps over the degu cage, is your decision.

How can I attach bird toys and rope in the cage ? What kind of toys can I use ?

To answer the first question, attaching ropes and bird toys to a wooden cage is quite simple.
You can use screws or hooks to attach bird or parrot toys. Ropes can also be securely fashioned in this manner.

What kind of toys can you use ?
You can use a variety of toys and objects in the cage.
Degus are renown for having fun and making use of the most common objects.
I like to furnish the cage with cut out coconut shells, clay pots, rocks, pebbles, wood branches, bird (parrot) toys, rope, bells, baskets, swings, logs, huts and hiding places, carboard boxes, egg boxes, toilet paper rolls, toilet paper, klenex and tissue.
My degus seem to make use of all these items.

From rolling around pebbles, over-turning coconut shells, tugging on rope, swinging in a suspended basket to tearing up empty egg boxes and making cozy nests out of toilet paper...degus have fun with everything.

Although hay and bedding dont exactly qualify as toys, it does seem to provide the degus with some amount of joy.
Even though hay is kept for its nutritional value...the degus often seem to enjoy making burrows and hiding treats in it.
They also love to dig pits in the bedding and mix some toilet paper in it to create soft nests.

Simulating the degu's natural habitat...how ?

Trying to recreate a piece of nature in the degu cage can be very fun and rewarding. Not only does it look great, but the degus will also feel more at home in such a setup. Trying to create the perfect, natural looking setup requires some amount of research into the degu's wild habitat and the various things they do (ex: climb, burrow, forage...etc)
First, we need to do a bit of reading on degus. Anyone who has basic knowledge of degus will know that they live in elevated areas near Chile's mountain chain. They generally live near rocky outcroppings and steep, bushy hills. Their main activities include running, climbing, digging, chewing and foraging.
This is all the knowledge we need to try and recreate the natural looking habitat or the "perfect setup" for our beloved pets.

Its very important to keep in mind that it is nearly impossile to accuratly recreate a natural habitat. We simply do not have the ressources and room, necessary to achieve such a task.
This does not mean that we simply give up...no. Instead, we should strive to use what we posess to achieve this goal.
Although levels are not natural, we need them. The space we can provide our degus with in captivity, is really quite insignificant compared to the space they use in the wild. For this reason, we need all the surface area we can get to keep them fit and healthy. The best way to achieve this, is by installing several large levels in the cage.

So how can you recreate the degu's natural habitat ?

The way to go about this is to use the natural elements that can be found or purchased. Rocks, stones and pebbles, digging/burrowing substrate, hay, thick branches, thin branches and wooden logs.

We will briefly consider each of these elements and see how they can be of use in creating the "perfect setup" for our degus.

First of all, rocks/stones/pebbles.
Apart from the two extreme climates (arctic/desert), rocks, stones and pebbles can be found everywhere. They are in the water, on the ground and even deep under the earth.
We can use a wide variety of rocks, or stones to help piece together the natural habitat we want to create.
Large rocks look good near the base of the cage, providing some amount of relief or inclination in the substrate/bedding.

Digging/burrowing substrate.
Ideally dirt would be the best digging substrate.
But lets be reasonable...not only would this be very unpractical, but it would also prove to be very messy.
Kiln dried pine wood shavings or Aspen wood bedding is the next best option, and by far the most practical for use in the cage.
Of course, there are no wood shavings in the wild, but there is the point of practicality vs natural look that we must keep in mind.
In the wild, degus dig deep underground tunnels. On cool nights, they retreat undergound to cuddle up and hide from the cold winds that sweep the elevated mountain side.
We cannot possibly give the degus the digging space they need to create these deep tunnels, but we can satisfy their need to dig and burrow by providing them with a thick layer of bedding.
Not only does this help keep the cage clean, but it also provides them with hours of fun.

Next on the list we have hay.
In the wild, degus consume grass, herbs, plants and flowers.
We dont always have access to herbs, plants or flowers...but we do have access to hay. Hay not only consists of over 50% of the degu's diet, but it also looks natural in the cage.
If you want the natural setup, forget the hay rack...this would look totally out of place..
If you are looking to create the natural setup, place large piles of hay on the bottom level of the cage. Dont be afraid to use a lot. The degus will consume it quickly, but it will also provide them with areas to dig and hide their food in.

Branches and logs...
Degus comes from areas with lots of small trees and bushes. They consume tree bark, roots and chew on wood.
Although we cant cut down a tree and throw it in the cage (for obvious reasons), we can furnish the cage with a variety of branches and wooden logs.

If you are new to degus, keep in mind that many woods are toxic to them.
Commonly used woods include Apple and Pear tree branches, Birch, Weeping Willow and Mopani.
Please do some research on the safe/toxic wood types.

In short, wood greatly enhances the look of a degu cage and provides the degus with something to climb on and chew.

Many other items can be used to make a cage look more natural.
Although coconut shells are not found in the degu's wild habitat, they do look very good in the cage. The same can be said for clay pots. Even though this is man-made, the terra cota colour looks quite stunning against bedding, hay and wood branches.
Thick brown ropes can also be attached to the walls of the cage, simulating the branches of a tree and providing the degus with additional climbing opportunities.

On a special note, it is quite common to leave the leaves on birch tree branches we put in the cage.
Birch leaves are safe for degus and they also give the cage a stunningly natural look.

I hope this will help you or atleast give you ideas for your next cage setup. At first, you might not like the results, but with time and practise you will be able to create stunning setups.

Different ways of expanding a wooden cage (advanced)

One way to give your degus even more room is to provide them with a digging box.
Aquariums are highly suitable for this purpose. Fitting a glass tank under the degu cage is quite easy.
Not only can an aquarium hold large amounts of bedding, but it also offers a clear view of whats happening inside.

Unlike degu cages that consist of aquariums with mesh extensions on top, this aquarium will merely be there to give the degus additional room...the cage on top is much more important and should not be considered an extension. Rather, the glass tank should be viewed as the lower extension...not the other way around.

How can you fit a tank under the cage and what would be the purpose ?
First of all, a wooden cage measuring 100x50x100 cm can be quite heavy...so it should never be placed directly on a glass tank.
Although glass aquariums are quite sturdy, remember you will be putting lots of bedding, wood branches and toys in the cage...all this weight can quickly undermine the structural integrity of the aquarium. So the best way to go about this is to have your cage on a support. Preferably elevated 40 to 50 cm off the ground. You can make a solid cage stand very easily.
This way you can fit a glass tank under the cage, without actually having the cage sit directly on it. Aquariums come in many different dimensions. You should have no trouble finding tanks measuring 40 to 50 cm in height. Choose a tank that will fit nicely under the cage. Ideally the cage bottom shouldnt be more than 3 cm above the top of the glass tank.
As discussed earlier in this article, the bottom of the cage should consist of wood. Cutting out a circular opening through the bottom of the cage and placing a 30 - 55 gallon tank under it is the best way to go.

What is the purpose of fitting a glass tank under the cage ?
There are several benefits of fitting a tank under a degu cage.
This is especially beneficial to those who cannot provide their degus will large amounts of floor space.
Cages around the 100x50x100 cm recommended minimum can greatly benefit from the added space of a tank.
An "underground" digging tank also satisfies the degu's need to dig and burrow.

You can use ordinary wood shavings in the tank. But be careful ! A tank is very closed up system, so choose low dust bedding.
You can use dirt, coconut shell substrate, shreaded cardboard, tissue or timothy hay. Fill the tank up halfway with the burrowing material. Choose a long, thick branch and place it through the opening you made in the cage bottom right into the tank.
This will allow the degus to easily go in and out.

Degu Housing Testimonials

Jordan (username NightwishRaven999 on the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum)

I currently house my six degus in a very large wooden cage.
I have been keeping degus in wooden cages since December 2008 and have had no bad experiences since. So far I have built three wooden cages (including a vacation cage), each time improving the design and making the new cage larger than the first.
My degus really enjoy the amount of space they have and I enjoy watching them run around, burrow and play.
Cleaning a wooden cage is so much easier than cleaning a metal cage, like the one I used in the past. I can now use large amounts of bedding without worrying than the degus will throw it outside the cage. At first I was worried about proper ventilation, but I quickly realised that my fears were unfounded.

With lots of bedding, the cage smells fresh and stays clean for several weeks. I now have more time to watch my degus and play with them and I spend far less time cleaning up after them.
With a wooden cage, I also have the opportunity to try and lanscape the interior, in hopes of recreating a semi-natural habitat for my degus.

I have no regrets about housing my degus in a wooden cage and would highly recommend this type of housing to all those who would like to give their degus more living space.

Faith (username Deguconvert on the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum)

Just over a year ago, I under took a mission to build a wooden cage to replace the seven foot tall wire cage we had been using for three years. I have been SO MUCH HAPPIER with this cage.

It is so much easier to clean, there is much more space for the degus to run about and play, and it is much less odiferous than the metal cage. The odor in the metal cage, even one day after a full and intensive clean, was noticable at the least, and it only got stronger after that. Because I can now supply a nice deep pile of substrate on every surface, the cage odor is basically non-existant.

They have been very, very content and happy in this cage!

Bex (username Dingle87 on the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum)

I started building a wooden cage a couple of months after bringing home my first degus (2 sisters). I am no DIY expert and I was little daunted but I made a plan, took a lot of advice off websites and a couple of weeks later I had a fantastic cage.

My cage is made with MDF, glass sliding doors and shelves lined with kiln-dried pine and covered with self-adhesive tiles. It currently houses 5 girls who have lived in the cage for 8 months. They love it.

They have lots of space to play and have enough room to be apart if they want. The amount of mess has been reduced, the noise is less and they are so easy to clean. When I had 2 girls in a wire cage they needed cleaning every week, all 5 girls now only need cleaning once a month!

I'm currently in the process of building a bigger and better cage for my gang so I am spending a lot of time online looking for ideas.

I would really recommend building a DIY cage, the only warning I would give is that it is very addictive! You will want to build more and more!

Emma (username Emz on the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum)

For just over a year now, I have kept my two male degus (Steve and Felix) in a DIY cage. I first got the idea seeing nightwishraven's Youtube channel when browsing for degu cage inspiration. When he joined degu world not too longer afterwards I was delighted as the cage bug bit hard and fast especially with everyone's encouragement and support. Since June 2010 my cage has always been odour free and is much roomier than a metal store bought cage. No more scrubbing wooden shelves every 5 or so days and not to mention how much money you save on substrate in the long run. It can be a bit of an investment but is well worth it. I am already planning my second DIY cage for later this year!

Fred (username Fred on the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum)

When I got my first two degus four months ago, I was clear – from this site and some German degu information sites – that they should be in a wooden cage. Not being terribly good at DIY, I acquired a large wooden vivarium (second hand). Adapting it to degus and fitting shelves took me just half a day. The whole set-up cost less than £ 100.

I think my two girls enjoy their cage very much and I enjoy watching them through the glass doors. They have a 10 cm layer of bedding at ground level in which they love to dig while I do not have to worry about material that is thrown out of the cage. The shelves are of kiln dried pine/timber on which they chew a lot while the wood of the vivarium itself remains untouched. I clean the cage every three weeks as a matter of routine but I always feel it isn't necessary yet as there is no smell at all.

All in all I couldn't be happier with my set-up and I am currently looking for another vivarium to put on top and double their space.

Marlén (username M+U on the DeguForum.de, username Maravilla on the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum)

We started in autumn 2009 with our degus and our first DIY cage.
As degus are known for gnawing a lot, we were thinking about a cost-saving method to build a cage: huge, with lots of space to run and play, protected from gnawing and with space beneath for all the accessories (food, cleaning material etc.).
We decided for a cage consisting of four heavy duty shelves so there was no need to protect the posts separately. It took us a couple of days to build the cage; especially painting the levels was time-consuming. 5 ladies lived in this cage, had fun… probably more fun than we had every second week as it was hard to clean because it was so deep (90 cm).

Time passed on, troubles and fights in the group forced us to split it. There was a need for a new cage (May 2010). This time, with more experience and knowing better our little friends, we decided for a wooden cage.
Huge as well, quite long as degus enjoy running and less climbing, but not as deep as the first one (60 cm). It took us five days to build it, painting included. This cage consists mainly of wood (pine and spruce), laminate for the walls and wire mesh for the doors. Only the holes in the levels are protected from chewing. It looks nicer and fits better in our living room.

Some more troubles, two new degus; and the idea of cage number three was born (autumn 2010). Same design and materials as the second one; it replaced the heavy duty shelves. As we had at this time already three groups of degus, we had to plan a cage for two groups. The decision was to made one really big one (200x70x210 cm), divided horizontally so that each group has 2 big levels. Beneath there is as well space for food etc.

People sometimes think that big cages can replace a running wheel or running plate. Our degus have quite a lot of space to run and play and use every single square centimetre, but they have running wheel and plate and use both extensively.

Wooden cages have lots of advantages: You can adapt them to your needs and space. You can make them the style and colour which best fit you and your furnishings. You can extend them more easily. If informed well before planning, you know that you meet your degus’ needs. You can build doors big enough to reach every single corner... a problem metal cages have.

I personally think that having a wooden cage makes you more creative. Once infected by the building fever (it is a very severe illness, without any chance to cure!) you will continue building things for your degus (a house, a table, a sand bath,...). Just try it out. Your degus will love it.Do degus chew through a wooden cage? I don’t believe it. Not, if the cage is big enough and furnished adequately, with different things to explore, gnaw, run, hide, play; and nice food. Why should they want to leave it?

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Feel free to send me your own testimonials about your personal experiences and reviews on the matter !
You may send them to me via e-mail - NightwishRaven999@hotmail.com - after which they may appear on this site for public viewing.

Helpful Degu Cage Videos and Youtube Channels

Here are useful and helpful videos on the subject of degu cages.

Our New Degu Cage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaQzwB1CAGA
Cleaning my degu cage
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IEWQ6ouONOM
Degu Cage Accessories
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hqebWLoyMCs
Degu Cage Setup
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-B7ggK-TZqs

Here are a few good degu channels you may want to look at.
http://www.youtube.com/user/19Uhr30
http://www.youtube.com/user/LenxKat
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGizmo06

And my own channel...
http://www.youtube.com/user/NightwishRaven999

Additional Information

In conclusion, I hope to have cleared up some of your doubts on the matter of building a degu cage.
I will regularly be adding more information on this page.

Four years ago, when I first heard about wooden cages, I was very sceptical. Not only did this contradict everything that I had read about degus chewing on wood, but I also had a ton of questions. Luckily, a good friend of mine, who is an experienced degu keeper from Germany, was able to help me see the many benefits of starting such a project.
After many long discussions, I decided building my own degu cage was the best way for me to give my degus the room they needed.

There is very little english information on the web about building degu cages.
Most people I speak too have never even thought about this.
My goal here, is to help spread the info that there is another way, a better way to house degus.

I have had the priviledge of having a friend help me through the cage building process, by giving me pointers, tips and reminders.
I think it is only fair that I share what I have learned with other degu owners, so that they too can start their own cage-building projects.

Hopefully, building cages for our degus will become something more popular in places like USA, Canada, the UK, Australia and other countries.

If you have any questions on the matter, you can contact me on my Youtube channel : http://www.youtube.com/user/NightwishRaven999

You can also reach me on my e-mail : NightwishRaven999@hotmail.com

Feedback is always welcome.
Have a good day and I hope you have enjoyed reading this.

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The articles presented to you on this website are the result of a joint effort from dozens of degu owners worldwide.
The information contained here is based on long time experience and practical insight from those who have been owning degus for a long time. A big thank you to the Degu and Chinchilla World Forum, DeguForum.de and Octodons.ch
Thanks to Degu and Chinchilla World Forum users; Deguconvert, Fred, Maravilla, Pinkhairedelf, Harpic01, Carlosii, Dingle87, Mja241281, Boz, Tanyajk85, Bjames, Apology72, Emz, Amie, Woodchip, Kat, Stormsong, Peggy, Winic1, Tiiyn, scoobos, malteser60, Ava and Smithomatic.
Thanks to DeguForum.de users; M+U and Apology.
Thanks to Octodons.ch's David Küpfer.
Thanks to Youtube users; 19Uhr30, DegupediaDE, The Gizmo06 and LenxKat
Also a thanks to degu owners Mirjam Koor and Lennart Dullens.

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http://octodondegus.weebly.com/ten-steps-to-keeping-happier-and-healthier-degus.html

* ''How to build a degu cage !'' is currently being translated into the french language.
(Estimated completion: June 2012)

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