Degus fight. It is used to establish dominance, set the social hierarchy, and express dislike. This behavior is typical for all species and is present in the cage as much as it would be in the wild, possibly even more as there is less territory to control and more (sexual) frustration. On 99% of occasions you should do nothing and leave them to it, as interfering would only harm proceedings and cause more fighting. It is only when things get serious you should break them apart. Degus will tend to fight more during the breeding season, which is winter-spring time, as the breeding hormones cause a greater need for dominance.
Most fighting will be non-serious, where they are establishing the social hierarchy by displaying dominant behaviour over each other. This can include chasing each other around the degu cage, squeaking at each other, mounting each other so the one below becomes submissive and the one on top dominant, and standing on the hind legs and ‘boxing.’ This is normal behaviour and nothing to worry about, and you should not intervene as it will only set them back a stage and make them fight more.
These battles are fought in a way as to not cause injury, just a bit of friendly rough and tumble. Fighting can also occur when there are limited resources to share such as food and treats. With Degus showing such behaviour as turning their backs, blocking access to the food bowls and treats, and loud squeaking to warn them away. If you see a degu for sale on his own, beware! Great care must be taken to ensure everything is equal and is placed far enough apart for the Degus to see there are 2 (or more) separate areas without coming into too much contact with each other. According to degupets.com – The food bowls should be 10cm apart.
You should only step in and separate them when there is biting and lunging at each other which causes wounds, and when they become locked in a ball rolling around. This is serious fighting and can cause injury, as both Degus are unwilling to back down and fight to the death. Any injuries sustained during these fights should be checked by a Vet, including any noticeable changes in behaviour or discomfort. Remember, a Degu can not speak and tell you they need treatment, so it is up to you as a right owner to ensure their health and well-being takes priority. If you do need to separate them, it may be hard to introduce them back together and may need to be kept separate for a few weeks before being able to be reunited.
What type of hamster cage is best for your new Hamster is a question asked by many prospective pet owners. It is dependent on what kind of hamster you have but here are some rules and tips to follow.
Modular Hamster Habitats / Cages with Sections
Crittertrail and Habitrails type cages are expandable options for your hamster which come with a huge variety of add-ons such as hamster tubes. They will help you create the perfect hamster habitat. They are, however, harder to clean and they have not an excellent ventilation source.
Newer designs of these types of hamster cage can feature more original features such as some metal bars on the top part of the cage. The great thing about modular habitats is that you can add to them progressively as your hamster gets larger and needs more room. Syrian and Dwarf hamsters thrive in wide open spaces so you should not use modular cages as their habitat.
Glass Aquariums and Fish Tanks
Fish Tanks and Aquariums offer fantastic visibility for hamsters and allow you to see your pet hamsters very clearly and quickly. Another great advantage to this type of hamster home is that you can give them a huge layer or thick substrate which your hamster will enjoy fantastical because they are burrowing animals and you will not need to worry about them kicking it out of the cage which bar type enclosures can give you. The hamster heaven cage is one of the best hamster cages you can purchase today, especially for Syrian Hamsters!
These types of hamster home do not offer excellent ventilation which other kinds might provide, and you will probably need to create a DIY tank topper made of mesh to allow air flow. These types of hamster cage are usually very high, so you do not need to worry about them escaping through the top unless you have a large Syrian hamster which is excellent at escaping. Dwarf hamsters are not great climbers and generally cannot escape through high areas. If you have predatory pets such as cats or dogs, you must make an unyielding tank topper.
Traditional bar Cages
The most popular and traditional type of hamster cage is the wire-bar cage. Cages typically have a removable plastic tray at the bottom covered with a top of wire bars. They offer the greatest ventilation possible for your pet hamsters, and they are perfect for your hamsters to climb the bars for exercise. They are the most basic and cheap type of cage available. Sometimes the plastic tray on these hamster cages can be too shallow thus allowing your hamsters to dig and kick bedding/substrate onto your carpet making a mess.
You can buy some good hamster cages at BestHamsterCage.com, Some hamsters, especially Syrian hamsters, love to chew the bars of bar-type cages. If your hamster is living in your bedroom, this might be a problem due to disturbance of your sleep at night time. Another thing to think about is that the cage bars might rust when your hamster bites on the bars because their saliva might react with the metal.
Hamster Tubes and Tunnels
Hamster cages can be linked up with hamster tubes which will give your fantastic hamster variety.
How do you use a dog crate? Don’t know how to pick the best one for your dog? You will need answers to these questions before you can buy a large dog crate.
Introduction to Dog Crates and Large Dogs
A large dog can be very destructive especially when they are young and don’t understand or know the boundaries in your home, one way to protect your home from a large dog is using the crate training technique. Online, there are wooden dog crates offer excellent places for your pet to live that doesn’t interfere with your home decor! With a large dog crate you will be able to create your dog’s space, a bit like his sanctuary, somewhere he can go to sleep when tired and also where he will be when you sleep, or you are going out.
One question I get asked a lot is ‘is it cruel to lock a dog in a dog crate?’ If you take into consideration that dogs are ‘den’ animals, then the answer is clearly no, Look at where they want to spend most of their sleep and relaxation time – under the furniture, away in the corner of a place. In the wild – foxes and wolves are known to dig holes to hide away.
You will only need the crate for 12 months. By then your dog will like his crate so you can continue to use if you choose, if not you will need to wean him away from the dog crate slowly.
As you have the large dog you will need a large dog crate; you will see plastic ones around, but they are mostly used for transporting your dog.
You need one that is very sturdy; most are made of durable metallic plastic coated wiring. My personal favorite is the Midwest Starter Series Pet Crate, a little bit more expensive than some other crates but comes with lots of room for your dog and constructed of a durable black Electra-Coat finish and is large enough for a St. Bernard.