My Bubbling GusGus

[HammieandMerlin]

Much overdue, I would like to introduce my little darling, Gus the Degu

We rescued Gus in January, as the person who owned him had raised him in a Crittertrail cage (I nearly died), so his growth had been stunted, and when she tried mixing him in with others, he got the stuffing beat out of him. Her plan was to drop him off outside the shelter, and in Sudbury that meant -30C. So I contacted her, and next thing I knew, he was on mine.

We figured out pretty quickly that he was not going to be able to live with others due to his size and what had happened previously had made him terrified of other pets. So we set about a system to spend hours a day with him to make sure he did not get depressed (this had people in the degu community enraged, because it was against the book, but I put his safety over typical protocol). We report behavior to a vet, and he has turned into the most affectionate little man. He bubbles (that's the best way to describe the sound lol, like a baby blowing bubbles) all the time and is spoiled rotten :)

His first day
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/sweetlilrocknroll_1959/degu4.jpg

Playtime!
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/sweetlilrocknroll_1959/gusmarch5.jpg

his hanging house
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/sweetlilrocknroll_1959/gusapril6.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/sweetlilrocknroll_1959/gusapril5.jpg

Lounging
http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/sweetlilrocknroll_1959/gusfeb2-1.jpg

[Erin Loves Dwarf Hamsters]

Awww he is absolutely gorgeous! I adore that last photo of him he looks so smooshable! He was ever so lucky to find a loving owner like you :D

*starts a degunap list*

[HammieandMerlin]

Aww thank you so much! Yes I love that shot, I'm lucky he is a little camera nut :3 Thanks for your kind words :3

[purple_x]

He is gorgeous, the photos are great.
I think as long as he's happy and he's getting enough attention there is no point scaring him by trying to put him with others.

I'm on a waiting list to get some degus....cant wait til I get mine.

[HammieandMerlin]

Oh goodness you're gonna love them! If it was up to me I'd have a colony (but that wouldn't be fair to Gus) because they are such amazing personalities. Oh I can't wait to hear about yours : )

[purple_x]

It wont be until next year, probably may 2013.
I usually dont agree with getting animals from breeders but the person I am getting mine from only breeds hers once a year and only lets them go to homes after they've been checked thoroughly. I've passed all my checks so far :D
Degus are hard to come by it seems so I feel ok getting them from a lovely hobby breeder.

I will be having 2-4, dont know what sex, whatever is born!
I'll be keeping them in a Liberta explorer and I cant wait to get them.

Can I just ask....do they chew through hammocks? I just wondered if it was worth getting expensive hammocks or just making my own out of old clothes, if they're gonna eat them then cheap is the way to go!

[Ramyun Noodles]

Such a sweet face! We don't have degus in my area and I've always wanted to witness some. Lucky little guy to have you.

[Call me Alison]

awww how gorgeous!!

i don't know much about degus what kind of diet do they have to have? xx

[HammieandMerlin]

Can I just ask....do they chew through hammocks? I just wondered if it was worth getting expensive hammocks or just making my own out of old clothes, if they're gonna eat them then cheap is the way to go!

It all depends on the degu, from what I hear. Gus has never ruined a single one. If you go with making your own, I would use pieces of fleece so if they do chew them, it's the safest fabric, without the fraying bits to get knotted up lol. But yeah, Gus has never chewed his, he actually kicks shavings off of it to keep it tidy (OCD little bugger lol)

[HammieandMerlin]

awww how gorgeous!!

i don't know much about degus what kind of diet do they have to have? xx

Thank you! and while some people still feed them guinea pig food, there are specific degu pellets made by Sunseed which is the best nutritionally balanced for them (super prone to developing type 2 diabetes).

[HammieandMerlin]

Also thanks everyone =) your compliments are so lovely

[racinghamster]

What a gorgeous little guy and he`s landed firmly on his paws coming to live with you. :) I`ve owned two degus in my past handed on from someone who kept them in a shed even in the winter so I didn`t have much info about their ages or their past. :( But goodness me, they are cheeky! My male was lovely, laid back and a lovely lad. My other degu was rehomed to a local man when my male passed on from ill health as he had other degus and chinchillas. I did love having them though.

And your right about the diabetes risk so a good sugar free/molasses free diet is essential. Do you know about the Degutopia website? If you google degutopia the site will come up. It`s a really good website run by and for degu owners.

[Lynternette]

He's gorgeous. I adore degus. In our local P&H there are always some to adopt. If you talk to them a while they always pop their noses through the bars to be stroked.

[HammieandMerlin]

haha yes Degutopia has been my best resource as I have yet to find a degu forum where I am comfortable talking about Gus' unique situation.

And yessss they are so social with anyone who pays them any mind, they just love to be talked to lol I don't think I could ever have a degu-free home every again, they are that amazing. They are surprisingly low maintenance too (minus Gus' need for constant attention haha) which is fabulous

[racinghamster]

Degus are one of those critters you either like or you don`t. I think they are lovely, intelligent pets, but in the wrong hands, they could well be mis-understood and neglected as a result. Gus-gus is such a lovely wee lad. :) I can see why you have fallen for him! I prefer the males aswell. I found mine very happy to take treats and come out onto my knee.

[HammieandMerlin]

Oh most definitely. There is a girl I go to school with that I'm just waiting for her to surrender her goos to me, because she got them as "an apartment accent piece" >_< I couldn't believe it

[racinghamster]

Some people just don`t get it. Degus as a room decoration? :rolleyes: Never heard that one before, I have to say. A lava lamp might have suited her better! :mad:

[HammieandMerlin]

haha yes, I told her to go to Pottery Barn. Also, the little bugger escaped yesterday! he didn't go far, he just sat in his bag of food

[peter01]

Oh my god he is so so so cute, the pictures are brilliant:D

Well done for rescuing him and getting him out the horrid cage!

[HammieandMerlin]

Thank you so much :) He is just the cutest, and he loves striking a pose

[karinanlyla]

Aww his lovely. I dont really know anything about degus but i do think youve done the right thing as if putting him with other degus stresses him out it seems pointless. It sounds like you put a lot of time in with him anyway so doesnt seem a problem :) xxxx

[HammieandMerlin]

thanks for that supportive comment : ) you have no idea how much I appreciate it

[HammieandMerlin]

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/hh211/sweetlilrocknroll_1959/gusseptember2.jpg
DID SOMEONE SAY CAMERA?!

[racinghamster]

He`s gorgeous and should have his own TV show with that face! :mad:

[peter01]

Oh my god, he's is just the most adorable little teeny thing ever:D

[HammieandMerlin]

He's my little star lmao thanks guys! He's so flattered :P

[chulasweetchica]

They are soooooooooooooo cute! I love that name GusGus,I was going to name myboy ham that but he looked like a Jack Hatter, gus gus is from Cinderella and he was so cute!

[HammieandMerlin]

Awww thanks! And yeah Gus just seemed to suit the character lol, I actually got the plush Gus Gus from the movie and it sits by his tank lol