degus and chinchillas

[happyclappy]

i have always fancied owning thee after friends have introduced me to them. just wondering who here owns them and how much do enjoy them and how easy/difficult do you find them to keep? i know a fair amount about both, but cannot decide which i prefer!

 

[Caramac71]

We had a pair of chinchillas. We got them as babies - they were rescues (sadly inbred as the parents had been bought sexed incorrectly from a pet store). We lost them to dental problems when they were 7 and 8. They were the sweetest, funniest, clever little furries but the last 12-18 months of their lives was awful with dentals every few months, then hand feeding til they recovered. I had an amazing exotics vet who allowed them the best possible life in quantity and quality, but for me the experience has put me off ever having little furballs again.

They are also very time consuming as they need a fair amount of time outside their cage each evening. They are very destructive! So unless you have a spare room they can trash, you need to supervise them to stop them eating doors, walls, cables etc. They are also incredibly sensitive and don't take well to change. My mum had them once for us when we were on holiday and they stopped eating. And same happened when we changed their cage.

But that is all the negatives and there are plenty of positives. I would say if you decide on chinchillas then research well and buy them from a decent breeder so you hopefully don't end up with the health problems and shortened lifespan that mine had.

Be aware of what you are taking on. There are loads of chins in rescue and I think that is because of the time and money required to keep them.

I don't know much about degus so can't help with that, but I have often been tempted when I see them in pet shops. Unbelievably cute!

Good luck whatever you decide.

 

[Imogen Rose]

I have had both.
Two blue degu's. one died at 4, the other is okay at 4 1/2. I have done a bit of research, and the blue ones dont live as long as the natural coloured ones. They are very interactive and love to run up and down your arms, mine have always shrieked when they see me, hoping for a walnut in its shell!

My mum had 2 chinchillas that she bred, she reared 2 babies very successfully. She had the boy neutered so that he could live happily ever after with his lady friend. Chinnies in my experience are incredibly long livved. One died at 14, one at 15, one 16 and one very close to 19... also our chinnies wernt 'touchable' if that makes sense... They would sit on your lap, or sholder, hop about all over you. But charlotte the 19yr old couldnt stand to be touched or held...no idea why or if this is common. But would come out and take treats from your hand at every oppertunity.

I guess for me the biggest choice maker would be the age they live to... 4 1/2 or 16 to 19! I would choose chinchillas overall... they are so FLUFFY

 

[happyclappy]

thanks. have interacted with both and am looking at degus, my neighbours allowed theirs to eat foods that apparently mae them become diabetic. i have done a certain amount of research on both.