A Degu Checklist

There are many things that you need for a degu and unfortunately you cannot get everything in a little "Degu Starter Kit" like a hamster or fish. There is a lot more work involved in the searching process and this page is designed to help you cut that time in half.

Because the degu is a rare pet they are more expensive than your ordinary pet. Be prepared to spend more money.

THE UNOFFICIAL DEGU PET STORE CHECKLIST

A cage- One of the most necissary items, and one of the most expensive. It should be large enough to give your degus room to run around and I recommend having more than one level.
They can cost anywhere from C$75+ for a completely metal one, ones with a plastic bottom are cheaper, but the bottom will need replacing every six months or so depending on how thick of plastic it is. It costs about $20 to replace plastic bottoms.
I paid $79.95 for my wire rat cage at SuperPet, a Canadian chain. Brand unknown. Look also for chinchilla cages.

A wheel- A simple rat or ferret wheel will do nicely.
They can cost around C$12.99-C$19.99
I paid $14.99 for a 9in rat wheel at a private pet shop. The brand is Hagan. (Savannah Pet Shop)

Bedding- Bedding consists of wood shavings that are usually pine, but there are other varieties such as cedar, chlorophyl pine and pine/cedar mix. You will have to shop around for bedding because quality is important. Pestal brand is better and cheaper than Living World. Look for bedding that is more fluffy, not hard. It's better on your degu's feet and make better, well, bedding to lay in.
It can cost around C$1.99-$8.99
I paid $1.99 for a 1000 cubic inch bag that lasted 2.5 changes, and was the pine/cedar mix from Pet Valu. It was Pestal Brand (may not be available outside of Canada.

Timothy Hay- An essential part of a degu's healthy diet. It can also be placed in nest boxes and can be mixed with the bedding.
It can cost around C$5.99-$8.99
I paid $6.49 for a 1 lb 4 oz bag by Hagan at a private pet shop. (Savannah Pet Shop)

Alfalfa Hay- Part of a degu's healthy diet and can be used in place of or along with other greens. Give sparingly because it is very rich.
It can cost around C$1.99-$8.99
I paid $1.99 for a 5 oz bag by Hagan at a private pet shop. (Savannah Pet Shop)

Guinea Pig Pellets- Half of the Degu's basic diet. It is the standard guinea pig food, nothing fancy- just the pellets.
It can cost around C$1.79-$5.99
I paid $1.79 for a Pet Valu brand bag of 1 kg or 2.2 lb.

Chinchilla Pellets- The other half of the degu's basic diet.
They can cost around C$3.79-$12.99
I paid $3.79 for a .9 kg or 2 lb bag of LM Classic Blend Chinchilla Food.

Chinchilla Dust- A product that is used to give your degus baths in. Put a little in a jar et voila- happiness in a can. (and I DO remember some French...)
They can cost around C$5.99-$8.99
I paid $5.99 for a 32 oz jar by LM.

Food Dish- A very important item. It should be made of a sturdy material such as ceramic to prevend being tipped over and if possible placed on an upper level to prevent being filled with wood chips. You may need more than one dish if your degus fight over it, (Bulwinkle will still sit on one and eat out of the other so I have to put them far apart.)
They can cost around C$1.99-$3.49
I paid $2.49 for a ceramic dish at Pet Valu. Brand unknown.

Water Bottle- Usefull and a bit more practical than a dish. That is because the water stays fresher and cannot be tipped over or pooped in (my degus tend to sit on the food dish while they eat. yummy) The price can also depend on the size.
They can cost around C$5.99-$8.99?
I paid $4.57 for mine at Pet Valu (it was on sale). It was an 8 oz one and it's brand is Gimborn.

Finally the Degus- The most important part of course! If you go to all this trouble you wouldn't be happy without one!
They can cost around C$9.99-$14.99, each.
I paid $9.99 for mine, at a private pet store. (Love's Pet Shop)

THE UNOFFICIAL DEGU SUPERMARKET CHECKLIST

Greens- Another major part of the degu's diet. Can include lettuce, or any other green leafy veggie, preferable not from the cabbage family, as well as alfalfa and timothy hay.

Orange Veggies- Can include sweat potato, yams, or carrots.

Sunflower Seeds- A real treat for degus! Get some that are unseasoned and unsalted- not as tasty but better for them, and they still love them.

NOTE: These prices are suggestions only. They are only what I have seen in my area. Prices may differ from place to place drastically. Be prepared to bargain shop around town- check classified adds for cages if you wish. If you see that something is more expensive than what is listed notify me and I will make the nessisary changes to this page. Thank you for your co-operation.
***Erin Flanagan (ha ha-my green pen!!)

Click here for a printable 2 page version! Remember that all pricing on this page is in my area and is in Canadian dollars (hence the C before the price). It's in black and white, and takes up 1.5   pages.

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