My baby degu?

Question

my baby degu wont roll around in her chinilla dust. all she does is eat it. her mom has shown her how ta do it but she still wont. how can i get her to roll around in it? and is it bad for her to eat the dust?

Answer 1

Ahh a degu question! Man how i love those little Degu's, and miss mine so terribly.

I had Gizmo for 9 years, and never once did I give dust baths for them.  I wouldn't worry if the baby isn't interested, but i would definitly stop the eating of the dust, it can't be good.

Dust baths for Degu's are not a big deal, and aren't nessicary for good health.devolpment..

No worries except the eating don't let her do that!!! Take her out of the cage while the others are dusting, take that time to enjoy socializing the degu!

Answer 2

Dust Bath:

Like chinchillas, degus need regular dust baths to keep their skin and coat in good condition. Provide a shallow bowl with an inch or two of chinchilla bath dust (sand) a couple of times a week (leave in the cage for a half hour or so).

Answer 3

Aww. I love baby goos. I miss when mine were all little. ^w^ They grow up too fast. x3

Well, a while back when most of my degus were still young, one of my girls would not roll in the sand. I'd put her in the bath, and she'd just hop right out. She just wasn't interested in it, and would only sniff around.  Eventually, she started to roll around in it. I don't know what changed, if anything, but she finally just wanted to take a bath.

That's probably what's going on with your baby goo. I'd just keep putting her in it, and sprinkle some dust or sand (Sand is recommended, since the dust can cause problems with their respiratory system. There is a difference.)  on her back. That should help her think it's ok to roll around it in and get all sandy.

On the contrary, it is important for a degu to have a dust/sand bath. It dries up the oils on their skin and fur, and will help them feel and smell 'fresh'. It 'a a natural habit for them, and it's vital for them to feel just as if they are in the wild. Letting them dig around in a dirt pit is also something they love. Also, degus should never be given a real bath, with water. It's not good for them, and they could end up getting sick with a cold or possibly even worse.

As for her eating the dust, whenever you see her doing that, pick her up so she'll stop. I don't believe anything good will come out of that. Mine have never eaten it, so I'm not sure what will/could happen.

I imagine it would harm their stomach. I could be wrong, though.

Good luck!

-Jessica