i have a question about my degu?

Question

my degu sneezes a lot is this bad?

we just got him and he is getting along with our other degu, he was in bad shape when they dropped him off -white teeth, dirty fur, weeping eyes, sneezing- we are trying to help him get better and he is doing well!

we are using wood shavings but we have used them for our other degus whole life (shes is about 6-7) and she has been fine.

Answer 1

Okay- Wood shaving are bad yes, and actually you are not supposed to use them. CritterCare and other paper based bedding is best for the animals and it doesn't stink like most would think. It's very convenient.

Now, if the bedding is not the problem, most likely the Degu is suffering from an upper respiratory infection. Does he have fluids coming from his nose? Perhaps fluids from his eyes? Often times, like I've seen in my rats and other animals, if you leave this sort of thing untreated blood may start to come from the nostrils. If this does happen, the lungs may have become filled with fluids and the animal will probably die.

If you are using wood chips, please for the animals sake stop. If you are not, a vet visit may be in order. Keep the animal out of drafts and in a constant temperature, comfortable for a small animal. 70 Degrees plus I would imagine. Wipe the nose and the eyes regularly, three times a day and try to maintain a healthy and full diet. If the animal is not drinking water, bring it to the vet immediately.

-Asylum

Answer 2

If you have a substrate that is dusty it can cause sneezing. Wood shavings with a high dust content and the likes can tickle noses...and get caught in the lungs causing respiritory problems. Stick with low dust bedding such as Yesterday's News, low dust wood shavings. The softer the shavings...the better. Aspen is a pretty good one. Stay away from cedar. Good for dog beds/kennels...bad for small animals.

If your bedding is fine...then I would suggest a vet visit. If your degu is sick...it doesn't take long for them to crash once symptoms of illness begin to appear.

Answer 3

rat lol they're pleasant, handy to handle and preserve. very intelligent, you'll be able to play with on ur mattress & they wont simply randomly FALL OFF (ahehehem like a hamster might..) degus are tough to discover, tough to handle, recognized to chunk & will on no account absolutely "loosen up" & be handeled good...the concept of proudly owning one is cool as you dont pay attention a lot approximately them, however they're highmaitenence pets and on most sensible of that also don't seem to be as loveable as a rat..

Answer 4

IT CAN BE