How to Make Degu Toys

Making your own toys for your pet degus save you a trip to the pet store. It also makes for an inexpensive craft project using household items such as toilet paper rolls and egg cartons. Degus are gerbil-like rodents that like to burrow around in their environment. It is important for them to have things to gnaw on to wear down their constantly growing teeth. Providing your pet with fun chew toys keeps your degus entertained for hours.

Things You'll Need

  • Toilet paper rolls
  • Garden wire
  • Needle nose pliers
  • Egg carton
  • Wooden branches
  • Cotton rope
  • Acrylic toys
  • Wood blocks
  • Lazy susan bearing
  • Metal cake tin
  • Rivets
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Instructions

    • 1

      Connect several tubes of toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls together by pinching the ends of one tube and sliding it into the next roll. Make a circle shape out of the rolls and stuff in some alfalfa hay. This will give the degu something to chew into and find hay to munch on. Degus also love hiding and will crawl into the rolls.

    • 2

      Bend up garden wire with some needle nose pliers to shape it into a ball. Several layers of the wire are needed to create a basket-style treat holder. Curl the ends of the wire to prevent your degu from getting hurt or poked. Fill the wire ball with treats such as sunflower seeds or petals, pumpkin seeds or strawberry leaves. Hang the basket in the cage with wire.

    • 3

      Cut up an egg carton. Use the rounded cups of the carton to create a ball filled with goodies. Degus love searching and scrounging for food. Insert some bedding or alfalfa and stuff the egg cartons with corn flakes and seeds. Use a piece of garden wire to wrap around the carton, keeping the two sides closed. Your degu will find a way to rip the carton open to get to the treats.

    • 4

      Attach wooden branches to the sides of the degu cage to add climbing entertainment. Degus will also chew and gnaw on the wood, wearing down their teeth. Certain woods are toxic to degus. The only kinds of wooden branches that should be used are hawthorn, hazel, kiln-dried pine and apple branches. Create an obstacle course of different levels of branches for your degu to enjoy.

    • 5

      Tie a knot in cotton rope and slide on an acrylic toy or safe wood blocks for your degu. Tie another knot after the toy to hold it in place. This is another chew toy good for wearing down their incisors. Tie the knotted rope toy to the top of the cage to let it dangle. Cotton rope is inexpensive and comes in different thicknesses. Check the acrylic toys occasionally for wear from chewing.

    • 6

      Bolt a plain round cake tin to a lazy suzan to create a running wheel for your pet degu. Use rivets to attach the homemade wheel to the side of the cage. This allows your degu to run and get his exercise. This works well compared to the plastic store-bought wheels that can be chewed up by your degu.