Readers who own a 3D printer or have access to a makerspace may enjoy this project. Octodons.fr found a design originally created for rats by the Thingiverse user kscottz: a puzzle feeder, similar in principle to slow-feeding bowls for dogs and cats. The compartments make food less immediately accessible, encouraging degus to work out how to reach it.
Time: Several hours
Difficulty: 5/5
Materials
A 3D printer, suitable printing software and the model file. A mounting bracket and screws may also be needed.
Instructions
Printing settings depend on the printer and material. In the original project, the model was printed at 200°C with 10% infill and supports. Those supports were essential for that print, although difficult to remove. These are historical settings for that particular print, rather than instructions suitable for every printer or filament.
The original model is quite small, so increasing its scale by at least 50% may be useful. Remove all supports and inspect the finished object for sharp edges or loose pieces before use. Fill the compartments with suitable treats or seeds and offer it under supervision. Remove it if your degus chew off pieces.
Sources
Octodons.fr (2021). [Enrichissement – 3] Gamelle en impression 3D. Original project published on Octodons.fr, 2021-01-15. https://octodons.fr/enrichissement-3-gamelle-en-impression-3d/
kscottz (n.d.). Rat Busy Box. Thingiverse, model 4591241. https://www.thingiverse.com/thing:4591241