This first enrichment activity for Octodon degus is very easy to make. It encourages foraging and provides nesting material: degus often collect the paper tucked inside the cardboard rolls and carry it to their sleeping area.
Time: 10 minutes
Difficulty: 1/5
Materials
- Rectangular pieces of cardboard
- Scissors
- Thick natural string, such as linen
- Paper or paper towels
- A few suitable treats
Instructions
Cut out several rectangular pieces of cardboard; its thickness is not critical for this project. Make two or more holes in each piece, depending on the shape you want to create. Roll up the cardboard so that the holes line up, then thread the string through them. Tie a knot on either side of each roll to hold it in place.
Wrap a few treats in pieces of paper and tuck them inside the rolls. The toy is ready to offer to your degus. If they empty it without damaging the cardboard, you can refill it with fresh paper and treats.
Supervise use and remove any string that becomes frayed or forms loose loops.
Sources
Octodons.fr (2021). [Enrichissement – 1] Jouet à corde. Original project published on Octodons.fr, 2021-01-01. https://octodons.fr/enrichissement-1-jouet-a-corde/