Tunnels for degus: safe routes through the enclosure

In the wild, degus live in burrow systems that they dig themselves. To a degu, a tunnel means: here I am safe, here I can get through quickly. With tunnels, you bring that feeling into the enclosure. A tunnel is a hiding place, a walking route and a play area all at once. Your degus dash through it, hide in it and use it as a link between the house, the feeding spot and the sand bath.

In this category you will find tunnels made of cork, willow and wood, flexible bridges that you can bend into a tunnel or arch, edible hay tunnels and play tunnels for free-roam time. Combine tunnels with a thick layer of bedding, such as Zooply Hemp Fibre or Wood Fibre, and your degus will dig their own tunnels around them, so the tunnel becomes part of their own burrow system.

In short

• ✓ Tunnels made of cork, willow and wood are the most suitable for degus, because they can gnaw on them safely.
• ✓ Choose a diameter that an adult degu can easily pass through, even when it meets another one.
• ✓ Create several routes, so a dominant animal cannot block a passage.
• ✓ Degus gnaw plastic and fabric tunnels to pieces; only use those under supervision.
• ✓ Tunnels with carrot or other sweet additions are not suitable for degus.

What will you find in the Tunnels category for degus?

Cork tunnels

A 100% natural cork tunnel from Trixie is the most natural choice. Cork is light, feels warm and degus love to gnaw on it. The tunnels are available up to ø 14 × 40 cm, up to ø 19 × 55 cm and up to ø 30 × 75 cm. Because cork is a natural product, the shape varies from piece to piece. You can lay a cork tunnel on the floor, bury it halfway or lean it at an angle against a platform as a climbing route. The large size is also suitable as a hiding place for a few degus at once.

Willow tunnels

The willow tunnels from Trixie are made of woven willow. You can choose from ø 10 × 25 cm, ø 15 × 33 cm and ø 20 × 38 cm. Willow is safe to gnaw on and degus happily pull pieces out of it. For an adult degu, the ø 15 and ø 20 cm sizes are the most comfortable. Use the smallest tunnel as a chew item or as a short passage.

Flexible bridges and willow bridges

A flexible bridge from Trixie is made of wooden slats on a flexible connection. You lay it flat as a bridge, bend it into an arch or set it up as a tunnel. The bridges come in 22 × 10 cm, 28 × 17 cm, 51 × 30 cm and 65 × 40 cm. The two largest sizes are roomy enough as a tunnel for a small group of degus. The willow bridge in 24 × 13 × 25 cm and 30 × 16 × 30 cm is a sturdy willow arch. The willow corner elements (30 × 20 × 20 cm and 20 × 10 × 13 cm) turn an empty corner into a sheltered passage.

Labyrinth house

The bark wood maze toy (35 × 11 × 25 cm) is a short burrow system in a single block. Degus have to find their way through the little passages, and you can hide a few sugar-free herbs in it.

Edible hay tunnels

The JR Farm Hay Tunnel is a tunnel wrapped in mountain meadow hay, in 380 grams and 750 grams. Your degus can walk through it and eat from it at the same time. A tunnel like this does not last long, but it is a nice way to make hay more interesting. Remove it if it gets wet or dirty.

Play tunnels for free-roam time

For supervised free-roam time there are large play tunnels: the play tunnel of ø 18 × 130 cm, the play tunnel with three exits (3 × ø 18 × 47 cm) and the soft Relax tunnels (ø 19 × 70 cm and ø 15 × 35 cm). Degus love racing through a long tunnel like this. Because these tunnels are not made of gnaw-resistant material, remove them as soon as your degus start gnawing on them, and do not leave them permanently in the enclosure.

Why tunnels suit degus so well

Degus feel safest along edges and in sheltered passages. They quickly dash across a large open stretch of floor without cover. With tunnels, you turn an open enclosure into a network of safe routes. You then often see your degus moving through the enclosure more calmly and using more of the space.

Tunnels also spread out the traffic. In a group of degus there is always a pecking order. If there is only one route to the food or the sand bath, one animal can block it. With two or three tunnels and routes, a lower-ranking degu can simply go around another one. That prevents tension and jostling.

What size tunnel do you need?

An adult degu must be able to walk through the tunnel without difficulty, even with a full stomach and a long tail behind it. A diameter of around 10 cm is usable for a short passage. For a tunnel your degus use as a main route or hiding place, preferably choose 15 cm or more. In a group, roomy tunnels are extra important, because two degus can then pass each other inside without getting stuck.

With longer tunnels, watch out for dead ends. A tunnel with two open ends is better for degus than a tunnel with one entrance, for the same reason as with houses: a degu must always be able to get away.

Building tunnels into the enclosure

Degus love an enclosure with a thick layer of bedding in which they can dig. Lay a cork or willow tunnel on the floor and scatter bedding around and over it. Your degus will then dig their own tunnels towards the entrances. That creates a burrow system that follows their natural behaviour. Make sure the tunnel lies firmly and cannot sink when your degus dig underneath it.

Also use tunnels as a link between levels. A cork tunnel leaning at an angle against a platform is a sheltered climbing route. A flexible bridge between two levels is a walking route with grip. Degus are good climbers, but with safe routes they have to jump from high to low less often.

Keep tunnels away from the regular toilet spot and do not hang the water bottle directly above them. A wet tunnel quickly goes musty, especially with wood and willow.

Cleaning and replacing

You cannot hot-wash cork, willow and wood. Remove dirty bedding from the tunnel, knock it out and brush it off. If a tunnel has got wet, let it dry thoroughly outside the enclosure. Replace tunnels that keep smelling musty, have sharp edges or loose slats, or have been gnawed so much that they become unstable. With degus, a gnawed tunnel is normal: it means it is being used.

Useful combinations

With these categories you turn tunnels into a complete burrow system:

• Bedding: a thick, low-dust layer of Zooply Hemp Fibre, Wood Fibre or Cotton Fibre to bury tunnels in.
• Houses: connect sleeping spots with tunnels, so the route to bed is sheltered.
• Degu scaping: furnish the enclosure naturally with cork, branches and plants.
• Sand & sand baths: a sand bath with Zooply Bathing Sand at the end of a tunnel route.
• Hay: Zooply hay to scatter through tunnels and encourage foraging behaviour.

Frequently asked questions about tunnels for degus

Which material is best for a degu tunnel?

Cork, willow and untreated wood. Degus gnaw a lot, and these materials are safe if they swallow bits of them. Cork is also light and easy to bury. Plastic and fabric tunnels are quickly gnawed to pieces and are therefore only suitable for short periods under supervision.

How many tunnels do I need?

Start with one or two tunnels on the floor and a link to a higher level. See how your degus use them. If you notice one degu often blocking a passage, or crowding at the food, add an extra route. In a larger enclosure or with a group of three or more, several tunnels are almost always better.

My degus sleep in the tunnel. Is that OK?

That is fine. Degus like to choose a sheltered, enclosed spot. Do make sure there is also a proper sleeping house that the whole group fits into together. If a tunnel is the only sheltered spot, it gets used very heavily and gets dirty faster.

Are tunnels with carrot or vegetables suitable for degus?

We advise against tunnels with carrot, fruit or other sweet additions for degus. Degus are prone to diabetes and should not be given sugar. A plain hay tunnel or a cork or willow tunnel with some loose, sugar-free herbs inside is the safe choice for degus.

Can I bury a tunnel?

Yes, that is even recommended. Lay the tunnel on the floor and partly cover it with bedding. Your degus will then dig the entrances free themselves and make tunnels around it. Do provide a thick layer, so the tunnels do not collapse straight away, and check that the tunnel lies firmly.

How do I clean a cork tunnel?

Shake out the bedding and brush the inside clean. If it is dirty or wet, rinse it briefly with lukewarm water and let it dry completely before it goes back into the enclosure. Do not use scented cleaning products. If the tunnel keeps smelling musty, replace it.

Buying tunnels for degus at Knaagplaza

At Knaagplaza, the webshop of 't Knaagplein, you will find tunnels made of cork, willow and wood that suit degus' urge to dig and gnaw. Complete the set-up with Zooply bedding to dig in, Zooply hay and Zooply Degu Food. Zooply is our own premium brand, which we use every day for our own animals in the shop and breeding facility.