Squirrel the three-legged degu

When cracks appeared in Squirrel and Hedgehog’s friendship, it was clear there was no way back for these degus in dispute. They’d been fighting and their owner decided to bring them to us so we could find them new homes separately.

Degus should live in pairs so with this in mind, we paired up Squirrel with another degu at Woodgreen, but despite monitoring them closely, they got into a spat and Squirrel ended up with a few war wounds. Our veterinary team found sores on his neck and shoulder and open bite wounds around his mouth and chin. He also suffered a traumatic injury to his toe which left the bone exposed.

Squirrel was given painkillers and gentle medicated foot baths. Sadly, though, it wasn’t enough. The team was left with no choice but to amputate his leg as the toe wound had become infected and would’ve spread. It’s not often that our team have to carry out procedures like this on a degu, but it was necessary as the infection would’ve kept coming back. The operation was a success and he was stitched up and placed back into his cage to rest up.

After just a couple of weeks, Squirrel made a full recovery and he was back to scurrying around and getting up to all sorts of mischief. We’re still looking for a friend and a home for this little guy, but in the meantime, he’s being well cared for in his foster home. And if you’re wondering about his ex-partner in crime, Hedgehog, we’re pleased to say he has found a new home and is loving it!