'I left my full-time job to make toys for rodents'

7 hours ago

Lee Bottomleyin Stoke-on-Trent

News image — Lee Shepherd - who is allergic to cats and dogs - said he fell in love with degus after looking for an alternative, suitable pet

BBC A man in glasses, wearing a burgundy jumper, has a rodent on his shoulder. The man is smiling at the camera — Lee Shepherd - who is allergic to cats and dogs - said he fell in love with degus after looking for an alternative, suitable pet

Lee Shepherd is a huge fan of little rodents - well, one type of rodent in particular, degus, which hail originally from Chile.

He loves them so much that he has turned a part-time hobby, making products for them, into a job.

"Our living room is full of degus, we've got two big cages in there and then one of the spare rooms is full of cages and a run," the 49-year-old said.

He currently has 17 and runs the online business making toys and treats for them from his Stoke-on-Trent home.

"We wanted to get a pet when we moved into the house, but I'm allergic to cats and dogs," Shepherd said, explaining how the family ended up falling in love with degus, and now care for so many, including rescues.

Degus are small, social and vocal rodents with long, silky coats and a long tail and are active and sociable, according to the RSPCA.

"They are very active during the day, in fact they adjust their sleeping cycles to you...they are very social animals, so they make ideal pets," he added.

A small rodent, with grey/brown fur and long white whiskers and large black eyes. The rodent is being held in a person's arms — Shepherd said degus were very social, bond with their owners and could be taught basic commands

The niche business began in 2013 because he could not find many products for his new exotic pets, which originate from Chile.

"They've got a very specialist diet, so they can't have any foods with sugar in...and they're allergic to quite a few wood products, so any toys have to be a specialist wood," Shepherd said.

Hessian covered lines of cardboard rolls, in small piles on top of paperwork — The 49-year-old makes a range of toys for the rodents, including platforms to go inside their cages

What started as a part-time side hustle, making and selling items on eBay, got too busy for him and, as he had a job at the time he did not really like: "I decided to give it up and have a go!"

Shepherd makes platforms to attach to cages, see-saw tunnels and tubes, treats and coconut and bamboo toys for the rodents to play with and bite on.

"They've got continuously growing teeth, so they have to keep chewing," he said.

A man in a burgundy jumper and glasses, smiling as he looks into a room containing a number of large metal cages with shelves in, as well as a metal framed pen on the floor — Shepherd has a dedicated room for his 17 degus to play in

Shepherd said the hobby business, which he runs from an office in his garden, generated enough to get by and covered the cost of caring for his own pets.

"I wouldn't say it was really popular," he added.

"But the products are suitable for other rodents as well, so rat owners, hamsters and gerbils, there is a bigger market out there - but obviously we specialise in degus!"

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