An Addlestone family have been left with 20 baby degus after a “very naughty” male managed to escape from his cage under the cover of night and impregnate four females- only to squeeze back into his cage, remaining undetected.

The Claytons bought five degus- all of which they believed were female- nine months ago.

It wasn’t until they arrived home they realised one was male.

Dad Dominic Clayton said: “When we realised we put him in a separate cage.

“But it turns out he’s been very naughty.”

Unbeknown to the Claytons, Nutella- the passionate perpetrator in question- was squeezing through the bars at night for months and having some fun with the females.

After his nightly escapades, in what can only be described as a stroke of genius, he would squeeze back through the bars, leaving the family “none the wiser”.

Dominic said: “We only recently discovered that he could squeeze himself through the bars.

“He had been escaping from his cage at night and entering the cage with all the females.

“Then he would go back to his own cage and we were none the wiser.

“He has made all of them pregnant, leaving us to cope with over 20 baby degus.”

The father-of-three said he was “shocked” the first time he saw Nutella squeeze through the bars, but the family also admitted it was “quite funny”.

Dominic said: “But having 20 baby degus is not so funny.”

Degus, related to the chinchilla and guinea pig, are very social. The Clayton’s degus “love being cuddled” and can be kept inside or out, but must be inside during the colder months.

The family are now looking for loving homes for the babies.

Dominic said: “The degus are tiny, cute and adorable, but we just can't cope with them

“We are desperate to find homes for them.

“They are very friendly, sociable and inquisitive animals.

“The baby degus must be handled gently at all times and not by children under seven years old.

“They need to live with at least one other degu”.

The degus are all free of charge.

To find out more contact Dominic on: claytondthomas@hotmail.com