Introducing new Degus

laney
Newborn Degu

Posts: 2

Introducing new Degus Mar 2, 2011 23:37:27 GMT

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Post by laney on Mar 2, 2011 23:37:27 GMT

Hi
I'm a new degu owner and i've had Charlie for 2 months now. When i got him he had been split up from the other degus because of fighting although he is very tame with humans. He seems happy enough alone but i'm worried he might get lonely. I'd like to introduce another male degu but if it doesn't go well i don't have enough room for another cage. Does anyone have any advice? Should i just leave him on his own? Or does anyone know of degus being given on a 'trial period' or anything? It seems quite a risk and unheaval for the second degu.
Thanks!

nickymills30 Zooming Degu Posts: 1,338	Introducing new Degus Mar 3, 2011 7:00:36 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by nickymills30 on Mar 3, 2011 7:00:36 GMT hun, have a look around the forum, as their are loads of threads about introductions, but i wouldn't keep him on his own xxx
	Love me, love my ark

deguconvert
Global Moderator

Posts: 24,890

Introducing new Degus Mar 4, 2011 3:10:55 GMT

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Post by deguconvert on Mar 4, 2011 3:10:55 GMT

If you take a good look at your cage, is there any way that you could separate it in half? That way you would still have the one cage, but you could have one degu on each side until you have them happily living together? It might sound crazy, but way back when I needed to introduce two pups to an older degu, I used my cooling racks, tied together with wire, to form a separation in my single cage so that the older boy was on one side, and the two pups were on the other. The cooling racks for baking have the same spacing for wire, so they worked great as an impromtu "gate" of sorts to divide my cage. Once they were together and doing OK, we were able to remove it and they all had the whole cage to live in as a group of three. Is there a way that you might be able to do the same sort of thing with your cage?

1 Bichon/Shi-t-zu Ollie (b'gollie), 1 Standard poodle, Indie

1 minipoo Teddy, RIP
1 standardpoo Queenie, RIP
1 goo, Reepicheep, RIP
2 goos Peekichew, and Snuggabug, rehomed and greatly missed

carrierowsell Newborn Degu Posts: 1	Introducing new Degus Mar 9, 2011 20:23:42 GMT Quote Select Post Deselect Post Link to Post Member Give Gift Back to Top Post by carrierowsell on Mar 9, 2011 20:23:42 GMT Hi i have 3 male degus at present that they are a yr old. Could i introduce more males? What would be the best age if i was to introduce more? Thanks

nickymills30
Zooming Degu

Posts: 1,338

Introducing new Degus Mar 9, 2011 20:52:30 GMT

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Post by nickymills30 on Mar 9, 2011 20:52:30 GMT

hi hun, if you want to introduce more males, get the new one(s) as young as poss, by doing this, the other goo;s should see him as a threat, but you still need to do intros slowly, you could try what DC has said, above, i have used this method, and its worked for me xx

Love me, love my ark

Post by laney on Mar 2, 2011 23:37:27 GMT

Post by nickymills30 on Mar 3, 2011 7:00:36 GMT

Post by deguconvert on Mar 4, 2011 3:10:55 GMT

Post by carrierowsell on Mar 9, 2011 20:23:42 GMT

Post by nickymills30 on Mar 9, 2011 20:52:30 GMT