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Post by charliekhris on Dec 27, 2016 13:23:01 GMT
I wasn't sure if i should post on this board or the fighting one. When khris went to feed the goos today he was shocked to find that pur baby girl Bean's eye was swollen and shut and her back had a patch of dried blood. While we were looking at her in shock her auntie Gir suddenly leaped at her and they had a little scafaffle. So we are suspecting Bean had a bad run in with Gir, which is odd as they have been getting along so well. So we got her out of the cage and phoned the vets. They aren't open today and we got ahold of the emergency vet. He told us we could just clean her eye and put her in a different cage for a bit, or we could take her to see him, which would cost us 100 quid. So we decided to try to clean her eye first and put her in the top cage and block the entrance between the two. After cleaning her eye she actually managed to open it, and is now loudly singing her disapproval of being kept away from the other two. There was a bit of blood on the Q tip after cleaning the eye. We aren't completely sure what to do, she's running about the place and being very degu'ey. But we don't want her to lose her sight or anything. Any suggestions, helpful tips or comforting words would be welcome.
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Post by bouncy on Dec 27, 2016 15:45:34 GMT
These goos are just grumpy gits! What did you use to clean the eye with? I would use either sterile eye wash or cooled boiled water.
Little Squidgy was attacked by a leaping Spidey on his first day here, and suffered a horrific bite on his back too. I initially tried to clean him up, but it didn't help. I let him calm down the travel cage for a couple of hours, went in, and found he was immaculate having cleaned the blood etc himself! Keep an eye on little one, keep her warm, and assess the eye in the morning. Keep bathing it.
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 27, 2016 16:58:48 GMT
Thank you! I was so worried but knowing someone else has had the same problem... Yeah we just used a bit of water on a q tip, but im going to make a saline solution to use. She seems fine, apart from being quite grumpy about being split up from the rest of them. She's being very loud about her disagreement. XD
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Post by deguconvert on Dec 27, 2016 20:17:01 GMT
It's just the three of them right, momma, aunt, and baby? Would you feel OK with putting her back in with them? It is possible that Gir is feeling that she needs to assert her dominance over the baby. Is the pup showing signs of being quite dominating?
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 27, 2016 22:27:57 GMT
Yeah it's just the three of them. We opened up the cage again to let them all pass freely and be around eachother, and Gir does keep going after the baby and they have their kerfuffles. It looks like a dominance thing, its just weird cause i havent seen them do that for weeks so you kind of forget how violent and loud it looks. I hope balance is restored soon, it's hard to watch them fight...
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Post by deguconvert on Dec 28, 2016 0:13:22 GMT
I know it is! Hang in there, and just keep an eye on things. If Gir is getting too heavy handed, you can separate them. We know that you are the one there with them, and in the end, you are the one that must decide what you can handle and what you can't. You are there in person and know what you are seeing. So we respect your right to choose accordingly.
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 28, 2016 10:49:43 GMT
We've seperated gir from zim and bean now, as gir has attacked bean again, now splitting her ear in half. So we've just been to the vets with her, and they are keeping her to put her under and cut part of her ear off, and to clean her wounds. We're getting some antibiotics for her as well. So yay, well done Gir, she has mauled her niece's ear off... We're not too happy with miss Gir at the moment...
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Post by moletteuk on Dec 28, 2016 12:11:05 GMT
Oh dear, hope all goes well today.
I think you have done the right thing isolating Gir, it looks like you could have a real issue if Bean is not an equal opponent. Is there a chance that Gir could be pregnant?
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 28, 2016 12:55:03 GMT
We haven't noticed anything in Gir's weight or size yet, but there is still a month of pregnancy watch left. Would she bevaggressive if she is pregnant? Poor Bean, she's a bit wobbly from anestesia, and seems desperate for contact... We feel so bad. We're gonna let Zim into Bean's cage tomorrow and let Gir be on her own for a bit. Not really sure what to do at this point. Gir is pretty anti social towards anyone other than Zim. So maybe we'll just let Zim ping-pong between the two, but i don't know what effect that will have. Bean is just too little to be able to defend herself properly from Gir.
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Post by deguconvert on Dec 28, 2016 17:52:40 GMT
I would go ahead and put Zim in with Bean now, let her have the contact. Zim will be gentle with her and it will help Bean to recover better. Unless she has stitches, which would be another matter altogether and might require being kept alone.
Some degus have been known to become extremely aggressive with pregnancy, and they can be very defensive of their litter once they are born as well. Pregnancy could explain her behavior.
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 28, 2016 21:36:59 GMT
Hmmm, it would be nice if her aggression was just due to pregnancy, because we aren't very hapy about having a degu who turns out to be proper violent. But once bean gets a little bigger she might have a fighting chance to actually defend herself. As it is now i dont want gir to be in contact with her at all, as we might end up with a dead little degu. Bean is so lovely though, as soon as she saw Gir yesterday when we let theminteract again she flopped on her back showing them her belly, so she is definitely not actually instigating any fights. It's just Gir being unrationally aggressive. Like she was with the boys as well when they all started moving about the cage (when they got big enough to go out of the nesting box). I dont know what has gotten into her... We feel like such bad parents letting our little girl get so hurt this way...
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 28, 2016 23:47:58 GMT
We just got back home and Gir is suddenly looking very fat... Hopefully it's just our oversensitive nerves and tired eyes... But if not pets at home are in for a bollocking.
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Post by deguconvert on Dec 29, 2016 3:00:57 GMT
If you think Gir is indeed pregnant, she could also become very aggressive with Zim once the pups are born. It is a strange kind of mother "bear" thing. Then again, she might just melt into the sweetest puddle of goo you ever did see, once those pups are born. Hard to say, since she is reacting slightly left of normal. It might be an idea to just keep Zim and Bean together, apart from Gir. Although . . . before you do that, let me ask you how you give out food? Do you leave enough food in a couple of bowls that they can eat whenever they choose, or do you measure it out? Sometimes the aggression of a pregnant degu is food centered, especially if she is feeling like there are limited supplies. She could be trying to chase away Bean, who will be a voracious eater at this point, so that she can ensure there is enough for her own needs, enough to keep her milk good and strong for the time it is needed, and for the pups once they start tucking in. It would be interesting to know if increasing the available food for several days, would relieve some of her stress. It may, or may not. She might just be in a hormonal rage.
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 29, 2016 9:25:25 GMT
We introduced Gir back into society this morning after keeping her away from Zim and little Bean. We also put some loo roll out in the cage to see what Gir would do and of course she's made a nest in the house with every last scrap. She is looking bigger and rounder, I'll post a picture in a bit. Gir and bean almost immediately had a run in when bean came over to say hello, since then bean was been hiding in the hammock and is staying in the top half of the cage patrolling and will yelp if anyone comes near the hammock. Gir does seem to seek out bean for a fight rather than be provoked with food, we have two bowls and a suspended coconut shell that we fill up at 12 everyday. They all have a habit of burying food but thats only when it's some of the less liked treats. Zim and Gir are currently in the bottom half in peaceful harmony, there is definitely no problem between those two.
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Post by bouncy on Dec 29, 2016 9:57:16 GMT
It sounds like you might be hearing the patter of tiny paws!
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 29, 2016 10:00:53 GMT
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Post by bouncy on Dec 29, 2016 10:14:01 GMT
She is looking comparatively pear-like!
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Post by uglibug on Dec 29, 2016 10:18:58 GMT
She is getting that pear shaped look about her. You may well be in for more babies.
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 29, 2016 10:35:42 GMT
Yeah, its looking that way, just what we need, more babies. Gir is now in the top half of the cage and is trying to get Bean to come out of the hammock so she can chase her and of course they fight any time Gir gets too close. Really not sure what to do as we dont want anymore trips to the vets but know that they need to work things out if they are to live together. Hoping its just pregnancy crazies but we just dont know.
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Post by charliekhris on Dec 29, 2016 12:05:44 GMT
Bean was cowering in the hammock all morning, yelping and screaming if anyone came near. Gir kept walking around the hammock and kept approaching it just to pounce. Like she has it in for the poor bean... So after giving them food we decided to put Gir back in solitary in the bottom cage, and immediately Bean hounded Zim for cuddles and closeness... Poor thing is looking so scraggly with her half ear, chewed up back and lacerated eye Gir doesnt seem too happy about being alone again, she is searchibg for Zim... Zim is searchung for Gir as well... But this seems to be the only way at the moment to prevent more bloodshed, and Bean really needs some cuddles and grooming after the ordeal she has had the past few days...
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