Huge step back on trust

[gsr]

Hello!

I got my two degus a week ago and was well on my way to building trust with them. One had started to trust me to give him food and the other had even started "grooming" me and asking me to come over for attention.

I tried to build a playpen for them to run around in, take a dust bath etc. They both realized how to escape the playpen very soon and with that an hour long "battle" ensued with me trying to get them back and tricking them into getting back into the cage. They got extremely stressed in this situation, and I can understand that, but the room was had exposed wires and such so I couldn't leave them alone to find their way back on their own. Finally I got them both to jump in the cage, but after this they are terrified of me and don't trust me at all. It seems like I had taken ten steps forward and now its twelve steps back. They are more afraid now than when I got them. When putting out food for them I'm pretty sure I heard one of them grind his teeth in an aggressive manner. If I come close they both weep and hide away and don't step out until they are sure I have left.

It kind of feels like its a lost cause since even if I sit there for half an hour they both still hide. If I even move my hand slowly to press a video on my phone or something they run back. They even refuse to come closer to my hand for oats (they are CRAZY for oats).

What can I do to rebuild this trust when things have gotten this dire. Is it a lost cause?

[bouncy]

Don't worry too much, it's one incident, and their trust will return. Just take a few steps back, don't try to take them out for a run again for a few days, and only after you've made your playpen escape proof!

As an aside, you're always going to have a situation when you need to move your degus. Try teaching them to step into a tube (with your hands over either end) or box to be moved around. You just need to get them to learn that stepping into that tube or box is how they can safely move from one place to another. It works a treat when you're trying to get them into the travel cage to get to the vet, and comes in handy if they give you the runaround! Warning: Many treats will be consumed during this training.

[deguconvert]

Ditto what Bouncy said.

Would you be willing to tell us about the playpen you built? I'm wondering if we can help you to tweak it and make it degu proof.

Playpens are great . . . and they are tricky. Degus are such MASSIVE Houdini's that you have to think of everything, and even then, you probably missed something. I had a homebuilt cage that none of my degus had escaped from for 2-3 years. THEN we had a bit of a population explosion (whole other story) and the pups from one of the litters were GENIOUSES at escaping. I went through about 6 months of finding their means of getting out, and when I thought I had them covered, they found new ways.

[teemu]

Yeah, as others have said, you should think this more of as them being wary after a stressful incident, more so than them losing all trust in you. Carry on as normal, give them space, leave them treats, and they should realise pretty quickly that things are actually still alright.

Degus can be pretty jumpy, but they are also quite smart. They will come around, I'm sure of it

[savvy]

There will also be an element of grudge bearing and sulking in their behaviour. After all, they had escaped and you caught them!

They will come around again I'm sure.