One’s Degu calm other very stressed

[twodegusmomma]

Hi everyone! About 2-3 weeks ago I got my two lil girlies from a person ( both sisters and is 6 months old ). One of them is brave shes even taking now food from our hand, but the other one would always get timid fast and wouldnt even take a treat when we put it next to her. Also the scared one also have had escaped in our room once and whilst we were catching here she bit my bf, which is totally understandable because she was super stressed out.

What could we do to gain her trust ? Or should we just give her time ?

[teemu]

Degus can take a long time to grow to trust their people. It's quite common for the first month, or two, to be very careful and slow going. Basically, there is no easy way there, it's all about slowly building trust and familiarity. Mostly, this is just spending time with them and socializing with them to whatever degree they feel comfortable with. Since one of your girls is brave, interacting with her will help her sister also understand that it's safe, and talking to them with a calm voice and spending time near the cage will get her used to you.

So basically, it just needs time. It's quite common for people to start wondering if they aren't doing enough, but degus simply take a long time to become comfortable with their owners. After they do, though, they are usually very comfortable with them. Some may not like being handled, but I have not had a degu who minds familiar people being nearby or interacting with them.

In case you have any future escapes, the easiest and least stressful way to take a scared escapee back to cage tends to be with a container. People often recommend something like a large tube, the kind into which the degu can easily go (they often instinctively go into something that seems like a tunnel, since they seem like safe spaces). Then you can block off the ends and simply lift the tube to the cage and let her out. I have also been able to lure escapees into a box with bathing sand for the same purpose. The most important thing is to make sure that there are is no way for the degu to get outside the space into which they escape, so if possible make sure that the room they are in is secure, and close the door if an escape happens. After that, you can take your time with the retrieval, since trying to rush it will be a lot more stressful.

[bouncy]

Degus aren't cuddly animals. They are very strong willed. They will come to you and clamber over you, but hate being picked up for a cuddle.

But.....all is not lost!

Degus take time to get used to their new environment, as well as people. To begin with, just take the time to sit next to the cage and talk gently to them. They'll get used to you and, after a while, will come to the cage to say hello. Don't make any sudden moves, just let them get used to you being there, understanding that you're not going to make a grab for them. Once they both willingly come to you without freaking out, you can offer things through the bars. It may take months, but don't be put off!

After you've reached this stage and it's been settled for a few weeks, you can try having the cage door open. Again, just place your hand in the cage on the substrate and leave it. Let them climb all over you, and let them get used to your scent and lack of fur. Once they're happy with this and they don't think you're going to grab them, put some seeds on your palm and leave your hand in the cage as before. They'll soon calm down.

Just a quick Word about degus - they have the same brain structure as humans. They have all the same emotions, spontaneously problem solve, and are fiercely independent from humans. You can teach them to go into a tube so you can move them, but if you do it so you can hold them, they'll stop going in. When I had to for medication, my youngest figured it out after the first tube trip, and won't go into one now unless he has one eye on me and knows I won't make it over before he can clear it!