|
Post by angelnetinc on Jul 21, 2010 13:14:31 GMT
Hi! I'm new here! I'm so glad I found this site! I recently adopted two goo's. Someone had dropped them off at our local pet store. They were very small and had missing fur and were so skinny... They are doing well now and getting so big! I don't know how old they are, but my best guess is about 5 months. I've had them 3 months now. I'm still working on taming them, they are very very skiddish and don't want to be touched. I'm hoping that the resources I've found here will help me. The pet store told me that one is male and one is female. I've named them Samson and Delila. When they get a bit more tame I might be able to tell if I need to change one of their names Right now they live in a hamster cage and a modified bird cage joined together. I have a large ferret 'mansion' on order for them. I'm having a hard time finding degu resources here in the states. If anyone has some suggestions I'd love to see them! Thanks!
|
|
|
Post by emz on Jul 21, 2010 16:23:58 GMT
A male and a female? I hope the male is neutered, which he probably won't be if he isn't over a year old. You might want to sex them yourself now to check as degus have a fairly short gestation period (90 days) and a female is very fertile after she gives birth and would probably most likely end up being impregnated again. It isn't too hard to sex them. Both degus have a part which "sticks out", called the urethral cone. A male will have a fair gap between the urethral cone and the anus and a female will have no gap between or a very tiny gap at most. I know you said they are not ready to be handled however you don't need to hold them. If you have them stand up by the bars by offering a treat you can usually get a good enough look to tell. As for resources in the states I can't really help there. You should be able to go for a walk in a park or whatever though and get your hands on some nice branches. Birch, Apple and Hawthorn are the most common degu safe woods that people use. If you do get some branches (choose some thick ones so they last!) boil them in water or put them in the oven for a while to kill bacteria. For toys, you can be resourceful and not need a petshop all the time. Egg boxes, toilet roll and the toilet tube, branches, rope (natural fibre like Sisal rope), plant pots and much more can all be turned into degu toys or cage accessories. Oh and make sure you have a sand bath for them! Can use a pot from the garden centre or just use something that can hold the chinchilla dust. It is very important for keeping their fur clean and soft and it is also a form of stress relief for them they find it relaxing. Also, welcome to the forum!
|
|
|
Post by angelnetinc on Jul 21, 2010 18:55:02 GMT
Thanks! All good advice! I have a sand bath for them. They love it. Just today I bought them a bigger, tail safe wheel as they had a hamster wheel but have outgrown it. I'm suprised by how fast they grow. I have noticed that they are more comfortable with me, but when my husband enters the room they will not come out or take things from my hand. He will need to spend more time with them I guess. At what age do they start breeding? If they turn out to be the same sex I will get have the male neutered. I have checked around and the closest vet that will care for them is a couple of hours away. We live in a fairly rural area. I guess these guys are super rare around here. I'm still looking for a website that has the things that you guys can get in the UK. I have degu envy! I have made them several toys and got them some bird toys. They love toilet paper rolls! I made them a hammock out of an old tshirt, thats where they sleep. I gave them a hut that they can chew on and just yesterday gave them a small cardboard box and they are having a blast with that. Next I plan to work on getting their room degu-proof so they can run around.
|
|