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Post by kristenfiddes on Nov 29, 2010 20:54:12 GMT
As a few people on this site know, I had a pregnant degu called Penny. Well now she's finally given birth. We thought she was having 3 originally but we could see into their little bed a little when the mummy and aunt had left and we saw 4, maybe 5 little babies no bigger than an inch long. We've given them toilet roll and food, to keep the babies warm and make sure the mummy is eating plenty to feed them too. I just hope they all survive.
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Post by Cherpi on Nov 29, 2010 20:57:50 GMT
Pictures Congratulations
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Post by kristenfiddes on Nov 29, 2010 21:03:41 GMT
I'll get some up as soon as they start venturing out a bit because it's so dark and awkward to look into where they are
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Post by nickymills30 on Nov 29, 2010 21:13:48 GMT
congratulations xxxx
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Post by Bexi87 on Nov 29, 2010 21:39:15 GMT
Congratulations! Can't wait to see them once they are up and about. How is mum doing?
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Post by smux on Nov 29, 2010 22:26:59 GMT
It is safe for you to venture in and check them out, and it's also good for them to get your scent from as early an age as possible...however, waiting for them is fine and a few days or weeks won't make much difference to the bond between you and them. I would at the very least pop in to check on them regularly though, every day or so just to make sure they're all alive and well. You can also hold them for a short period of time from any age as long as the room they're in is warm (because they can't regulate their heat) and it won't have any detrimental affect on them...if they start squeaking, just let them get back into the house :-)
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Post by Kins on Nov 30, 2010 16:35:36 GMT
Aww, babies!!!
I want, I want, I want!
Congratulations Penny goo!
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Post by deguconvert on Nov 30, 2010 16:59:37 GMT
Congratulations!!! You're going to have fun!! You need to know that degu pups are very mobile from quite early on and they will be trying everything out . . . especially those HUGE gaps inbetween the bars of the cage, which will just look like open doors to them. I would recommend that you line the sides of your cage with cardboard wherever there are flat surfaces that they will walk or climb on. This will help to prevent them getting out and being lost, tread upon, gobbled up by larger household pets, or even vacuumed up! They are so tiny it can happen easily. It is important for you to know the exact number of pups so that you can frequently count them to make sure they are all accounted for.
I hope all goes wonderfully well for you!
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Post by kristenfiddes on Nov 30, 2010 21:42:59 GMT
We made the cage they're in ourselves, so luckily for us the only hole is a big one at the top that's too high for them to jump out of (we ran out of supplies). The mum is doing good, she stays with them most of the time and our other one goes about collecting food and bedding. Whenever we take the front screen off they both climb out the cage and cause mayhem. We've only dealt with one active degu for a while since Penny has been pregnant, but now we have both trying to get out. It'll be even more tiring when the 5 babies attempt too as well. Yes, we checked today and there's 4 we could see but it looks like they were laid on top of another. That's good to know about being able to touch them now though, it's been so tempting! I'll be posting something about giving the baby males away in about 10 weeks as we can't keep the males for fear of inbreeding That is unless we find someone to neuter them.
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Post by deguconvert on Dec 1, 2010 0:04:20 GMT
Neutering can't be done before a year of age, as it interferes a great deal with their development both mentally and physically. They need that testosterone up until that year of age. So . . . you will likely be looking for new homes for your boys.
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Post by kristenfiddes on Dec 1, 2010 0:10:09 GMT
Ahh darn it
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Post by nickymills30 on Dec 1, 2010 7:25:35 GMT
if you already know, i;m sorry, but you need to take the males away at 4 weeks of age xx
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Post by smux on Dec 1, 2010 12:25:14 GMT
If you mean male babies, it's six weeks...weaning is at six weeks although the babies will probably already be eating solids by the fourth week but the option to have mum's milk should still be there for the final two weeks.
If you mean dad (although it is unlikely you did) he should be away throughout if possible as it gives him a chance to re-impregnate her like my Gizmo did, the little git :-)
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Post by kristenfiddes on Dec 1, 2010 13:25:23 GMT
Is 6 weeks the absolute longest amount of time I can keep them with her? I thought they didn't mature till at least 3 months, males that is. Smux, we never had the father, we bought her pregnant unknowingly so we're lucky on that part. Anyway, here are 4 of the 5 babies... They're 2 days old now, and Penny was completely fine with us stroking them and making sure their nest was warm.
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Post by smux on Dec 1, 2010 13:51:39 GMT
You can keep them with her longer, but the males and females become sexually active at random(ish) points between 6 weeks and 3 months I think, meaning that the boys can get sister or mum pregnant and the girls can become pregnant...that's only if they become sexually active though.
My first lot I kept together for 8 weeks or so, then split them up. Males will mature fine without mum or sisters around, as long as they have other males to learn from, preferably adult males. If it's just the babies, they'll interact and learn for themselves, most of what they need to learn from an adult comes from mum while they're weaning, like eating or bottle drinking. You have a lot of fun coming your way, babies give no end of pleasure compared to the adults as they're still learning stuff and they're a bit more trusting once you've won them over (unless you handled them from a very early age, then you've usually won them over already)
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Post by Kins on Dec 1, 2010 13:55:15 GMT
O...M...G...!
They are just TOO cute! I literally wouldn't get anything done at home if I had baby gooeys to watch!
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Post by kristenfiddes on Dec 1, 2010 14:07:29 GMT
We're not doing anything haha, we just sit and watch them for most of the day.
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Post by Whizz on Dec 1, 2010 14:39:13 GMT
I love they way they're ears are the biggest thing on their bodies, too cute! Congratulations, they are just sooo sweet!
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Post by deguconvert on Dec 1, 2010 16:01:01 GMT
Typically, males will not enter into their sexual maturity until they are coming on to six months of age and then they still have to grow more and prove themselves for mating rights . . . FEMALES can be ready to conceive as early as six weeks of age if they are in an environment of plenty of food and safety, etc. But only degus over the age of 6 months will be able to impregnate the them. You're male pups should be OK being with Mom and sistsers until at least 12 weeks of age.
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Post by kristenfiddes on Dec 1, 2010 16:35:07 GMT
That's so good to hear! I'm already so attached I couldn't bring myself to give them away. If we have only 1 male, we'll give him away to somebody on these boards who's interested. But if we have more than 1 we've agreed to build another cage for them or just put a divider in the current one as it's massive as it is
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