I dont know....

[otismiles17]

I cant tell degu is pregnant! I bought them about 5 or 6 months ago and one was always bigger than the other. But now the bigger one is getting way bigger...They dont let me handle them no matter what I try and theyve been deathly afaid of me for as long as Ive had them....I cant sex them because it scares them so much to be held out of their cage. Im going to try to get pictures but I was wondering how I can tell for sure.....thanks for the help

[smux]

Without handling them there's no easy way to sex them, and it's just as difficult to tell if they're pregnant. Your best bet is to get them to climb the sides of the cage so you can take a look underneath, although I'm betting it won't be that simple.

Work on getting them used to you (there's guides in the forum) and if the worst comes to the worst you are going to HAVE to scare them a little (catch them and check them) to find out more if you feel confident enough to do so, but it's not something you should do if you're not. It'd be a good idea if you could take them to the vet's if you don't feel confident enough to do this.

The alternative is to wait until she drops her bundles, but that's not always the best option.

Long story short, get them hand-tame so you can find out for yourself.

[otismiles17]

Trust me....>Ive probably spent around 100 hours trying to get them used to me. I called the petstore I got them from...shes gonna let me bring them in to check. She told me if they are pregnant shell swap them for her new babies. She told me that the ones I bought were from an animal "mill" and that the new ones are hand raised......that explains them being so afraid :/. I feel horrible giving them up, but they might not be pregnant and If she does take them...she takes awesome care of them....so its a win win for everyone I guess....

[iamlina]

I always find the best way to sex degus without holding them is move your fingers up the side of the cage...hopefully they will follow and climb up =] try a treat too. You can have a good enough look this way without making them scared =]

x

[smux]

Sounds like you've found a good pet shop, I'd keep on going there for any supplies you need (as long as prices aren't too much higher than elsewhere, of course) and keep them in business. Where are you based, perhaps someone here with more experience with degus could offer some assistance in taming them...if you're anywhere near London (I'm near Brixton) I'd be happy to help, I've nothing to do most days so I'm fine with it as it all helps improve the lives of the degus you own :-)

Also sounds like the degus aren't right for you (being a new owner) but new babies are definitely right and you will see the difference between your current degus and the new ones...it also shows promise that you're asking questions in the right place too :-)

[otismiles17]

I feel so bad with them being so scared....but Im bringing them in soon to get them checked on and maybe see their new home....she told me that her degu source was illeagal and that shed love new ones to breed....she said shed trade me my pair for two tame ones that she has. Ive decided that it isnt morally wrong because these degus get a new home that is safe, and I get to try with more tame degus....any thoughts on that?

PS No Im in USA...which it seems like no one is ever not from England on this website haha

[smux]

There's quite a few users from the US, but I've no idea who's from what part. As for her breeding from them, if they're related she's making a HUGE mistake even considering it, and if she's considering breeding from the offspring then she's making the same mistake. Genetic defects will happen lower down the line and it's probably very likely that they've already happened in the past along the line of the degu's history. If she wants unhappy customers and dead degus (and I'm being serious, there's defects that give the females a higher chance of death during birth of their young, for one), she can go ahead and breed from them without researching it. If you believe that she knows what she's doing with them and she won't breed them with the wrong degus, then she's welcome to do so. As to your moral obligation, if she got them from this source and found out later that it was illegal then you're within your right to get a replacement pair and she's within her rights to accept them back and keep them out of the population...but breeding from them is probably not a good idea unless she looks into all the facts and makes sure they're ready and right for it.

[otismiles17]

They werent related ...dont worry about that she knows what she is doing. She told me she cant breed them because hers were all related and she wanted new ones, thats why she wanted mine....and for the illeagal source, its because a law in New Jersey made degus in general illeagal....I know the whole situation sucks...I cant keep them, and no one in the US wants degus. Im not new to this website, I lost my old username so I made a new one....but I know for a fact that that is the best decision....Sorry if everything isnt well explained....I was in panic mode....I think I covered everything though....

[smux]

If they're not related then personally I'd say give them up and take the new babies if you can manage it. I assume you can always visit them if you want to.

No idea how they can make degus illegal though, not entirely anyway...they can't enforce a law on people who have already paid out money for their pets and not reimburse them the costs, not in a case like this anyway and without proper warning.

[tanyajk85]

Just been reading all your post and i feel so sad for you! You seem to be having such a tough time wih your goos at the moment and have to make i hard decision, i just want to say that i hope you manage to get everything sorted out one way or another and get the best out of a bad situation for you and your goos, let us all know how things pan out

Good luck with everything

Tanya xxx

[deguconvert]

Any US degu owners that are on the forum are quite a distance from each other, unfortunately. I take it you are from New Jersey? I'm wondering how she will manage to sell any she breeds without risking getting into legal deep water.

As to getting to know your two . . . have you ever let them run loose in your bathroom, toilet shut, door shut, all electrical cords out of the way etc? Degus love to run around, and if you sit in the bathroom with them, they will begin to approach you. If you sit still and have some treats with you, they will climb on you and begin to take the treats from you. You will have to use a chube or tube, or something else, to bring them from the cage to the bathroom and vice versa, but you should be able to see a difference in the way they respond to you given a little time. This could break down the barriers that stand in your way . . . but it will take a while and you would need to be determinedly patient.

However, I know it has been long while, and you are quite understandably feeling discouraged with these two. I totally get it if you choose to make the change/swap suggested by the lady from the pet store. I just wanted to give you a potential opening should you want to try again in winning their trust.

Let us know how things go!

[otismiles17]

I gave them to the store, she was very happy to have them.An no Im from NY but she bought them from new jersey. Her next set of babies will be ready in about two months, and she told me that as soon as they are born I can come visit them. Ive tried everything with these two degus....they just dont like people

[smux]

My 3 girls are the same, and I haven't tried too much to get them out of it...they're happy on their own doing their own thing and getting the odd treat here and there, so why worry. Once I've reordered my room a little I'll probably bring them in here with me and try to get them to be more sociable, but for now they're fine

[otismiles17]

Just for the record, I didnt get they werent friendly...I got rid of them because I cant breed them....

[smux]

Because YOU can't breed them? Surely if she's pregnant, that'd save some time :-P

Getting degus for breeding purposes is probably not a good idea in your case, breeders should be experienced degu owners with plenty of knowledge to cover all eventualities.

[otismiles17]

No offence....but you must not have been paying attention at all....I got two females, turns out it was one male and a female, gave them up because I knew it wouldnt be best for them. Thats why I left this site. People make up things to make you seem like a horrible pet owner, when sometimes your not.

[deguconvert]

Please excuse Smux, Otismiles17. He has a strong urge to tease, and doesn't mean to cause offense, but sometimes does. I apologise too, for other occasions of upset given to you on this forum. For the most part we are careful with our thoughts and words, but sometimes due to our human natures we slip.

May I ask? Having returned your two to the pet shop owner, did you come home empty handed, and now must wait for two months before there are pups ready?

[smux]

I was paying attention, just I read a lot of posts and I get them mixed up all the time...but I'm sure you understand how "I got rid of them because I cant breed them" can be misconstrued. If it had been worded "I got rid of them because I didn't think I could handle the pregnancy" or something similar it might not have been misread.

And DC, I wasn't teasing, you know that...but this case is a classic Asperger moment as I tend to take things at first glance so I don't see other possibilities in what was said.

[deguconvert]

You're right, Smux, I do know that, being familiar with Asperger's. However . . . and hopefully you will be OK with this . . . as I have become accustomed to your style of writing and replying, I have found myself interpreting some/or more of what you say as being a tease. Not all that you say, just parts of it.

[smux]

As long as you know it's an interpretation (much like my response was to an interpretation of what he wrote above) and might not be right, I'm fine with it :-P