Help - babies lost their mother today!

[Deleted]

This is my first post and I wish it was a happier one - our two male degus that we bought from the pet shop turned out to be one male and one female and the inevitable happened. Mum gave birth a couple of days ago, but unfortunately passed away tonight with an infected womb despite the vet's best attempts to save her.

We've been given cat milk which we have to make up to hand rear them and feed them every two hours.

However, we have a few questions which our vet could not answer and we wondered whether anybody has any ideas or other advice they can share -

1. We have temporarily separated them from their Dad as this only happened a couple of hours ago and we have just got back from the vets. Should we be doing this? We have them in a separate smaller house at the moment which is being heated from underneath by a garden propagator, as we can regulate the heat on this.

2. If we can't put them back in with Dad now, will we be able to put them back in at any point?

3. We are trying to keep them as warm as possible and mimic the sound of their mum. Should we keep handling to a minimum?

4. Any other advice?!?

Any suggestions gratefully received.

Many thanks to you all in anticipation of your help.

[jacky]

Hi sorry to hear what happened if you type in Degutopia (its another site) it will come up with Search type in Hand Rearing and it has a lot of very helpful advice. Hope this helps. Let us know how it goes.

[Deleted]

Hi Jacky and thanks for your reply - that website was very helpful.

The good news so far is that, with my partner and I taking it in shifts through the night, both pups have survived the night and are taking loads of milk at each feeding time ;D

My main worry at the moment is should we have separated them from their Dad, or should we leave them in the cage with him, as when Mum was alive he seemed to be helping out in the childcare. He now seems very sad and alone because his babies have been taken out and he cant find his mate

[taipan]

i think you should keep them in with dad. I'm no expert but i do remember reading another thread on this site saying that in the wild the father plays a big part in the little ones upbringing. ill see if i can find it and post a link .http://deguworld.proboards31.com/index.cgi?board=breeding&action=display&thread=2812&page=1#17467
thats not the one i was looking for but deguconvert is saying a similar thing. you will have to copy and paste cos i dont know how to link it

[Deleted]

Well Taipan,we though we'd try putting them in with Dad after your reply, and it seems to have worked! ;D

Dad gave what sounded like a degu squeal of joy when they were introduced back into the cage, and is currently incubating them while building up the nest around them - fingers crossed for the moment!

Thanks for the link Taipan

Thanks for the help so far

[deguconvert]

Putting them back in with Dad was definitely the right thing to do. He will give them the nurture they need, teaching them the things they need to know about being a degu. He will help them stay warm, make sure they are functioning properly was far as their "elimination" is concerned, and do whatever else they need to grow up a proper degu. You just need to keep up the supply of milk. Between you, your partner, and Dad, they should be well able to thrive. It will be a little tiring over the next little while, I'm afraid, and they will want milk up to a minimum of four weeks of age. They may want it until 6 weeks, that is not at all unusual, and is healthy for them. By six weeks it would be less through the day and not at all at night.

I applaud you for taking them on. You will probably develop a deep bond with these babies!

[hectorhoudini]

awww bless - I'm so glad dad is stepping into the roll- lots of luck with the babies and I hope they pull through - so sad to hear about mum though!!! as deguconvert said you should have an amazing bond with these when they are a bit older!