pip
Newborn Degu
Posts: 17
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Post by pip on Feb 5, 2008 0:08:46 GMT
Hi all, New to the forum and have a bit of a panic - we got our 2 'boys' (well, we were told they were both boys..) just before xmas and my partner has come home this evening to discover a litter (2 at least).. we have Chinchilla's and know you should remove the father after birth to aoid breed back but have seen conflicting advise about degu's - can anyone advise on what we should do on that and any other advise you can shower upon us? we've left him in so far as he is helping with the nest and has probably been left with her for quite a few hours as we work during the day so thought it a bit late to take him out.. well that was different for a monday evening! thanks all.. oh, and hi! Pip
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Post by Lala on Feb 5, 2008 9:56:37 GMT
Awww congratulations on the degu babies bit of an unexpected shock I can imagine! You should really take him out for the first couple of days. Now you know you have a mixed sex pair you're going to have to split them up. Depending how many pups there are, keep a female to keep mum company and a male to keep dad company and try and find loving homes [if there are any left over]. OR you'll have to get your male neutered. The dad does help mum with nesting and parenting BUT female degus are at their most fertile 24 hours after birth. You get your 'boys' from PAH by any chance? Hope that helps .x.x.x.
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Post by bluediamond on Feb 5, 2008 10:39:39 GMT
You get your 'boys' from PAH by any chance? Hope that helps .x.x.x. Hehe - thats what I was gonna say. My 2 boys are nesting at the mo, better re-check the sexes.
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pip
Newborn Degu
Posts: 17
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Post by pip on Feb 5, 2008 12:02:19 GMT
Thanks for that.. yeah, little bit of a shock, doesn't help that I'm away house sitting at the moment! doh! We left them together, partly because he seemed to be helping out with the babies and nest, and partly because we don't have a spare cage at the moment.. just hope we don't have a repeat in 90 days! Yup, we got our 'boys' from PAH.. took their word for it I guess, didn't think to sex them and just thought he was getting a little fat from over eating.. not that we are over feeding, just pellet mix and hay.. hindsight is a great thing! just thinking actually, maybe she got pregnant while still at PAH with the others (they were in a group of 4-5).. will have to sex the 'chap' just to make sure I think.. thanks
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Post by kerry on Feb 5, 2008 23:14:18 GMT
i agree with lala, the female can get pregnant very quickly.
just another p@h blunder hey.
congratulationd by the way. i was blessed with 4 unexpected babies 3 weeks ago.
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Post by kerry on Feb 5, 2008 23:29:59 GMT
by the way where are you from?
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pip
Newborn Degu
Posts: 17
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Post by pip on Feb 7, 2008 17:22:35 GMT
thanks for the advice.. have now found out there are 4 pups in the nest but they've not been out and about as yet, very lively (and noisy) in the nest though.. I still haven't seen them yet!!! (getting updates over the phone), at wot age is it easy/best to sex the pups? Kerry, I'm from Farnham common Pip
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Post by kerry on Feb 8, 2008 0:05:58 GMT
they are ready to be sexed at about 5ish weeks. at the moment mine all look the same and they are 3 weeks and 2 days.
what bedding are they on?
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pip
Newborn Degu
Posts: 17
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Post by pip on Feb 8, 2008 13:03:03 GMT
Ok, it's going to be a while yet then. At the moment they are in a wire mesh cage but have put grass mats on the floor so they don't fall through. They are sleeping in a round ball type nest made from seagrass type stuff with bits of paper/cloth type bedding.. should be home tonight so will be able to see what's going on and take a few pics hopefully
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Post by kerry on Feb 8, 2008 23:23:55 GMT
woo hoo piccies. my babies are special needs poor things.
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pip
Newborn Degu
Posts: 17
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Post by pip on Feb 9, 2008 14:48:13 GMT
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Post by kerry on Feb 9, 2008 22:11:07 GMT
aah they are all beautiful. i'm so jealous, yours have hair. he he he
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Post by deguconvert on Feb 10, 2008 0:47:36 GMT
They are so sweet, all curled up in their little nest!! I would probably just sit there and oooo and awwww at them for a while, lol! Babies are just the cutest!
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Post by kimberley on Feb 10, 2008 10:27:04 GMT
special needs?
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Post by Lala on Feb 10, 2008 15:30:51 GMT
jfdkjkf! awwwwwwwwwww ;D soooooo bootiful! The mummy looks really proud in the first picture! bless them all! .x.x.x.
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Post by kerry on Feb 10, 2008 23:10:57 GMT
he he. they have no hair...
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pip
Newborn Degu
Posts: 17
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Post by pip on Feb 16, 2008 14:01:01 GMT
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Post by kerry on Feb 16, 2008 22:29:51 GMT
they are so beautiful. they look err 'complete' compared to mine he he.
have you decided what you are going to do with them?
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Post by deguconvert on Feb 17, 2008 5:18:00 GMT
They are sweet as can be! Thanks for the pics. They are so tiny in those hands!
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pip
Newborn Degu
Posts: 17
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Post by pip on Feb 18, 2008 15:01:13 GMT
Well, at the moment I'm thinking that I'll keep them unless I can find any homes for them which is doubtful (also they are so cute at the moment, wouldn't want to! ;o) PaH said they would take them back but I don't like the thought of that, would rather keeps them. The new cage is arriving on friday so will have a bit more room - still unsure if we should remove the dad when we move them into the new cage so just mum and babies are together, not sure how this will effect Dad?
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