New Behaviour And Taming

[amie]

I opened Stefan and Damon's cage yesterday and before I knew it Stefan just LAUNCHED himself at me and landed on my shoulder! He looked at me for a second like "I can't believe I've just done that either, woman!" and then walked down my arm and back into his cage. When he jumped on my shoulder (it was quite a leap and he really clinged on to me) I let out a bit of an "arrrrrrgg" because I wasn't expecting it! Stefan being Stefan, I thought he was going to nip my ear and run off or something! lol. He's really never done anything like this before and I'm wondering what made him do it and WHY he did it?! It was like a child clinging to it's parents leg or something. Totally weird and a new experience for me. He's happy being tickled all the time (he's an attention seeker), but he's never launched himself at me before.

On another note, I don't seem to be bonding with Damon and my efforts to help him learn to trust me are an epic fail. He'll take food from me and run off, but whenever I try give him a little tickle he lets out a very aggitated noise (you know the one?!), so I back off and leave him to it. I experienced my first REAL degu bite the other day when Damon escaped from the cage. It took me an hour to catch him as I was being very gentle, then when I finally did catch him (I scooped him from underneath quite quickly, but safely) he sunk his teeth into the very end of my index finger! Now... for anyone who's never been seriously bitten, I can tell you this. It doesn't hurt STRAIGHT AWAY. After a few seconds I actually wanted to cry (and I have a high pain threshold!) and oh my.... the blood. I can't even begin to explain how much blood there was. I think I stood and looked at my hand for a little while in shock thinking "Why would you want to hurt me, Damon?!" (yes, I'm a big girl, lol). Anyway, I hope he can still taste the blood.... the little 'sweetheart'. I might even rename him 'Demon'. I've been doing everything the same as with my others in regards to taming and I've been taking it at his pace, but.... suffice to say....Damon hates me, lol.

Oooh, on a more positive note (and soon to be finishing my rant) The two shiney red silent spinners I ordered are here today (which are NOT silent!) Another massive cage is on it's way and me and mine will be joined by a lonely degu named Pedro soon! He has cateracts and he's about one and a half. He's travelling a long way from down south.... hehe (in his own little car) I really can't wait to meet him!

[nickymills30]

you are a total nutter lol

As for damon not trusting you, don't blame yourself. I had a female degu, who i'd bought as a male. Got her in august, and tried everything with her, but she was never like my other goo's Shes gone to live with the other 8 girls i rescued, well, in a cage next to them lol xx

[amie]

I agree. I am somewhat tapped. I made my Degus' cages look like a frikin' circus - got to be some crazy there.

Yeah, he's the only one I'm having trouble convincing that I'm not going to hurt him. I'm not asking to be best friends. I'm just asking him not to bite me! lol.

[harpic01]

The first time my goos jumped i almost died of shock. Our top area is shoulder height so they just jump across to me - but its the fact that i wasnt looking and i was pooing myself they would fall. Now they do it all the time - you can see the back end go just before they do it - a bit like Flood and Wilkinson on the rugby pitch that little wiggle which gets them into the right position and then LAUNCH WEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE and land. Thats followed by a lap of honour to the sounds of ohhhhh ahhhh from the other 3 still in the cage.
I agree with everyone takes time as you know - Squeek who was renamed Valdermort because he kept biting me and running away from me and charging at me - is now the one that leaps out at me and whispers in my ear. Its a man thing just want to be top goo and always right