New owner :)

[jackkp]

Hi all, i am new to the degu world.

i am a student and decided to get some degus with my earning over this summer. i have brought two girls (bubbles and squeak) from a center near me, both have just passed 8 weeks old. The degu arrived home yesterday and have been chillin' out in there cage i purchased from pets at home.

I have looked all over the net and different sites tell me different ways to help bring up a relationship with my degus. I am looking for a small bit of advise on what to do for the first few days/weeks etc.. with my degus.

One of them, squeak, is a very loud degu. She squeaks at almost any sign of movement in my room. She kept me up all night last night due to her squeaking, so i named her squeak . The other one, bubbles, is a slightly fatter degu than squeak and all she has done so far is sleep and eat, so i decided to call her bubbles - off of little Britain

i am wondering if this squeaking could mean anything, is she unhappy or anything?

thanks for any replies.
jack.

[debdegu]

Degus squeak in a new envoirment, they take about a week to settel in. They take you after a week, just dont rush it, give them food through the bat to build up trust then eventully you can go to holding them to about 5 seconds then they want to run heh

[stargirlj]

Hi welcome, I am no expert on taming Degu, my boys, I adopted at 6 months of age so they have never really liked being held. They gives 5-10 mins If they are feelin like it. If not I get a nibble. I just let it be as they weren't babies when I got them so will never be fully cuddly but we cope. They will sit one for free play or club up and down me if in a diff room.
I do sit with my hand in the cage tho with food on it so they trust me it's a good way to start to get them to like you. Really that's all the advice I can give I'm afraid apart from reward them with a fav treat when then approach you or sit on your hand or touch you. I find Degu trust through full stomachs lol. One last thing, Don't be put off by nibbles, if they nibble try not to jump or pull away. Aslong as they haven't drawn blood it means they are just bonding/tasting you. Hope this helps

[Lrak]

But it does shock you when the nibble on your knuckle for the first time but dont let that put you off as it didnt hurt at all.


Oh and welcome

[jackkp]

Thank you for the replies

My degu have already stopped there squeaking - however they are now going through the stage that I believe to be the dominance stage. One female is mounting the other one, and this then leads to a boxing match between the degu.

I have already been sat down near the cage for hours getting them used to my voice etc.. I have even been able to give them a treat from my fingers through the cage

Any more advice for a new owner is much appreciated

[dusty]

The boxing seems to be a general thing they just do..
You could youtube something by "nightwish Raven" there are some very helpfull vids. on taming and training etc.
www.degutopia.co.uk
There is also a lot of info on the above (which I think includes taming etc..)