Should I still get the degus?

[Deleted]

So today I got to meet the 4 degus that I am getting in around a couple of weeks. Up until now I have been incredibly excited considering how loving and nice the degus were at pets at home. However when I got to meet mine, it shocked me how different they were.

The current owner got them from their cage in the top floor of her house and bought them downstairs for me too see them. She mentioned that they hadn't been here since they were very young (they are now 4 months). When she opened up the carry case, all four of them were backing into a corner which I presume means they are scared. She took one out for me to handle and, although he was wriggly, was quite comfortable to wander around my hands and shoulders until he was put back in the carry cage.

After that, the current owner showed me her other degus - including a 9 day old baby. She took the baby out to show me and he was very calm until he got put back in the cage. The mum suddenly started making lots of loud noises, which to me sounded like alarm calls. I wasn't surprised considering her baby had just been taken from her.

Whilst that was happening, the owner let me hold one of my other soon to be degus who was much calmer and happy just sitting in my hands. As the mother's calls got louder, the once calm degu suddenly bit me and scrambled off my hand - it left me a bit shocked and upset.

The bite was quite deep so it bled for a while but I did leave the owner's house wondering whether the degu just generally didn't like being handled or whether it thought I was the predator considering the other degu's calls.

What I want to know is basically if this is a normal thing that I shouldn't be worried about and that maybe if the other degu wasn't being so noisy it may have not bitten me. Do you think the degu will randomly bite me again if I go through with getting them or not? Any similar cases or reassurance would be great. Also, if the degu does have a problem with handling is 4 months old young enough to be able to get him used to it? Overall, should I get these degus?

[Lrak]

I dont know a great deal about Degus but to me it sounds like they just have to get used to you, ive had this with a few other animals ive had, but as ive said i dont know too much about Degus to know if its the same.

[Deleted]

I was thinking that but what made me feel this was strange was the sudden change of temperament. One minute he was calm being held and stroked by me and next he bit me and clutched a bit which hurt.

[Kins]

If I'm totally honest, it was a little irresponsible of the current owner to just kind of thrust them on you. Degus take time to adjust.

I took on my first pair at about a year old and my second pair were about 8 months when I got them.

At first they were all very wary of me, very jumpy, ran away from any noise and were just generally on edge.

It does take them a fair while to get used to you.

All 4 of mine now very rarely freak unless a noise spooks them. They are pretty chilled, I can open the cage door and they just mooch about. Sometimes they come on my hands, other rimes not. It depends how they feel.

I've only ever been bitten by them twice when breaking up a fight. They don't bite often at all, I imagine the degu you were holding was just on edge and something spooked him and his only defence mechanism was to bite.

Think how you would feel if some 7 foot tall stranger came and totally invaded your personal space, I would think you might feel somewhat uncomfortable too, until you had got to know them.

My 4 only really feel comfortable around me as my OH doesn't interact with them at all. It does take time with degus.

So...if you are sure you'd like some degus, there is no reason at all as to why you shouldn't adopt these ones.

It may only take them a few days to get used to you, but on the other hand it could take a couple of months. As long as you are prepared to put the time and effort in with them there is no reason why they shouldn't feel totally comfortable with you in time.

Hope that makes sense, sorry about the slight essay

[Deleted]

Thanks

I think I'm going to go through with getting them. I can understand they'd be scared around me. I don't think they get handled much anyway. Does anyone think it could have been the mother's alarm calls that could have triggered him?

[ntg]

The thing is though, you are entirely new to them, they would have been spooked by the mother calling (who wouldn't be worried at a complete stranger holding your baby). But you mentioned they were cowering in a corner (probably because they had nowhere to hide if they wanted to), it sounds like they were on edge from the get-go. I'm no expert with goos but I know animals of various species which will sit there quietly while you stroke them, scared at the contact, and then suddenly strike out if it gets too much for them.
As for the handling thing, some degus just don't like being handled, you can't just grab them whenever you feel like it, and I think the owner should have known that and just let you sit out with them while they play with a few oats or something instead. Ours aren't fans of hands, but they are more than willing to use us as a playground for running about on.

[Deleted]

Hiya,

Thanks yeah I see where you are coming from newtogoos. One of the reason I want 4 of them is that I am bound to get at least 1 who wants to be handled. To be honest, I'm thinking I have overreacted now. I had my hopes high that they would want to straight away be near me like the ones at P@H. The pets at home degus were probably just be thankful to get out of their tiny cage! I'm almost definitely getting those degus now. The excitement has started again

[ntg]

I have 4, saying that Pippin is happy to climb up onto my shoulder if I'd let him, he's also the smartest though which makes me think he only does it so he has a chance to escape lol

[Deleted]

I can't wait to suss out my degus personalities. That's probably the only way I will be able work out who's who! They look so similar.

[moletteuk]

Is this a breeder or are you 'adopting'? I'm puzzled why the owner didn't let you see them in their current cage, or did I misunderstand? What were the housing conditions of the degus you did see in their cage?

With there being so many degus looking to be rehomed, I'd be reluctant to buy from somebody who didn't seem top notch.

As Kins has said, it's very unusual to get bitten out of the blue, but the owner wasn't being very sensible in taking a scared degu and putting it in the hands of a stranger. Degus really do not take to being forcibly handled at all.

Go with your gut instincts.

[Deleted]

It was an unexpected litter aparently. I don't understand why I couldn't see them in their cage, it was upstairs and I know some people are reluctant with showing strangers upstairs. The housing conditions seemed good, she had a giant cage full of toys and wood to chew on and apparently the degus I'm getting live in a cage almost identical. I wouldn't be surprised if the owner was on here!
I simply don't think that they are handled much considering the amount of degus that were there, I think they are kept as pets but there are a lot of them (don't worry the cage is big enough). Am I the only one who thinks its the mother's alarm calls that may have triggered it?

[deguconvert]

I expect it was a combination of it's uncertainty and fear at being handled, and then the calls of the mother, which probably just tipped the little one over the edge of fear and discomfort into reaction.

[Deleted]

I think I should get them. I can't blame the little guy for being scared, can I?
He's too cute for me to be angry. 20 something days till I get them!

[deguconvert]

Of course you should get them!!! Not a doubt! Before long the rest of the forum will be joining you in your count down of days.

[Deleted]

I find it quite funny that I haven't even got any degus yet and I already have 4 stars to my name. I wouldn't be surprised if I got 5 stars before I got them. It goes to show how totally obsessed I am with them already! In a good way though, I'm sure they'll love me eventually.

[jenowuk]

As everyone has said, they all have their own personality and it will take time for them to learn they can trust you. But it's so worth it! Bob my eldest goo, who's been with us for 2 years now, thinks my husband and I are his personal climbing frame. If we're home, he's out. When we first open his cage, he has his silly half hour, which is running all over the place and burning off lots of energy. But then he settles down, and either stretches out between us on the sofa, or curls up on your lap to nap. So cute:-)

[Deleted]

I really cannot wait! I am a bit worried that the one who bit me is a skittish one, a bit scared he will bite me again. It didn't hurt too much so I guess I shouldn't worry. I just hope he forgets that he was scared of me so we can start over!

[bijett]

I've only been biten once and it was my fault for trying to grab Mollie while she was happy mooching aroundon the decking. But boy did it hurt!!! Lol
What I've learnt with degus is that they decide if they want to jump on you or not, they decide if they want to sit on your shoulder and have a nibble of your hair, they decide if they're happy for you to tickle their belly or not, not you, they decide! Lol

[Deleted]

Haha. I'll bear that in mind

[jenowuk]

When we first got Bob, he was a rescue. He was a year old, and obviously hadn't been handled much and was very wary of everything. So to start with, we would just open his cage and rest a hand next to the door, then ignore him. To make this easier on us, we positioned his cage next to the sofa, so his door was in line with the arm of the sofa.

He started off just coming over and sniffing, then would put his paws on our hand, and eventually worked up the courage to jump out of his cage and sit on our hands. Within a week, he was exploring further, climbing up our arms to get to the sofa and the rest of us. Each time we let him go back in his own time, and gave him a little treat. Now, as I posted earlier, he thinks the sofa is his playground and we're his climbing frame!

The key is patience, and in the beginning, no sudden movements. They'll then begin to recognise you and include in their pack:-)