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Post by ntg on Sept 20, 2012 14:32:42 GMT
We had an incident a month and a bit ago where our degus got stressed out because my OH was trying to stop them from escaping from their play pen while I was realigning it with the cage after cleaning them out. He ended up being bitten by one of them badly enough to draw a lot of blood and ever since they've been at an impasse of sorts. He's been bitten a couple of times since without provocation, as well as Venkman squeeking when he enters the room, and I received a text from him last night saying it happened again with Smeg jumping up to sniff his hand and this time trying to latch on.
He said he had washed his hands thoroughly before getting in with them so they couldn't have smelled of food, so my only other thought is that they might still be bearing a grudge towards him? If this is the case, is there anything we can try to help them to trust him again?
We've already tried putting a clean tshirt of his in that he'd worn for a couple of hours but they completely ignored it, and I'm worried that, if this continues, combined with the stress he's feeling from the noise they make at night (no matter which wheel we try, the way degus run and leap on them means they are never actually silent, to the point where his mam is going crazy as she can hear it downstairs) that he may decide enough is enough and they'll have to go back. Weirdly though, if I'm in the room at night they just settle down and go to sleep.
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 20, 2012 14:47:42 GMT
Hmmm . . . this is a bit of a dilema . . . especiallywith his Mum feeling some night time frustrations with their noice.
Well, he will have to work to build a relationship with them again, almost as though they've never met each other. So, sitting beside the closed cage and talking to them, offering treats through the bars/or openings that will work. Sunflower seeds/pumpkin seeds broken in half and given fairly freely will help to start building interest and a grudging desire to come to him to get the treats at least. He needs to be careful to hold them out from the tips of his fingers so that they only grab the seed and don't choose to bite him while they are there. With that in mind, I'm going to revise the suggestion to break the seeds in half and say use them whole . . . in shell if at all possible!!! These are bigger, can be held better by your OH, take some time for the degu to open (which also increases the interest value), and should reduce the zip by bitting potential. As they begin to come to the opening for the treats more readily, showing excitement to see him . . . then he should begin to place his hand inside with the treats resting on his palm. Once they are coming to his palm well, then sitting inside the play pen with them. If you can work it so that your OH is the main giver of treats, that will help, too, because as we all know . . . Degus Live,LOVE, and Learn through their stomachs.
As for how long can they hold a grudge? A LONG TIME, so the sooner this type of bonding plan is implemented, the better for you all.
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Post by ntg on Sept 20, 2012 15:15:56 GMT
I'm going to get some foam or something similar for under the cage in the hope this will act as a buffer for the downstairs (apparently it's loud, but I've always had a very vocal cockatiel in the living room at my house so I never notice background noise that much).
I'll make sure to pick up a bag of sunflower seeds from the petshop when I'm there tomorrow and give it a go.
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 20, 2012 15:35:14 GMT
I hope that will work . . . cork is a good sound absorber as well. They certainly can be noisey! It often surprises me how much noise I can hear through the floor, as the degus riot around or run on the wheels after we've gone to bed. They are in the room directly above my daughters bedroom, so I hear them when I am seeing her off for the night, but they don't seem to bother her at all . . . at least she never complains about them. Even their chewing on branches is sometimes translated loudly through the floor. So, I feel for your OH's Mum.
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Post by ntg on Sept 20, 2012 15:50:37 GMT
Hmm cork would probably be better than foam for if they got a hold of a corner and chewed a bit during free-range wouldn't it? Also doesn't need to be as thick as foam so I might give it a go and hope it works! Thanks DC  |
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Post by dusty on Sept 20, 2012 17:20:23 GMT
I agree the cork would probably work better. Some people suggest taking the wheel out at night but I'm personally not a fan of that idea. How long does a grudge last ---- errrr spose it depends on the degus tolerance. Our Trouble on her first venture out of the cage (more of an accidental escape really), I panicked, the OH panicked poor Trouble panicked and lept to the floor, did she jump or was she pushed, maybe she just fell she is the clumsy one. Although she was still friendly it has taken until the last 2 weeks for her to look out the cage door(unless playtime is offered) and has only just started to allow us to stroke her etc. So that's been about 4 months, I don't think it was a grudge as such, more that she didn't quite trust us. I still think we tend to panic way more than they do  |
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Post by ntg on Sept 20, 2012 17:28:03 GMT
The wheels a problem during the day never mind the night  I think my only other option for that is to attach it to a block of wood and velcro it to the floor to stop it from banging when they leap on it. And maybe cover the surface with a woven mat of some sort. They're really stretching my imagination at the minute lol! |
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Post by listracian on Sept 21, 2012 8:28:01 GMT
A little trick that might help when it comes to him handling them, when it comes to it. If you can get some of their bedding out and put it in a box then your OH can basically wash his hands and arms in their bedding. If he smells more like them it is more likely they will relax around him. Its something that is usually used with hamsters as they get really territorial.
If he has problems sleeping then take the wheels out but put like some branches or other nibbly things in so they still have something to do. Generally taking the wheels out at night will help get them into a sleep at night pattern. The other thing is to cover them over at night or when they seem stressed, just to help calm them down. If you have a large sheet or something that will just hide them from view, it will help stop the degus getting stressed, it is also a good way to help them get use to your OH's voice again as they don't have to be stressed out by seeing the 'evil guy' as it were. Don't keep them covered all the time but it sounds like they are getting seriously stressed and it will help. I wouldn't normally suggest covering them but if everyone is stressed, people and degus its possibly a way to just help neutral the ground on both sides. It will help the degus grow confident in their surroundings again as well, on the off chance that being in the room with your OH is what is stressing them out. It just gives everyone a time out kinda thing and will calm down the squeaking etc.
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Post by ntg on Sept 21, 2012 10:13:03 GMT
The squeaking is settled down pretty quickly, I always make sure I go over and calm him down when it happens. But the wheel thing is a no go, they get more stressed out by a lack of wheel and no matter how much wood is in there, they go for the bars instead. Could try the bedding thing, don't know what my OH will think of that though (he's a bit squeamish when it comes to cleanin them out etc). The sheet is an interesting idea, I'll see how it goes without for now and try DCs suggestion as they only seem stressed when he first enters the room and settle down quickly afterwards. Thanks |
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Post by jenowuk on Sept 23, 2012 8:37:36 GMT
One thing a friend of mine tried, when she was being introduced to new goos, was to rub the sand from their bath with her hands. The natural oils from her skin then infuse the sand, which the goos bathe in, reinforcing the family/friend bond.
If the goos are noisy at night, I think I would suggest taking the wheel out, or putting a block on it, so it doesn't turn. Goos are diurnal animals, so they should sleep at night, not be active. You might only have to do this for a week or two, just long enough to get them in the habit of settling down at night and not running.
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 23, 2012 21:21:43 GMT
That is a really cool idea, rubbing the "clean" bath sands through your hands. (LOL can you imagine it if were otherwise . . . ewwww) I can see that working really well!!
I'm so glad that you've put that in, Jenowuk!!
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