Next step for taming.

[Deleted]

Okay, so my goos have been with me for two days and this is what I have achieved in taming. They will accept food from my hand, one of them will put his two front paws on my hand to see if there is any more food. Another will reluctantly let me tickle his ear (which I'm sure he secretely likes) if he gets another treat afterwards. The other two will eat near me after I give it to them. They do get a little scared when I put my hand in but if they notice I'm here to give treats they don't mind too much.
So what I'm wondering is where do I go from here?
They recognise me as no threat but as a food source not a friend. When I put my hand in the cage (treats or no treats) they would much rather carry on playing than coming to expect, if I want to give them a treat I have to put it infront of their noses.
Basically, how do I get them to be interested in coming near me and recognise me as a friend?
I would like for them to come into my hand and for me to be able to stroke them eventually.
I am aware this takes time but I just need them to be interested in coming towards me and to not just carry on playing.
Thanks xx

[Lrak]

With my girls i just took it one day at a time, i spent a few hours over the day (not all in one go) with the door open and my hands and face being near the door, when they come over i would give them some food or just talk to them in a soft voice. I didn't give them food or treats every time as i didnt want them seeing meas just the food man, i've made that mistake before with hamsters and every time you put your hand in they would nibble or bite thinking you had food (not sure if degus are the same but i didnt want to risk it)
Then when they got used to me going over i would just open the door, get down low somy head, arms and shoulders were on the same level as them and let them climb out on to me, They would normally get a treat then as they looked at me with the sweet look in their eyes

[deguconvert]

Degus are very intelligent and they will get past seeing you as the giver of food, to someone of greater interest . . . provided you are patient, persistent, and calm in your interactions with them. You open the door to this through their stomachs, yes, but the more you interact with them ALONG with the food, the more they will start to see you as someone they are curious about, interested in, and becoming attached to. AND depending on how much time you spend with them, some may even bond with you.

Two days is a very small amount of time, and you need to be what may seem to you as heroically patient. Degus take time to know their people, and if we get too pushy or impatient we can undo what we have accomplished. Sometimes this happens as a result of an accidental event, such as closing a tail in the door, dropping something near the cage and making a terrible noise, a degu getting out and escaping for a number of hours or longer, changing the location of the cage, and other unexpected events. So, interact with them as often through the day as you are able, don't be afraid to appeal to their stomachs, and be patient beyond what you thought you were capable of being. It is SO worth the effort!!

[Deleted]

Thanks guys. I just can't see how they will become curious in me, it's likey they know someone is there but they choose to ignore me

[deguconvert]

Time, love, it takes time. I know, you want it all right now, which is common to all humanity, but . . . this will take time.

[Deleted]

I know, it's just so exciting. Warbling means happy right. When mine fight they warble lol!

[deguconvert]

It's not really fighting, more like play at this stage, and as they age, the "boxing" as we call it will be part of their daily interactions to a degree. Like the humping, it helps to keep everyone in good standing with their colony.

[Deleted]

It is really cute when they warble though. Wish humans had some kind of warble

[moletteuk]

It helps if you take the time spent hoping and waiting and being patient and use it to watch them and learn what makes them tick, it will really stand you in good stead if you can try to see the world from their point of view, plus it's fascinating!

[Deleted]

I've had a bit of a breakthrough with them. I did what everyone said, I just stood outside outside of the cage and talked to them. I gave them each a treat and then they started to become more curious. I basically put treats in three different places on my hand:
my fingers
my palm
my wrist

Basically they worked their way up until I managed to get Joey to sit on my hand to reach the treats on my wrist and stay their to eat them. I managed to get Chandy (officially Chandler but he has many nicknames) to eat the ones on my fingers and that says a lot considering he is the most scardy-cat-ish. The other two are somewhere in between.

Really happy with that result

[deguconvert]

Bravo!! Well done, love!

[Deleted]

Thank you! Woke up this morning and I couldn't see any of them. Looked everywhere in the cage and I just couldn't find them, any of them. I started to get worried a proceeded to look for any escape routes. Then I found them. It was so cute. All cuddled up in one of the hammocks, all fast asleep. They're still there now - it's gorgeous!

[Lrak]

Grats on the taming you are doing well

[Deleted]

Thanks
Today they were all happy eating off my hand. Even 'The Chan Chan Man' (aka Chandler). It was great, they just seemed so comfortable around me and this time they didn't just carry on with what they were doing, they actually were interested in coming to me. Marley fell off reaching a treat from me. So sweet! When would you say was the appropriate time to start holding them and letting them climb on you? When would you trust them not to run off?

[deguconvert]

You are doing great, but I would say give yourself a week of continuing where you are at for now, and then let them explore your arms and shoulders. This will just work to give you more and more confidence with them, and they with you.

[Deleted]

Okay sounds great. I am so excited They also did something they've not done before is that they took treats off another person. My good friend Ellie came over to see them and I warned her that they weren't fond of new people but after I gave them a couple of treats, they were going mad over us. Yay! Oh yes and one funny thing they did yesterday was that, Marley decided he was going to bring one of the wooden arch thing down to the bottom floor with him. He proceeded to drop it down the ladder bringing the ladder down with him. He ended up jumping after it and he couldn't get back up and poor Leroy was stuck up there! Marley kept trying to jump up which was funny (didn't realize how high they can jump) but eventually I had to put the ladder back. It was funnier when you were there...but nevermind! I'm happy

[Lrak]

Mine will move things around the cage all the time, it's really funny to watch, its like "Men! they have no idea of interior design!"

[moletteuk]

You need to be well prepared before you let them out of the cage, door closed, room checked for holes and other places you wouldn't be able to get them back from, wires out the way, tubes at the ready for retrieving them. Remember any load noise and then could panic and scarper away from you in a flash.

Sounds like you and they are already doing really well