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Post by jaked247 on Jun 27, 2013 9:30:48 GMT
I have had 2 degu girls now for about a month and in a bombshell I've decided it's time to make a big effort to get them use to being handled and learning their names. Any tips for teaching a degu it's name? Or teaching them to be handled?
Jake
update: one of my degus is really calm around me but the other squeals a lot and hides when people go near the cage, any help with this too?
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Post by moletteuk on Jul 1, 2013 11:50:24 GMT
Hi jaked247, sorry for the delay in replying. Food is usually the key to any sort of training, it's a matter of finding what treats your degus find irresistible, there is bound to be something that even the shy degu will find worth overcoming her fears for. Oil seeds or dried veg are a good place to start, have a look at the food charts for lots of ideas deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15602/vegetable-seed-nut-nutrition-chartsPatience is the other thing you need, particularly with shy degus, they seem to respond best if you hold a treat out and keep still, let them come to you, let them make the next move. As they get more used to you, move the treat further up your hand so they have to walk further onto to your hand for the treat, and then you can hold the treat in one hand with you other hand in between the degu and the treat so they have to walk right onto your hand for the treat. Also small loose treats like small seeds can work well if you put quite a few in your hand they have to stay to eat them, they can't just run off with the item. My degus completely ignore my voice unless I yell at them, so I've never had any luck teaching them their names, but others seem to learn. I think it's a case of calling them, luring them and rewarding them. The scared degu might just take longer to settle in, she will probably always be more flighty, just talk to her whenever you walk past, try not to make sudden movements or wave your arms etc. |
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Post by ntg on Jul 2, 2013 20:01:21 GMT
Food really is the way to win them round, if my lot so much as hear a rattle of their treat box then they'll be sat in a row begging for their food! As far as teaching names go I think that depends on how determined you are and how stubborn they are! Sometimes my lot will respond, but usually just to me saying "Come on" and clucking at them as they know that means treat time if I'm in the playpen with them. I did try at first to teach them to come over by their names but it proved fruitless trying to teach one when all four came bounding over whenever they saw food on the go  |
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