New 10month old degus

[jordegu]

I have been given some 10 month old Degus and i'm wondering if there were any good tips for training older Degus that have been partly trained then left to their own devices for a time due to the old owners not having enough time for them (hence why they gave them to me). I have tried to reward them with Oats but they don't seem too bothered about them and they seem unwilling to leave their cage as of yet.
They are ok with me hand feeding them in the cage but sometimes when i try to reward them for coming up to my hand and investigating my hand they won't take the food.
What has seemed most successful are the pea flakes Ive picked out of their mixed food but they will still sometimes not take it and just have a sniff and a look around my hand.

[ntg]

I don't think there's too much difference really, apart from they might be a little more stubborn of course.

The trick to all degu training is patience and finding a treat they just can't resist (in my case sunflower or coriander seeds). Everything needs to be taken at their pace and try not to push them or you might destroy the progress you've made.

I'm just starting to get my lot relatively well trained (there's a long story as to why it took me over a year to do it), yet they will never be the types who like strokes or cuddles. It's just something you have to be prepared for. One of the best things I have in my arsenal is a playpen big enough to sit and lie-down in that's joined to the cage. It allows the degus to come out and return to their cage, where they feel safe, whenever they want and explore me in their own time. At first I just sat there quietly, giving them treats for approaching me, and then making them stretch so they had to put their front paws on me, eventually leading to them being happy to jump up on my legs. Now with further training I've convinced 3 of them that my shoulder is a fantastic place to hang out and the fourth that my hand isn't so bad after all.

For now though, I would say the best move is to test out loads of different treats on them until you find one they really can't resist! Oil seeds or dried veg are usually good bets

[moletteuk]

I think it's a case of putting the time in and finding the right treat. Can you sit right up to the cage with the door open, and then just sit there still? If you do this repeatedly they will get used to you being there and when they feel confident they will come and investigate you.
Have a look at the oil seeds and dried veg options, or even tiny pieces of nuts on the nutrition charts for some more treat options deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15602/vegetable-seed-nut-nutrition-charts