|
Post by ladyalex on Jun 21, 2014 11:28:27 GMT
Where to start? I was given two male degus Brown and Grey (+ cage and accessories) when a friend emigrated to Hong Kong. Her boys were 2-3 years old, in good health and sociable with humans although they did fight against each other sometimes. After only 3 months one died, no idea why, was absolutely fine one night and dead in the cage the next day. So we adopted an unwanted male degu (Stripe who was neither brown nor grey) from Pets at Home and the two were very happy.
However 3 ½ months later, Brown (my original boy) became very fat and gave birth to 10 pups (1 sadly died at birth).
So my original boys were girls! Brown is a very good mum, 3 days on the pups are doing well and she is healthy and nursing her babies. We separated Stripe to the downstairs of the cage and he is a little stressed at not being able to go upstairs to his family.
Here is the dilemma – what to do now? Do I give up Stripe and get him adopted again (probably at Pets at Home after the weekend if there is space) or get his bits cut off? The operation is just under £100 and carries a certain amount of risks with a small furry. What is kinder for him – a risky op or adoption to a new home?
I will certainly keep Brown and a couple of her girls to keep her company but have to get the others adopted as the cage will not fit 10!!!
How do I get the others adopted – any forums you can suggest, gumtree or local pet stores?
And what to do with dad now, do I let him back after 7 days (I read he can get mum pregnant again the week after she has given birth) or do I make a decision on him (keep/snip or go) now?
I am a little stressed with all of this and at being a grandmother to 9! Any advice or help with my sanity is greatly appreciated!
xXx
|
|
|
Post by saddlers on Jun 21, 2014 14:10:15 GMT
As long as your vet is experienced with degus the op should not be too risky. I have had two degus neutered now and would not hesitate to do it again.
|
|
|
Post by ladyalex on Jun 21, 2014 17:40:08 GMT
Thanks saddlers, the Pets at Home vet did not even have degu down as an animal to neuter, had to be classed as rodent if it was on the system (which it wasn't) so is classed as a guinea pig! Nurse said she only knew of 3 being done before, all of which were ok.
On a positive note I have named them all... in true Star Trek fashion (which probably only geeks would understand) they are called one of nine, two of nine, three of nine etc
xXx
|
|
|
Post by Karma on Jun 21, 2014 20:58:08 GMT
So I'm guessing seven of nine is a girl which you are keeping?
|
|
|
Post by ladyalex on Jun 22, 2014 14:36:08 GMT
Oh yes that's the one!!!!!
Just a quick questions - when can I let the dad back in with mum and the goos? They were born Wednesday, can I let him back this week, is there a danger she can get pregnant again so quickly?
|
|
|
Post by Karma on Jun 22, 2014 15:08:43 GMT
I think it's 3 days after the birth when the mom is the most fertile (actually it's the first 24 hours after the birth that is most likely to get pregnant again). But remember that the female will go into heat every 3 weeks roughly so you will have to have to keep track and remove the male for a few days every 3 weeks. You could do that and then sell dad with a couple of his sons once they are weaned (6 weeks or so).
|
|
|
Post by saddlers on Jun 22, 2014 15:41:00 GMT
If you do go down the neutering route, the feedback from our vets was that there should be very few issues with degus now, and that they were very comfortable performing this operation to the extent that they advised that the risk was minimal. I think it is a case of finding the right vet. A lot of people also worry about the costs of the operation, the costs was £52 in both cases for us.
We had used our local vets for years, but when I enquired about the neutering, they actually recommended another vet to us, otherwise I would have probably just gone to our local vets instead of considering an exotic vets.
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Jun 23, 2014 4:22:17 GMT
I would very seriously consider having Stripe neutered. He has a bond with Brown that will endure for the duration of their lives, and that is something you don't want to lose. If you are OK with having the surgery, then I would certainly support it! I do think that you need to call around to some vets though. Degus do not keep their testes in the "rodent" manner. Rodents wear theirs on the outside of the abdominal wall, and degus have them tucked inside the abdominal wall. It is a very different surgery and very important that the vet doing the surgery is well aware of that.
Degu males make excellent fathers, and are extremely helpful to their mate in caring for and educating young pups to good manners and behaviors. If you want to have him back in with Brown, you really need to keep careful track of her cycles, which are every 21 days. I think they are a duration of 48-72 hours. Then they can be back together again, but you really must count or you will find yourself waking up to another litter one day. I think that if you were to separate on day 19, and rejoin them on day 3, then you should well cover the time frame.
As to the pups, I think you should talk to Pets@Home, tell them the dilemma you are facing, and ask them to take the pups when they are 6 weeks of age. In the mean time, make sure you have Stripe neutered so that he can have no further accidents with Brown. (If that is what you choose to pursue.)
|
|
|
Post by Maravilla on Jun 23, 2014 7:01:57 GMT
The other thing you can do is check in a couple of days if there are some boys among the babys and later (with about 7-8 weeks) introduce them to their father. This would be my first option, and more, if there is no vet around able to do the surgery. There can be complications even with a very experienced vet.
What I would not do is put the father back to the family right now, nor in a couple of days. I consider this stressful and pretty dangerous as you really do not know when the next cycle starts. I know about the 21 days... but what if it is irregular? You surely don't want to have another litter. So I would let the father "suffer" right now, check in a couple of days for their sexes and then decide what to do.
|
|
|
Post by anita on Jun 23, 2014 9:08:46 GMT
ladyalex where are you based as someone may be able to recommend a good vet and rehoming options
|
|
|
Post by ladyalex on Jun 23, 2014 16:21:53 GMT
Hi,
I am in East Malling just outside of Maidstone in Kent, UK.
I am cleaning out their cage tonight and putting the goos in the downstairs part with mum and was going to let dad in there for a couple of weeks as both parents are stressed not being able to be together.
Many thanks!
|
|
|
Post by ilikedegus on Jun 23, 2014 17:30:43 GMT
I have read some articles referencing academic works which suggests that both parents together is kinder to both parents and better for the babies. Really hope you can get Stripe neutered!
|
|
|
Post by ladyalex on Jun 23, 2014 19:44:48 GMT
I would prefer to keep Brown and Stripe together for the future, they are a great pair and have never fought. I finish work early tomorrow and will be home by 4pm so that gives me chance to ring around several vets and see if I can get a vet who knows more about degus and is a little cheaper than quoting me for a guinea pig!
So far have 3 definite adoptions (all 3 together) and 2 x 2 possible adoptions.
If I can home all the baby goos then would that be easier on mum and dad to just go back to having the two together rather than have a daughter or son around too? All provided of course that Stripe has his bits removed.
Thanks for all the help and suggestions, my sanity is helped no end!
|
|
|
Post by ladyalex on Jun 23, 2014 19:58:30 GMT
Another questions - how do I go about giving the goos something to drink (water) as they start to explore more and chew on straw etc? Do they work out how to use a drinks bottle by copying the parents or do I need to put in a very shallow dish of water? And when do I introduce this. I know they have mums milk for 3 weeks but when do they start drinking water?
|
|
|
Post by yasmin on Jun 23, 2014 21:15:40 GMT
For mine, all they had access to was mother's milk and the water bottle. They figured it out. (Don't remember when they started drinking from the water bottle though. Definitely by six weeks but it must have been before that.)
If you do decide to put in a bowl of water, I would think it should only be done under your direct supervision and taken out when you can't watch anymore. Afraid the little ones could drown.
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Jun 24, 2014 5:42:26 GMT
If you do choose to keep any of the pups, I would say you have three options. 1. Females to stay with Brown. 2. Males to stay with Stripe. 3. Stripe is neutered and you keep a female pup or two with Stripe and Brown.
However . . . there is the strong potential that Stripe has already done the deed, and Brown could be already gestating a new litter of pups. You won't know until she is into her third month however, which makes things more difficult for you. Do you allow yourself to become attached to any of these pups, or do you decide to wait and see if there are more pups on the way? I found that degus seemed to show more when expecting a second time, but that may be more that I knew what I was seeing by that time. Still, you may not truly know until it is 8 - 10 weeks post birth, and by that time if Stripe has access to all the pups still, he could have also impregnated the little girls. And THAT is not a fun place to be! So, lots of things to think of and come to a decision on fairly quickly.
|
|
|
Post by ladyalex on Jun 25, 2014 22:46:33 GMT
We have cleaned out their two tier cage and put the nursery (nest box) downstairs and the wheel and dust bowl upstairs as an adult playroom. Settled mum and goos back in the cage and 30 mins later put dad back in. She was so pleased to see him, spent half an hour sitting on top of him grooming him. Dad is looking after babies with mum and this morning all I could see was too content noses sticking out of the nest box and a pile of baby gos around them- a happy reunited family.
Have convinced hubbie to get Stripe neutered and have found a vet who has gone degus before and charges £63. So will be booking him in for next week. A friend is lending me her indoor rabbit cage which is suitable for goos so we can put him in there to recover.
Thought the baby goos would not be able to climb up to the top tier, 15 minutes later 3 are up there so now have to lock up the top tier when we go to bed and only have it open if we are around them just in case the babies get caught upstairs.
What a life changing week!!! All 9 baby goos doing okay, grandmother here a bit frazzled!!!
xXx
|
|
|
Post by saddlers on Jun 26, 2014 18:31:50 GMT
Sounds like fun....keep us updated, I would also like to hear how stripe gets on with his op.
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Jun 27, 2014 6:13:27 GMT
You may need to look into pup proofing your cage, depending on the size of the openings in your wire . . . if you have wire sides. Pups are incredible escape artists and can get through any opening over a cm in size. They'll just walk right through and start exploring and exploring!
|
|
|
Post by ladyalex on Jul 5, 2014 12:57:18 GMT
I had already pup proofed the cage - clear plastic on 3 sides but they seem more interested in climbing than escaping through the bars.
Stripe was neutered last Wednesday, he seems ok but desperate to escape the separate cage he is in. He goes back to the vets for a check up Monday and then hopefully back in with mum. I know he could get her pregnant again so soon after his op but I think a day had passed before we knew she had given birth (and then we moved him out for 5 days) so she could be pregnant now anyway.
He does not seem to be in pain (not moping around) but spends every waking hour chewing on the bars of the cage, he is stressed at being away from them.
The 9 baby goos are doing well, they are 2 1/2 weeks old now and very busy chewing on grass, pellets and twigs. Need to prepare myself for finding 9 new homes now, we are keeping mum and dad but none of the little ones.
What an amazing few weeks - I lose so much time just 'goo' watching, they are so cute and agile!
|
|