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Post by nat on Oct 20, 2005 18:11:53 GMT
Tommorow I'm buying new degu. I ordered her week ago. I wanted female from 1 to 2 years. And I'll get her tommorow for half price I want you to help me with something. I want her to get used to me. So I think that I wont let her go out of cage for about 2 weeks - just take her on heands. What do you think about it? Some adviceses? Please :*
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Post by Aimeelou on Oct 23, 2005 11:05:35 GMT
Can i ask why you want a female? To be honest, i think your all on taking proper care of the one you have, never mind breeding them! PLEASE get a male! Raising a Degu family is a big responsebility, please give it more thought.
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Post by Sunshinemeg on Oct 23, 2005 11:21:59 GMT
I second what Aimee says. I have NEVER kept mixed sex cages because the responsibility of caring for pregnant females and the young is huge. Add to that the fact you would have to find homes for the young, having correctly sexed them, and provide detailed information on how to care for the degus you re-home. Think very carefully about breeding from degus before you know them well enough.
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Post by deguqueen on Oct 24, 2005 7:23:18 GMT
Yeah its not a good idea to breed unless you have designated homes first.
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Post by Sunshinemeg on Oct 24, 2005 15:32:05 GMT
Yeah its not a good idea to breed unless you have designated homes first. that is a very good point I will get Aimee to add to the breeding forum. having designated homes ensures you dont end up with a surplus of degu babies!!
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Post by nat on Nov 5, 2005 12:57:31 GMT
I bought her already. I had for 2 years mixed couple and female wasn't pragnent. They "do it" only for 2 weeks in spring, and she never allowed him. Baby degus are needen in shops with animals (zoologists ?) And I know few people who would like to have degus. If I bought second male it would be the worst idea! They would be fighting for teretory. I called female Mokka (her fur is in capuccino's color) she's frighten (maybe cause she's smaller than male) but I hope that she'll quickly accept the new situation in her life
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Post by Sunshinemeg on Nov 5, 2005 17:50:21 GMT
OMG Nat.
No, degus do not only mate in the spring time. They have a gestation period of approximately 3 months, and gave produce litters at anytime of the year.
Keeping males together is not the WORST idea. I have kept a group of males together fine. You get initial fighting to establish dominance, but this will settle within a week, and you can also get a similar amount of fighting should a baby degu reach adulthood, when they will try and change the dominance. On NO account should anyone else reading this thread think that they cannot keep males together.
I also have to say, of course the poor female is frightened. If she is only young she has been forced into a situation with a sexually active male. She is going to be petrified!
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Post by nat on Nov 5, 2005 18:09:36 GMT
she's between 1-2 years. Young degus will be sold so there won't be any fight for domination. As I said I had female before and they were having sex only in spring (about 2 weeks). Male wanted only in this period. Animals have got need for procreation but nevermind. He had female for 2 years and he need female now. He got used to it.
She's afraid but now (after 5h) she is sleeping with him.
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Post by Sunshinemeg on Nov 5, 2005 19:15:27 GMT
He would not mind a male or a female companion. You cant say he is "used to it" And you may assume they only mate in spring, but this is rarely the case.
You write posts I think you mean to sound scientific, but you seem muddled. For example. "Animals have got need for procreation but nevermind" Procreation is the act of mating for the single desire of creating offspring. It is not a need in animals but instinct. So unless you can teach an animal about contraception, as in the case of humans, or you actively prevent the successful fertilisation of a female through either medication, castration, neutering or seperation, procreation can happen at ANY time.
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Post by nat on Nov 5, 2005 19:45:34 GMT
Sometimes I may use wrong word in english cause it means sth different in polish. Sorry but english isn't my native language and I don't have to know it perfectly. So maybe let's talk in polish and I'll make coments to your senseless post. At least I try.
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Post by Sunshinemeg on Nov 5, 2005 19:56:51 GMT
I was not judging your english, which I have already said is very good, and I am sure I speak for others when I say how impressed I am in your ability. I am saying that your scientific knowledge is lacking, and it is this that we are trying to help so that you can better care for your degus. But only you can choose if you will or will not listen to our advice.
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Post by nat on Nov 5, 2005 21:41:52 GMT
So tell my why we cannot buy male and female together? I think that it's the best idea if we can take care of babies.
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Post by ra on Nov 6, 2005 2:49:58 GMT
Nat, You had a pair male and female before but for some reason the female never became pregnant. Odd but of course that can happen. Have you raised any babies before? I know I had to take a crash course when my Mocha (I had to smile when I saw you named your female Mokka because of her coloration - that's why I named mine Mocha! ) had nine Degu puppies. (I named them each after a type of coffee) It was quite a shock since I'd been sold a male or so I was told. I was very, very lucky the babies and Mocha did well and survived. We did lose one of the babies. I thought I would have no problem finding homes for them. I love them but could only place two of the females with a friend of my sisters. The five boys went back to the pet store where I bought my original Degu. I was a nervous wreck worrying if the babies and Mocha were getting proper nutrition etc. I had to modify my cage so the babies couldn't get out. The standard cage wires were wide enough for them to escape. I must say I was extremely thankful for Sunshinemegs' website and links.
I chose to keep one of the females for a companion for her mother. I would not have deliberately bred my Degu. Would not want the worry or responsibility for raising babies. At least you have pet shops (?) looking for baby Degus.
If your female is much smaller than your male I'd have to wonder about the accuracy of her age. ! - 2 years old should be full grown. Take your time putting them together. Perhaps you could have supervised together time for them but keep them separate when you are not there until she seems less frightened.
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Post by ra on Nov 6, 2005 2:56:08 GMT
To address your question about bonding with her. I think you are on the right track keeping her separate in the cage. I spent a lot of time with Mocha just sitting and talking to her. I would keep one hand on the cage allowing her to approach, climb on taste and roll on me. As time passed she got brave enough to step into my two hands and sleep for brief moments. I also like to take both of my Degus in their carring cage up to the bathroom where I have everything picked up so it is a safe place to let them out. No where for them to hide or get hurt. I sit on the floor with them and wait for them to come to explore. Now they both climb all over me and seem happy to spend time with me.
Since you've bought a mating pair you might find neither will be as interested in bonding with you as they are with one another. That would be expected.
I do hope your two get along well.
I agree with Meg, you do very well with the English language. I would not be able to converse with you in Polish at all.
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Post by nat on Nov 6, 2005 19:12:06 GMT
Mokka just adore male I could even say that she terrorise him. Start ... singing(?) - flirting and jumping on him, running after him - he gets furious. I even thought that she might be male but he also wants to play with her ... sometimes Sometimes they are fighting cause she wants to play and he wants her to get lost I don't want Mokka get pragnent (I had only huge populationof mices) but I didn't want to have second male. My would be agresive and start to panic :/ I hope they won't have babies ... maybe sterylisation? I have to visit and ask vet. It would be the best idea :]
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Post by Sunshinemeg on Nov 6, 2005 20:43:24 GMT
You dont want them to breed but you bought a female to keep your male company? WHY?? That makes no sense. If you have read ANY of my posts on here you will know I happily keep a family of male degus together without hassle. Have you not listened to anything anyone has said to you?
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Hanlou
Burrowing Degu
Basil
Posts: 284
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Post by Hanlou on Nov 6, 2005 23:37:36 GMT
nat - Now you have the two together, Sterilisation could be an option for you. Male degus can be neutered (sterilised). Certainly it's not a thing to be done without thinking on, as it's an operation, and as all operations do, it carries a risk with it. However, it's certainly safer for the male to be neutered than for the female to be spayed - as spaying is a very invasive procedure. You will end up with babies if you keep an un-neutered male and female together, obviously. Babies are hard work and can be heart-breaking, if things go wrong. As said, it isn't always easy to find homes, and would you really want your degu babies to go just anywhere? To a zoologist? To a pet shop - where you don't know where they'll end up etc? Lots for you to think about. To add: Be sure you have a confident vet if you do get your male degu neutered, as it needs a vet who is happy to work on small animals, and not all vets are used to dealing with degus.
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Post by worthym on Nov 7, 2005 2:21:38 GMT
I have to agree with Sunshinemeg on this one. If you don't want babies, then you don't put a female and male together!! Not unless they are already neutered/spayed. I fear that your female could already be pregnant... It is strange that your previous female did not get pregnant, but do not imagine for one minute that degus are like humans in respect to breeding practices!! Degus will mate at any time of year, and then I believe they mate again immediately after birth! (I know gerbils most certainly do) I also agree that males can be kept together no problem - I have 3 males and except for small amounts of occassional "I'm still the boss" squabbling they do not fight. I also agree with the others that your English is not a problem - I know it is far far better than my Polish, which does not stretch very far - even though my own mother is polish!! In fact my stock phrase is "Nie rozumiesz po polsku..." (I do not understand polish...)
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Post by nat on Nov 7, 2005 15:13:08 GMT
There should be "nie rozumiem po polsku" "rozumiesz" means "you don't understand" I want to have heterocouple and if I have to take full responsibility for the babies I do At least it's in their nature.
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Post by worthym on Nov 7, 2005 16:36:21 GMT
Told you my polish was no good..... So long as you do take care of the babies, then it should be fine. My one piece of advice would be to find homes for any pups yourself, rather than relying on passing them on to a pet store. From experience with breeding gerbils, I find I am far happier if I find homes myself, with people I can give proper information to, who I know will care for them properly. Unfortunately - as we all have experience of, pet stores can be of different standards - and you never know who will be buying your animals! (or for what reason ie snake food!!! ) Other than that - I still ask you to consider neutering the male, which would still allow you to have a mixed sex pair without the risk of huge amounts of pups! Good luck with the new degu.
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