Vet time

[deguqueen]

I have been wondering about what I will do if I take my Degus to the vet.
They wont let me touch them or hold them so what will the vet do?
I tried to hold Ginger once and she ended up peeing everywhere. I think she was terrified.
I just dont want to go to a vet to get them checkups if they cant even check on them because they wont be touched.

[Aimeelou]

Patience! It takes time for your Degus to trust you, try to let them come to you rather than trying to pick them up. Maybe tempt them out with a treat?
Not all Degus are happy to be held, i have 6, and two of them are realy shy and dont like to be touched at all.
But dont worry to much about the vet just yet, if and when the time comes, youll know exactly what to do.

[Sunshinemeg]

I agree with what Aimee says. take time. If you need to go to the vet and they wont be held, the vet is very trained in what to do. I have seen them use tough gardening style gloves to hold small animals, because then if they bite its just the glove. but for now dont worry, just be happy that they are well!

meg

[diet otaku]

early on when my degus were very scared of me, but i had to take them out of the cage, i simply donned a pair of leather gloves and they could scratch and bite all they wanted and it wouldn't hurt. sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do.

[deguqueen]

I have just been wondering if terrifying them for the sake of a checkup is really worth it.
They dont even let ME touch them how are they going to feel when a stranger is holding them down?
Think about it, I have to chase them around the cage, grab them both and put them in a pet carrier which could take an hour.
Bring them in somebodies car for the trip, have some strange person poke and prod at them and then have to have the drive back home.
I would rather if a vet could give me something to put in their food/water to knock them out for a couple hours so when they wake up they wont even know they left the cage.
I dont know if otherwise the sake of a vet visit is worth traumatizing them if it isnt URGENT.
I have also read in a few different places that Degus have a good memory so if I do make them hate me cause of it then wont the past few months of getting to know eachother go down the drain?

[Aimeelou]

Yes, i understand what you mean. As they do have a good memory, you dont want to make things worse by them not trusting you any more than how they are now.
If i were you, leave the check up at the vets and do a little check of your own, like checking there teeth and eyes and ears- but try and work it in to playing with them so they dont feel they are being pinned down and examined.
I realy understand how you feel about them not coming to you as like others have mentioned, but we have all been there, it just takes time.
And dont worry, your Degus dont hate you, they just dont know you properly yet!
Hope ive helped a little

[deguqueen]

Thanks Aimee.
As much as it sucks I have come to terms that they may never want to be touched and Im o.k. with that.
If they dont feel comfortable, I dont want to make them as long as they just know that I love them and am here as a friend.
The vet trip is difficult, I still have to find a suitable vet which equals going through hundreds in the phone book before I can make an appointment.
Maybe when I find one I will let them in on their temperment and get some advice from them.
As for giving them a little exam myself, I can look all I want but not touch so its a little difficult.
And I only bring out the leather gloves for EXTREME situations.

[deguqueen]

Can anybody tell me what their average vet costs are when they go?
My problem with finding a vet is that there are so many that I dont know which to choose so I wanted to call and ask for an estimate and see if anybody on here could tell me what an average price would be for a checkup.