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Post by winic1 on Aug 11, 2016 14:48:08 GMT
Still wondering if Phil is Philomena. Have that very bad feeling that he/she is.
Would be about halfway through the pregnancy if so.
Would there be any signs, yet?
Not sure if Phil is getting fatter, think so, but it could also be the way he sits. All three are the exact same coloring, the only identifiers are different ear tears and bend at end of tail, so when in motion it's pretty much impossible to tell who's who and who is fat or not when stretched out and walking/running.
Somebody is stuffing stuff in every nook and corner of the cage. Big time nesting. But all over, not in one place, except for the hut they have now chosen as the main one, on the middle level, which is getting huge and well buried. But they did that to the other one in the bottom of the cage, and only switched when we cleaned that half of the cage. We have a strawberry pot (with all the little open pouches on the side) that we put their hay in, within half an hour they have emptied it and stashed the hay all over the cage and all around the hut. I keep accusing my husband of forgetting to fill it, poor guy.
So, when and how will I know if he is really a she, other than waiting to see babies? I need to separate them to prevent another pregnancy, but I don't want to do it until as late as possible, as Phil/omena will be alone, Wally and Mac are confirmed males.
And if/when she does give birth, I know it used to be advised to remove the male for the first 24 hours, then it was safe for almost three weeks, but that has gone by the wayside, hasn't it? Too risky, not reliable that she isn't fertile after the first day after birth?
I have not seen the kind of serious mating action that I did for those few days at the end of June since then. Not even seeing hardly any dominance humping at all, like pretty much never. Phil and Wally hang out together, like a pair. Mac mostly stays apart from them now.
Probably going to order a small scale, as we don't have one and have never weighed them, but it would show a steady weight gain if he is a she, right?
If he is a she, expecting babies right before the end of September. When will I be able to tell?
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Post by goolover on Aug 11, 2016 16:24:02 GMT
Hi winic1, have had 2 pregnancies and all I can say is the weight gain was the only sign we got, they develop a pear shape and become bottom heavy. Her stomach was hard to and she couldn't jump up onto settea to see us as she was just to heavy. The last 2 weeks in both pregnancies we could see the babies moving when Lula was lying down. She had trouble lying on her stomach so would lie down on her side. Posted a picture so you can see how she had to lie down. They get teats around 2 weeks before the babies arrive and they will be by her hind legs. Nesting was also a sign for us as she was almost in a panic collecting bedding/hay even paper and cardboard to throw in there. Mating stopped altogether during the 3 months she was pregnant. I think you have to separate males for 3 to 4 days after she has giving birth as they will definitely mate again during this period. Attachment Deleted |
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Post by winic1 on Aug 11, 2016 16:31:49 GMT
Checking the date of the first time I posted about this, it was June 24 and it had been going on a few days, so let's say I noticed it about June 20. So that's about 10 days sooner than I had been figuring, and we are getting close to two months now.
Your info is really helpful. Thanks!
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Post by uglibug on Aug 11, 2016 16:34:57 GMT
If he is a she and is pregnant and due at the end of September, she will start to show about the middle of September. She will show a steady weight gain now, later she will get distinctly pear shaped and if you run a finger down her sides or tummy, you will probably feel nipples. A day or two before they are born you can sometimes see the babies moving in her tummy. She'll start to nest in earnest a week or so before they are born but she could well make two or three and decide which one she likes when she gives birth.
The males need to be removed before she gives birth and I personally would not chance putting either back in, they have each other and mum will have the babies, hopefully at least one of which will be female and can stay with her.
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Post by goolover on Aug 11, 2016 18:09:24 GMT
Oh yeah if she is a girl and pregnant you will have to keep them separated full stop!
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 11, 2016 19:25:44 GMT
I would think that the shape of her will be pretty distinct by the end of August, IF Phil is Philomina and is pregnant. You could try taking a photo from above, like if you had Phil/omina sitting in a tray or dish with some treats to keep him/her occupied, and then shot from above so that you can see the outline of his "figure."
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Post by winic1 on Aug 11, 2016 20:26:05 GMT
S/He tends to sit with all four feet very close together, which makes any of them look fatter. Try to lure him/her to stand up against the bars for a better view, but s/he's mostly unwilling after a quick stand or two. I just have a feeling....
Wish I knew for sure. We have a petco Rat Manor which I think would be ideal as a nursery, if properly rigged, and we could put it right up against the critter nation, on a table, as well.
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Post by Bexi87 on Aug 11, 2016 21:14:43 GMT
I'd probably start weighing him/her now and see if there is a steady weight gain. Other than that I s'pose there isn't much you can do until the signs are there?
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Post by goolover on Aug 11, 2016 21:19:07 GMT
Will you keep pups if they do come along? They are so gorgeous but tend to be big litters, lula's first pregnancy we had 6 but one was still born then the next she had 8, don't know how they all fitted in there!
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Post by winic1 on Aug 11, 2016 21:24:01 GMT
yeah, have to get a scale, have one picked out on Amazon, just waiting for rest of family to tell me what else we need to order.
I don't want to separate Phil from his brothers if he's a he and there's nothing to worry about, we are in a period of peacefulness that I would hate to screw up.
But the last thing we need is a litter of babies, let alone a second litter as well. I know there is someone else in town or nearby with degus, as they had our original one up for adoption at the little town petshop, seven years ago, and once only a year or two ago there were a pair in there while the girl who owns them was away on vacation (her friend works in the shop). But that's it for a hundred miles or more. No one here even knows what they are. I am really glad they haven't needed a vet, as I don't think there's one here that's ever even seen a degu before (when we brought our hedgehog to the vet, everyone in the place came to look as they had never seen a hedgehog before, except the vet who had seen them while in school, and hedgehogs are much less rare than degus are, here.)
What would I ever do with 2 litters of babies??? Figuring out what to do with one is going to be bad enough. I don't have room for a second Critter Nation cage. Kids will still be needing their bedrooms for at least 4 and 8 more years....
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Post by winic1 on Aug 11, 2016 21:29:45 GMT
Will you keep pups if they do come along? They are so gorgeous but tend to be big litters, lula's first pregnancy we had 6 but one was still born then the next she had 8, don't know how they all fitted in there! I think I will have to. I wouldn't give them to someone who wouldn't care for them properly, and degus around here are as rare as a three-headed unicorn. Hoping for a small litter. Hoping for no litter. As much I would love little degus, and a whole colony, it just doesn't fit into life right now. But, I just have that bad feeling about this..... First, there were several days of intense mating activity, different than typical dominance humping. (And, actually, a short while before I saw that, there was a lot of fighting.) Now, two of them hang out together all the time, the suspect and one male, while the other male keeps to himself. Now there is no mating, no humping, between anyone. Pictures posted here can't tell if he/she's definitely male, like he/she's supposed to be. He is looking fatter. Unless it's just my worry.... Somebody is nesting all over that cage. Stuffing everywhere with everything he can. Doesn't sound good, does it? |
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Post by Bexi87 on Aug 11, 2016 22:20:27 GMT
I must admit it points towards he being a she, but I'd prepare for the worst and hope for the best. I think you will feel better once you can get them weighed and at least (hopefully) you'll be more certain either way
On another note - this could be their first world domination attempt to kick the hooman's out of the house?!
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Post by winic1 on Aug 11, 2016 22:45:39 GMT
On another note - this could be their first world domination attempt to kick the hooman's out of the house?! Not a chance!!! In the last two years we have done a major addition, complete kitchen renovation, new heater, water heater, well pump, central air, electric service upgrade, roof, deck, and a bunch of smaller things as well. This is MY house and no little rodents are taking it over!!!! |
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Post by bouncy on Aug 12, 2016 0:28:32 GMT
I really feel for you Winic! I also think goo is a Philomena, and at least you're semi prepared with another cage on standby. It also sounds like Wally is being a supportive father  Will wait to hear the updates! |
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Post by goolover on Aug 12, 2016 0:39:52 GMT
It doesn't seem like male behaviour and know what you mean about that feeling, that's what we got when Lula was first pregnant! Its funny, Degu's are in alot of Pets@home stores in the UK now but when I tell people what I have they go 'What's a Degu'!
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Post by winic1 on Aug 12, 2016 3:13:11 GMT
The good thing is, I guess, that Phil is short for Filbert, as the three of them are named after nuts--Mac is Macadamia, Wally is Walnut, and Phil is Filbert. And, filberts are also called Hazelnuts, so I guess Phil could become Hazel.
Tho Philomena is more amusing.
And, random memory, when I was little, for one summer, we had a sheep named Willomena.
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Post by Bexi87 on Aug 12, 2016 8:29:20 GMT
On another note - this could be their first world domination attempt to kick the hooman's out of the house?! Not a chance!!! In the last two years we have done a major addition, complete kitchen renovation, new heater, water heater, well pump, central air, electric service upgrade, roof, deck, and a bunch of smaller things as well. This is MY house and no little rodents are taking it over!!!! Clearly they like the additions! Prepare the battle against the hoomans.... |
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Post by bouncy on Aug 12, 2016 8:36:25 GMT
On another note - this could be their first world domination attempt to kick the hooman's out of the house?! Not a chance!!! In the last two years we have done a major addition, complete kitchen renovation, new heater, water heater, well pump, central air, electric service upgrade, roof, deck, and a bunch of smaller things as well. This is MY house and no little rodents are taking it over!!!! I spent a lot of time and money getting my kitchen just the way I like it, and my four still took over! You will be assimilated. Resistance is futile..... |
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Post by goolover on Aug 12, 2016 10:50:21 GMT
We started with 2 goo's, then 3 then 4. The 4 turned into 9 and then the 9 turned into 17 before we found nice homes for 8 of them. The pets@home cage we first brought turned into a hugh wooden luxury home, then they shared our living room destroying our carpet, skirting boards, furniture and now they have claimed a full bedroom, which is now the 'goo room'. Agree with bouncy........Resistance is futile lol
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Post by winic1 on Aug 12, 2016 12:13:26 GMT
We have 2 cats and a dog. The goo situation will be contained.
where and how is another matter.
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