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Post by bouncy on Sept 11, 2016 21:55:29 GMT
I think she said she was keeping two female pups with mum and dad?
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 12, 2016 1:14:42 GMT
Ahh!! OK . . . I think I might recall that, LOL!
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Post by dops on Sept 12, 2016 9:05:10 GMT
ah bouncy thats a great idea but Lemmis cage is a tiny bit too big to fit!
I was planning on keeping 2 female pups but someone has got in touch as would like to adopt all 4, so I thought I would give them away. I could always extend my group in the future with a lonely old degu, which will struggle to find a home compared to the pups! And I won't be keeping any males, as if I have understood correctly they would argue with Lemmi if there is just one female.
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Post by bouncy on Sept 12, 2016 12:51:00 GMT
Awwwwwwww the kids have grown up and flown the nest, so now it's time to downsize, retire, and enjoy old age
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Post by moletteuk on Sept 13, 2016 13:04:54 GMT
Glad Lemmi is doing well Can he lose the cone soon? Is everything looking good downstairs? You are correct you can't keep boys with mum and dad. Do make sure the person taking the 4 girls has a big enough cage for them as it is quite hard to buy a cage big enough for 4.
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Post by dops on Sept 13, 2016 14:41:39 GMT
So he had his check up at the vets yesterday, and though they said the incisions are clean and fine, there seems to be some swelling inside. So they prescribed some antibiotics which I am giving him, and poor thing still has the cone! I am taking him back on Saturday for another check to see how he is doing. They also advised I put cold compresses on his "area" but so far he has barely stayed still for long enough, but I chase him around with an icecube wrapped in lots of swabs and try anyway.
She sent photos of her cage and it is big enough! Was glad she sent them, was going to ask her but she sent them before I could. And may have found a home for the boys as well with one of the members on here!
Pups are clambering EVERYWHERE! Am letting them as that often means they pop into Lemmis cage for ages and he seems happy for the company. But oh my lord getting them all back into the cage is an effort
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Post by dops on Sept 13, 2016 15:21:44 GMT
also so in a about 10 days I will be separating male and female pups. They will be 5 weeks old, and although its a wee bit early I just don't want to risk any more pregnancies. The males will join Lemmi so their degu education will continue! I was thinking of sealing off the top half of the Liberta Explorer, and have the males in there? Is there any chance it would freak Mowgli out too much having the male ones up there where she can hear them?
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 13, 2016 16:43:39 GMT
It shouldn't, but you can't know for sure until you try it. You might be needing to put some preventive cardboard around your cage bars on the outside, so that the pups aren't wandering off into your house. This happens very easily and finding them is very difficult.
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Post by bouncy on Sept 13, 2016 20:52:20 GMT
Given the bond between Mowgli and Lemmie, if she knows the pups are up there with dad, I'm sure she'll be fine with it
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Post by dops on Sept 14, 2016 10:25:08 GMT
Ah sorry I should have specified, the pups cant get through the bars of their and Mowglis cage, but when I open the door they all scramble out for a run around, which is when they then squeeze into Lemmis cage!
Bouncy yes hopefully! At least she will know Lemmi will be a gret surrogate mum :-)
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Post by dops on Sept 14, 2016 14:39:09 GMT
What is the earliest I could put the males in with Lemmi?
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Post by yasmin on Sept 14, 2016 15:15:42 GMT
I would not separate the pups from their mother before 6 weeks of age.
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Post by dops on Sept 14, 2016 15:26:26 GMT
okay, but didnt someone mention on this forum (at some vague point, sorry if I imagined it!) that there was an instance where a 5 week old pup mated with some females and left them pregnant? SOrry if this is wrong, I am just so worried about pregnancy number 2
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 14, 2016 16:48:49 GMT
No . . . I had a pup that was between 8 - 10 weeks that mated with the females and they were all pregnant. I have not heard of a male pup doing so before the age of 7-8 weeks. FEMALE pups? Yes, they can conceive at 6 weeks of age as a result of the reliable and nutrient rich diet they get in our homes.
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Post by goolover on Sept 14, 2016 21:09:17 GMT
I'm sure I read on this site about a 6 week pup mating mother and sister/sisters!
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Post by winic1 on Sept 15, 2016 1:37:11 GMT
you just have to be sure the pups are completely weaned and eating and drinking on their own before separating them from mom
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 15, 2016 4:14:30 GMT
You are both right, it was posted by a member as having been read somewhere on this site, however as far as I know, it seems to be more hearsay than factual. What I have said about the females at six weeks, and the males at 8 weeks, happened in my own home. So, I will honestly admit that I am skeptical about male pups of six weeks being able to successfully mate. I think they, the male pups, need more time, which is not unusual in the animal world where females are mature enough for reproduction earlier than males.
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Post by moletteuk on Sept 15, 2016 10:18:06 GMT
I think separation to go and live with dad is different from separation to live alone (youngsters together), dad will continue their socialisation. They do need to be fully weaned. I would transfer them at 6 weeks then they get the full benefit of feeding from mum and being with her a decent time and you also don't have to worry at all about pregnancy and dad continues their education.
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Post by dops on Sept 15, 2016 10:30:40 GMT
Okay thank you everyone! I will separate them a day or two before their 6 week birthday for peace of mind. And yes they will go to Dad (who hopefully will have his cone off by then) and he can continue their care! Ill start monitoring how much food they are eating, because at the moment I am just putting in handfuls and handfuls which they are devouring. But they still go back to Mum for drinks and cuddles.
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Post by dops on Sept 15, 2016 14:10:49 GMT
I m a bit concerned about Lemmi, although he is still very bright and normal and accepting his antibiotics, his incision is a bit inflamed, so have moved his appointment to tomorrow to get it checked out. I just really want him to get through this and get his cone off as I think it really starting to get him down!
Any advice on soothing his wound? I have been doing cold compresses but I can never ge thim to sit still for long
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