Post by rena on Aug 29, 2018 20:33:59 GMT
Hi, I am pretty new to Degu Care so I decided to ask for your experience, until I can ask my vet about it tomorrow.
My Situation is as follows:
Since August 20th I got a group of 3 Degus from the Pet Store. They are estimated to be 5 months old. In the store they had been in a group of 5, since I went there quite often to watch them I can say, they didn't fight badly there, as far as I could see. We took three of the 5 home, since 5 would have been to many.
All went well for almost one week.
Last Sunday the alpha of the group - Pearson - got chased through their cage by the second-in-command - Harvey. It was no play fight, i saw plenty of them the days before. In this case Pearson was trying to escape Harvey and hid in numerous places. There he would cry, similar to their warning cry. Everytime Harvey would search for him, and having him found jumped at him, teeth and claws ready to strike. After that Pearson would run and get attacked by Harvey every once in a while. When I opened their cage door Pearson came to me to seek shelter. (This was really breaking my heart, since he has been the most tame of them, but not too cuddly) It was then I had the time to notice both Goos had bloody wounds. Harvey had a bloody lip and paw, Pearson was limping a little and had a bloody paw as well. That was the moment I decided to separate them with some mesh, so they could still see and smell each other. The third Degu - Louis - I put with Pearson. They kept communicating through the mesh and tried to lick each others nozzles.
After several hours, and two tries that wouldn't work - I opened the mesh again and everything went well. They just kept living and cuddling with each other like before.
BUT yesterday and today the whole thing repeated. Good thing I am currently at home all day and can watch them.
Right now they are separated again.
I checked the cage size recommendations, but our cage is really big (100cmx65cmx190cm) with two whole levels and two half sized levels plus the ground of the cage.
Also I noticed Harvey being really dominant with Louis, the third. He would constantly hump him, like for real. Louis is definitely a boy, since I saw his penis, I am very sure. Harvey and Pearson are both males as well. This I know.
Tomorrow I will call my vet and ask him, how fast Harvey can be neutered. It's my last straw since I don't know what else to do anymore.
Like I said they are 5 months old, so they might be on the verge of puberty, but I don't want to continue on like this until they are out again...
I really hope any of you has any further ideas as to what this could be.
If you need so more infos ask away ;-)
My Situation is as follows:
Since August 20th I got a group of 3 Degus from the Pet Store. They are estimated to be 5 months old. In the store they had been in a group of 5, since I went there quite often to watch them I can say, they didn't fight badly there, as far as I could see. We took three of the 5 home, since 5 would have been to many.
All went well for almost one week.
Last Sunday the alpha of the group - Pearson - got chased through their cage by the second-in-command - Harvey. It was no play fight, i saw plenty of them the days before. In this case Pearson was trying to escape Harvey and hid in numerous places. There he would cry, similar to their warning cry. Everytime Harvey would search for him, and having him found jumped at him, teeth and claws ready to strike. After that Pearson would run and get attacked by Harvey every once in a while. When I opened their cage door Pearson came to me to seek shelter. (This was really breaking my heart, since he has been the most tame of them, but not too cuddly) It was then I had the time to notice both Goos had bloody wounds. Harvey had a bloody lip and paw, Pearson was limping a little and had a bloody paw as well. That was the moment I decided to separate them with some mesh, so they could still see and smell each other. The third Degu - Louis - I put with Pearson. They kept communicating through the mesh and tried to lick each others nozzles.
After several hours, and two tries that wouldn't work - I opened the mesh again and everything went well. They just kept living and cuddling with each other like before.
BUT yesterday and today the whole thing repeated. Good thing I am currently at home all day and can watch them.
Right now they are separated again.
I checked the cage size recommendations, but our cage is really big (100cmx65cmx190cm) with two whole levels and two half sized levels plus the ground of the cage.
Also I noticed Harvey being really dominant with Louis, the third. He would constantly hump him, like for real. Louis is definitely a boy, since I saw his penis, I am very sure. Harvey and Pearson are both males as well. This I know.
Tomorrow I will call my vet and ask him, how fast Harvey can be neutered. It's my last straw since I don't know what else to do anymore.
Like I said they are 5 months old, so they might be on the verge of puberty, but I don't want to continue on like this until they are out again...
I really hope any of you has any further ideas as to what this could be.
If you need so more infos ask away ;-)