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Post by degucat on Oct 1, 2018 12:52:51 GMT
Thanks for all the info, they always have forage and hay and I feed them their nuggets in the evening. I have been trying to weigh her but she is absolutely terrified of the scales so I’m easing her in to using them so she doesn’t hate them!
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Post by bouncy on Oct 1, 2018 13:04:49 GMT
OK, how about a feel of her belly? Best if you don't have to pick her up, or can scoop her with cupped hands.
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Post by degucat on Oct 1, 2018 13:27:33 GMT
I will try! She sits on my hands but then the minute move my hands she’s off, I will try again though!
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Post by winic1 on Oct 1, 2018 14:20:08 GMT
How about just a gentle stroking on the side of her belly? And maybe hold your finger there, softly, to see if you feel movements? If she is so pregnant with 6 or 7 babies, they are not going to be able to move much, not more than a wiggle or a shifting, so it's not that you'll be feeling them doing laps in there, just small movements.
She is definitely not going to want to be picked up at this stage. If she will crawl onto your hands, try to just move a finger up alongside her belly, maybe that will work.
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Post by misscatafer on Oct 1, 2018 16:12:38 GMT
Didn't you say she is falling asleep in your hands the other day? That would be a good time to check for movement. What is Cha Cha's weight? The other possibility is that she looks so huge compared to Cha Cha as Cha Cha may actually be a young pup hence the size difference.... Just a thought?
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Post by winic1 on Oct 1, 2018 18:35:32 GMT
As for the vet saying give it until October, I wouldn't trust him too much. This is the vet who couldn't tell for sure if she was pregnant, right? Doesn't sound like he knows degus very well at all.
You got them on August 25 or so, right? Degu gestation is 90 days. You don't know for sure when the last time she was near another degu was, or when she could have gotten pregnant. It seems like she just should have had them by now, but if she is having a lot of pups, or large pups, then she is going to have looked "pregnant enough" to give birth a lot early than she is actually due.
I would think that if this was something else wrong, with her increasing size and the amount of time it has been, she would be showing signs of being actively ill by now, not just large, heavy, and slowed down by her size. Would be very unusual for a degu to overeat to the extent she would be needing to, to reach this size.
You could take her to a vet if you really wanted, but I would find a different vet than the first one who didn't know much, find one that specializes in small exotics like degus. But the stress of the trip cannot be good if she is pregnant.
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 1, 2018 19:30:50 GMT
There are a LOT of warnings about lifting and or carrying pregnant degus. They can suffer a uterine rupture very easily. Please be very careful with her. As large as she is, I am truly nervous that transporting her, or lifting her and an accidental fall of even a few inches could cost her her life.
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 2, 2018 10:16:35 GMT
There is no doubt you are in a difficult situation, Degucat, and that with us not being there, there is only so much advice we can give. The decision of when she is in trouble and needs to see the vet has to be yours. I would urge you to have a ring round and see if the last vet you took her to is the best one in the area. I'm also going to mention again the important things that you keep watch for are that she is eating and drinking and pooping normally, and also that her breathing rate looks normal, watch for her fur fluffing up and her looking hunched up, or hanging out in a weird place.
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Post by degucat on Oct 2, 2018 12:08:50 GMT
Hi everyone, thanks for all your help and advice, I did get them on the 25th, I have got tookie on the scales but don’t know her weight before, all I’ve got is a photo of them both in the shop around a month ago, (I can attach that if you want) and tookie is slightly bigger than cha cha but not much. She is not really showing signs of being ill ( apart from being massive and more tired than cha cha) , she is eating, drinking and pooing normally and doesn’t stay still all day, (she does take ‘naps’ though quite a few times in the day but then gets back to normal again) I will not take them to the vets unless I really need to as I don’t want to be unnecessarily stressing them out. ( I will also try and find a better vet) Today i have noticed that her weight has moved nearer to her back legs and not so much near her front legs (if that makes sense lol) and when you look at her from above she looks more of that pear shape. (I may just be going crazy though and am seeing things!) also when she is stretched out underneath her forearms it looks as though there are small bumps ( do you think it could be little bumps of fat or nipples?) I know all of that sounded ridiculous 😂 Thanks again 😀
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Post by misscatafer on Oct 2, 2018 13:25:34 GMT
Degus do nap on and off throughout the day, it is normal. What was her weight then? Well done for getting her on the scales. Surely the vet weighed them when they had their checkup, do you remember what this was?
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Post by ntg on Oct 2, 2018 13:39:58 GMT
No the pear shape makes sense as its what we typically expect a pregnant degu to look like if it's moving towards the back then it suggests that she is about ready to give birth as the pups are probably being moved into position for it (that's going off other animals physiology but presumably degus are similar enough in that respect). I'd think she'll probably give birth in the next few days so do keep an eye out for any unusual discharge around her genitalia to make sure she isn't having difficulties giving birth (easier said than done, I know). Don't pick her up if you don't have to though as it will be dangerous for her and the pups.
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Post by degucat on Oct 4, 2018 8:13:47 GMT
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Post by bouncy on Oct 4, 2018 12:43:11 GMT
If they are both a similar size, I'd think they are either both young and are simply growing, filling out, and are both a bit chubby or fluffed, or they're both expecting!
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Post by degucat on Oct 4, 2018 15:13:37 GMT
They’re both far, far from a similar size, tookies midriff is about double the size of Cha Chas at the moment, The last couple of photos was from a month and a bit ago when we were thinking about getting them, Now she is much larger!
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Post by bouncy on Oct 4, 2018 15:20:39 GMT
Ah, was difficult to see, not knowing which was which!
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Post by degucat on Oct 4, 2018 16:04:26 GMT
Sorry, I made it a little confusing! 😂
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Post by misscatafer on Oct 5, 2018 5:52:29 GMT
How old are they again? Are you sure they are not mother and daughter?
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Post by degucat on Oct 5, 2018 7:18:03 GMT
They are apparently both 10 months, what size is a fully grown degu? Then I can measure Cha Cha and see if that is a possibility. Thanks 😀
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 5, 2018 15:35:07 GMT
Typically as adults, they have approximately 15 cm of body length and then 15 cm of tail length, except when a portion of the tail has been lost.
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Post by ntg on Oct 13, 2018 19:26:55 GMT
Hi degucat! Just wondering how Tookie and Cha Cha (and you) are doing?
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