Degu Phobias

[freakyl]

hi just wondering if anyones degus have like some strange phobias of anything? theres the obvious ones which im sure most degus are scared of like other pets and birds, but just wondering if people find their degus have others?

mine h8 the sound of strangers voices they literally squeal and hide until the person has left the room. they also really h8 this particular brush that i use to sweep up their mess, they really squeak at it and follow it everywhere trying to attack it.

[Aimeelou]

Is funny you should mention the brush as one of mine do exactly the same! But only with my hubby though for some reason! He Mentioned last year that one of them did this and didnt beleive it till i saw it with my own eyes! He bent down to start sweeping and sure enough Taquila came to the bottom of the cage and sat in the nest, and when he swept near the cage started growling and trying to attack the brush from inside the cage!
The brush may look quite intimadating to them!

[tigerlily]

Yea, I know that brush thing too ;D Mine don't scare birds, because the bird cage is next to my degus cages. Sometimes they scare weird things. Strange people is what they are usually frightened for.

[Erica]

It must be a survival mechanism because my degus also prefer familiar people (and my dog). When friends or family drop by they freeze... as though we can't see them!

Deugs have great memories and a keen sense of smell. When I let friends play with my degus I have them either wash their hands with the same soap that I use or put a little chinchilla dust on their hands. The degus are much more friendly when my guests stink... smell ... more like me!

When I clean my degu cages, I usually give them something new and interesting to investigate while I'm cleaning (e.g. new sticks, a huts, a box or a handful of hay). Now they don't mind me cleaning around them.

[worthym]

Mine too squeak at friends, yet come running to see me or the boyfriend. Especially the boyfriend nowadays, since he started giving them peanuts as treats....

[becca1256]

I don't clean around my Degus, we put them in a ferret ball we got them when I first got them. The only thing they hate is the hoover after I've put them in and ish cleaning up the mess!