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Post by savvy on Jan 8, 2019 17:15:55 GMT
Oh Reggie is definitely a 7 month old female whose in good heath.
She was very well behaved and took a bit of catching, but she's happily back in her cage now and running ground like a lunatic.
Dixie's glad she's back too, lol.
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Post by bouncy on Jan 8, 2019 17:48:07 GMT
Might Dixie be getting, er, snipped?
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Post by savvy on Jan 8, 2019 19:04:32 GMT
He's too old unfortunately, he's almost 7 now so I'll look at getting two groups set up and introduce them both to others.
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Post by ntg on Jan 8, 2019 22:19:41 GMT
3 girls just came up on the facebook group in Midlothian.... Just saying
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Reggie
Jan 8, 2019 22:30:09 GMT
Post by savvy on Jan 8, 2019 22:30:09 GMT
3 girls just came up on the facebook group in Midlothian.... Just saying I'm not on Facebook, how old are they?
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Post by ntg on Jan 8, 2019 22:39:00 GMT
They got them from the SSPCA in 2015 and were already fully grown so I'm guessing 4-5 yo minimum... Alternatively, Notts Nibblers have females in and I'd be happy to go halfway for them come Feb if they needed help with transport...
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Reggie
Jan 9, 2019 8:47:41 GMT
Post by bouncy on Jan 9, 2019 8:47:41 GMT
Alternatively, wait a couple of months for Reggie to mature, and have your own litter? It could save intro grief?
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Post by savvy on Jan 9, 2019 10:58:03 GMT
Either way, it'll have to wait until the refurbishment is finished and we're settled. Must admit, they both seem up for the idea of having their own little family, lol.
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Post by savvy on Jan 10, 2019 16:43:27 GMT
Had a good look at Reggie today as she was still enough and close enough to Dixie to do a comparison and she seems to have grown a little. It's certainly true that eating is her favourite pastime as she's only still when she's stuffing her face or sleeping.
Haven't managed to weigh her yet as she's such a little wriggle bum, lol.
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Post by savvy on Jan 12, 2019 19:10:36 GMT
OK, so Reggie isn't the brightest. When I clean their cages, I always confine them to the part of the cage not being cleaned by blocking the hole with a green hard plastic crate.
When she was confined in the top section I heard scratching coming from inside the crate, bear in mind that the only things in there are a cast iron duck to prevent it being moved and Reggie, possibly a couple of fresh poos, but nothing more. She's trying to escape I thought, but no. She had a whole level with nice clean, deep substrate and she decides to try to dig a hole in the plastic to bury her hazelnut!
Goos! Lol!
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Post by bouncy on Jan 12, 2019 19:22:11 GMT
You know goos bury stuff under air, right? To be fair to Reggie, you just removed all the substrate (and hidden treasures), so why make the same mistake twice! Plus, if it's buried in plain sight, she can keep an eye on it! Degu logic!
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Reggie
Jan 15, 2019 1:06:49 GMT
Post by savvy on Jan 15, 2019 1:06:49 GMT
OK guys I need your opinions here. ..
Which would be the better option for my little gang of two.
A. Introducing new male and female companions to both (girls to Reggie, boys to Dixie) or B. Waiting a couple of months until Reggie is almost full grown and letting her have a litter with Dixie.
I know there are pros and cons with both, ethical breeding, time spent bonding etc, but I'm in a quandary. I want the best for them.
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Reggie
Jan 15, 2019 3:40:24 GMT
Post by deguconvert on Jan 15, 2019 3:40:24 GMT
Both potentials have pros and cons that are pretty closely weighted in my mind, so far as potential success. However, you cannot predict how many pups you will have in a litter, nor how many will be male or female, or if you might have all one sex. So there is no certainty that you will have two well proportioned groups. You WILL have adolescence to go through with all the pups, and that is not a smooth road whether they are family or not, so there exists the potential for falling out and separation after a few months of chaotic fun. The thing that is hardest, even if you do have a perfect litter of two males and two females, which gives you two groups of three . . . you still have to separate Dixie and Reggie who will have likely created a deep and lovely bond, and that is so very painful!! It really isn't fun to do.
If you bring in companions to introduce . . . you start off with everyone separated and will go through the upheaval and turmoil of introductions and bonding, but in some ways, it is easier to start off that way than it is to have joy and bliss with pups that falls apart and must be mended.
Pups are a true joy, I will honestly say, but they are very messy, they eat two to three times more than adults, and they are escape artists that will seek relentlessly to get out if they succeed, intentionally or accidentally, even once. They are a LOT of work.
What do you think you can handle?
Are you also thinking/wondering about Dixie's age and having pups that will grow and age for years after he is gone?
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Reggie
Jan 15, 2019 11:08:00 GMT
Post by bouncy on Jan 15, 2019 11:08:00 GMT
DC is right - sarahc had two litters with Ella and Sweeps. From memory, 12 pups in total, and my Snoozy and Sneaky were the only two boys. It could also work the other way and you have a complete litter males and still have to wait to neuter one of these pups for Reggie. You may even have to find homes for some of them. Either way, you will know your position in three months from the deed, and you'll have some more options. This would be my personal choice. With the other route, you're looking at two simultaneous introductions that may not work. You know what I went through with Squidgy, and that resulted in a second (amazing) group. It's true that one intro issue would eventually resolve itself with Dixie's demise, but I'm not sure I'd want to give potentially physical grief. I think sarahc could offer some valuable insight, given her experiences last year.
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Post by sarahc on Jan 15, 2019 11:33:00 GMT
Just had a quick read back and I got brain the father of 12 neutered and he's 7 and no major problems I think it might come down to how healthy your guy is. If you didn't want to go down that route you can have pups and give the old guy the time of his life in his later years but then you would have to separate him after the female has given birth I know brain tried to mount sweeps around 30min to an hour after she had given birth poor thing.
Or have cages next to each other so they can see each other all the time and get them out for strict supervised play so no funny business goes on
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Post by savvy on Jan 15, 2019 11:59:30 GMT
Thanks guys! All of this helps.
Dixie is about 7 now and although in good health, he's not in great health (arthritis etc) and although my vet is very experienced in degus she did say she would be reluctant to put him through neutering (and I think to be honest, so would I.) He's also a big boy at 315g and twice the size of Reggie, but she is catching up fast. Although Dixie trying to catch a flighty young piece like Reggie might be a little frustrating for him - boy is she fast!
Their cages are next to each other all the time as a matter of course, they just haven't met face to face yet as Reggie is still very much settling in to life in a home as opposed to a pet shop and there was the initial ambiguity over her gender.
I should be finding out on Thursday when the decamp is taking place and the timescale of works (about flippin time!) so all of this will be taking place when we are back in our own home and settled.
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Reggie
Jan 17, 2019 12:10:06 GMT
Post by moletteuk on Jan 17, 2019 12:10:06 GMT
It's a difficult one. If you went the intro route, I would be tempted to get a single male to try with Dixie first and then if that didn't look good, neuter the new boy to go with Regina. I think that increases your chances of finding a boy to go with Dixie, but potentially leaves Reggie alone longer.
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Post by savvy on Jan 22, 2019 17:55:24 GMT
Still no decisions on the intro vs family, but Reggie has learned how to use the wheel properly now and also has a new habit..... Dixie will fling poo across the room via his wheel, Reggie just pulls it from her bum and spits it across the room. She's such a lady.....
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Post by savvy on Jan 23, 2019 15:49:15 GMT
I think these guys are in love (or could it be lust, lol)
Reggie has been chittering with Dixie most of the day, but now she's tail wagging and tail banging. Dixie has been wheeping really loudly at her when they are by the bars - I can only assume this is frustration on his part, but if anyone has a different opinion please let me know.
Both are eating, drinking, peeing and pooing normally, but both are more interested in each other than running on their wheels.
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Post by ntg on Jan 23, 2019 16:07:56 GMT
She could be in heat?
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