Lying on tummy

[iocleaver]

Hi there my 1 year old female degu has been acting strange today and has been constantly running in her wheel then running off and lying completely flat on her tummy and squeaking loudly, repeatedly. I read on a thread here that she could be on heat but I was just very worried about her and wanted to know what other people thought. I've never seen her lie down like this so it was very alarming.
Thanks

[savvy]

Hi and welcome.

It could be that she's on heat as you say, but the laying down on her tummy could be a sign that she's too hot.

If she's eating, peeing, pooing and generally behaving normally otherwise, I wouldn't be too concerned.

Does she live alone or does she have a cage mate?

[bouncy]

Ditto Savvy - degus have some very strange behaviour! Mine often lie flat when they're totally chilled, or they're too warm. The question about poo etc is important because one other thing that springs to mind is stomach discomfort. She may have trapped wind or trouble passing poo.

[deguconvert]

What is the temp in the room you keep them in . . . or is the cage near to a heat source?

[ktz]

I have two male degus around year old... and one of them does the same thing. So like two weeks everything is fine and then 1 day he does this thing - runs fast in wheel, lays down and squeaks a bit. It's like cycle of this behavior - two weeks fine then this for one day and then again two weeks fine. I don't think that it's heat related because our indoor temp. is fine - just laying down cuz did some overspeed runs in wheel. My thoughts that it's related with mating stuff - hormones and urge to mate... so makes them hype.

[deguconvert]

Ktz . . . I'm going to ask a very . . . indelicate question. Have you witnessed both of your boys cleaning their penis? The reason I ask is because both make and female degus have what is called an urethral cone. To us, it looks just like a penis. It isn't, it just looks the same for both sexes and they both pee from it. The difference that is used to identify male and female is the space between the urethral cone and the anus. Males have a longer distance, often described as looking like an old fashioned key hole in a door. Females have next to no space, and if outlined, you would see that it strongly resembles a figure 8.

Males make quite a show of cleaning their penis, which is VERY long, and when you see it, is unmistakable. We joke that they like to perform this self-service while company is visiting and present. (They really do!) If you have not seen this type of behavior with one or both of your degus, there is a strong potential that you have either a male and a female, or two females.

Just to help you with this question, here is a link on identifying the sex of your degu. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/13070/degus A visual is often helpful.

[savvy]

I was going to ask the same question DC.

The breeding season for males is usually December to about March, it's certainly not every few weeks unless there's a female nearby. You can usually tell by the increased activity of the 'pass time' DC has described. And yes! You can't mistake it, not either by seeing (it's over an inch long) or hearing (they slurp!) Lol.

[ktz]

LOL! Then I've been "scammed?" Anyways can You help me with these pics?

First degu


Second one



Shop said male!

Sorry for graphic images lol!

EDIT: In second pic that's a small fur between the thingy and round "object" In life bouth look about the same.

[deguconvert]

Hey . . . don't worry about the images LOL, it's the only way to know what you need to know. As for no babies . . . it isn't unheard of that a male and female will have lived together, even as long as a couple of years, before the surprise of pups was discovered. No pups showing up isn't a for sure indication that you don't have mixed sexes in your cage.

HOWEVER . . . to me it looks like you have two females! There are occasionally males that have a somewhat shortened distance between the cone and the anus, and number two "could" almost qualify for that potential. If you want to be absolutely sure, another photo, but with the tail lifted away from the body enough to "spread" the key members of interest a little further apart, we should be able to definitively affirm the sex.

[moletteuk]

Nice clear pics, definitely female. In which case it does sound like she is in heat, and if the weather is warm with you, should could be physically feeling warm too. You could offer a tile or rock that has been in the fridge or freezer and see if she likes it to lie on. When she is in heat your are likely to see hyperactivity with some fatigue in between activity, tail wiggling and trying to hump her friend and maybe being a bit agitated and excitable and lower appetite. Once her oestrus passes it can be useful to make sure she eats plenty to put some of the weight back on. I would recommened some degu oil seeds and plenty of forage and maybe some nuts too.

[ktz]

Apr 21, 2019 18:52:49 GMT deguconvert said:

Hey . . . don't worry about the images LOL, it's the only way to know what you need to know. As for no babies . . . it isn't unheard of that a male and female will have lived together, even as long as a couple of years, before the surprise of pups was discovered. No pups showing up isn't a for sure indication that you don't have mixed sexes in your cage.

HOWEVER . . . to me it looks like you have two females! There are occasionally males that have a somewhat shortened distance between the cone and the anus, and number two "could" almost qualify for that potential. If you want to be absolutely sure, another photo, but with the tail lifted away from the body enough to "spread" the key members of interest a little further apart, we should be able to definitively affirm the sex.

First one again:

Second one again:

And yes I have never seen any of when cleaning the delicate places that something would come out!

EDIT: After looking at ton of pics about this "topic" - even my eye says it's females LOL! I feel so "mind blown" - cuz all this time they were our boys! Now we need a new names and adopt to all this... it's so weird now!

[deguconvert]

So . . . ROFL! There is enough distance that I began to wonder at my first thoughts. But once I enlarged the photos, you can see the little "smile" just behind the cones that will be their vaginal openings. So I'm sticking with the "female" diagnosis.

[savvy]

I'm tentatively going with girls, mainly because there's a little ambiguity over the second one. Reading back you've said that only one is behaving like she's on heat. Does the other one do the same?

[ktz]

Apr 22, 2019 9:34:44 GMT savvy said:

I'm tentatively going with girls, mainly because there's a little ambiguity over the second one. Reading back you've said that only one is behaving like she's on heat. Does the other one do the same?

Other one has a bit different behaviour - there are days when 'she?' squeking on each human movement like for - I pick up TV remote "squek" I put down it "squek" I sit down - "squek" and so on... and as other one wants to cuddle and 'she' starts to "squek" a bit till they get comfy (not chitter) There is no overspeed wheel running. This happens the same idk round 2-3 weeks of silent period and then 1 days this - same as first has this 2-3 weeks of silence (idk exactly is it 2 or 3 weeks - I have not taken an exact timing)

[savvy]

Thanks ktz. It sounds like they are both girls.

[deguconvert]

Female degus have a 21 day heat cycle. So that three week cycle is probably what you are seeing with them.

[moletteuk]

They can get a bit bad tempered when they are in heat, so maybe your second degu just likes to vocally complain about everything at those times lol!