Degu Memory

[skyeblu]

Hi all. One thing I've always assumed (from reading this and other boards) is that degus don't have long memories and even a trip to the vet means that they need to be "re-introduced". However, I wanted to relate some recent experiences which make me wonder if degus actually DO "remember" things.

For example, Momma and Poppa had a litter back in February and I had given two of the girls to a teacher down the hall. This teacher has told me several times that the girls wouldn't take treats from her or the students (except for 1 boy who had my class last spring) and they were acting very timid and shied away from the students. One day I went to her room to borrow supplies and as I was talking we both noticed that both girls had jumped off their wheels and run to the corner closest to me and watched us. Her comment was "I think they recognize you." When I offered them a treat, they immediately took it.

Example 2 -- recently Momma and Daddy had a new litter (6 boys-no girls) and it's time to rehouse them. This teacher and I decided to trade two of the new boys for the girls. I don't want any new litters for a while and needed some girls to room with Momma since she didn't have any in this last litter. (I'm keeping 2 boys to room with Dad.) On the exchange day I put the girls in their new cage and they were happily exploring and rolling in their dust bath. I set Mom's cage next to theirs and everybody froze. After a few seconds both girls approached Mom at the bars all of them chirping softly and within seconds both girls erupted in to
squeals of excitement. (It sounded exactly the same as the noise babies make when Mom comes back to the nest ). I decided to "try" a short face-to-face and as soon as I put Mom in the cage there was a flurry of chirps and sniffing which soon became and all out "groom fest". The other teacher was watching this with me and her comment was "Aw look...they remember each other." I left them in the cage together (listening carefully for any squabbles) and a few hours later caught them all napping together in the hammock.

The other odd thing is these girls seem so to have undergone instant personality changes -- from timid and withdrawn to downright gregarious. If I am near the cage, they are pressing their noses out and watching me. If I am doing anything in their cage (adding new shelves, filling the hay rack, etc.) I have to keep "shooing" them away because they are right there -- sniffing my hands, nibbling at my watch or trying to climb on my arm (which makes it hard to put in a shelf ;D).

Having witnessed all this, I am really starting to think that degus do remember and I wonder if anyone else has had a similar experience.

[bopeuph]

If they have such a short memory, they would certainly not be able to tell the sounds of the treat box from other sounds! Our degus are super excited to hear that sound.

Nick

[Sunshinemeg]

There are some interesting experiences there,and I do feel you are right that degus have a certain degree of memory. I think however that smell plays a very strong part of it. When I visit the vet, I take the whole gang simply because they then all experience the same different smells, rather than one returning smelling very different. If your females were in the same building, they would most likely retain the normal smell that they associated with each other, making it so much easier for re-introductions.

I certainly believe that degus remember bad behaviour. I had one degu, Marmalade who was badly hurt by Charlie, no matter what Charlie did after they were re-introduced, Marmalade wouldnt accept it, as Charlie was the one who had caused the pain in the first place! (thats my opinion anyway!!!)

[dreamcatcher]

I have a plastic tupperware container that I keep the sunflower seeds in. Right from day one that I got the degus I would shake the container. Now when I shake the container, they all run to the bars pushing and tripping over each other to see who can get there first!! ;D
My kids think it's hilarious!!
They always want to be there when I do it, cause they love watching them fall all over themselves!! ;D ;D

[Sunshinemeg]

Yes, that reminds me. I have a savers box of bran flakes just for the boys, when I russle the packet to put my hand in it, they rush for the door, so they must associate certain sounds with certain things!

[ra]

I don't think Degus have short memories. I think the re-introductions that are needed after one is taken out of the cage for a trip to the vets etc has to do with survival and the territorial aspect of the Degus - the pecking order - chain of command thing. Even with my horses, if one spends a week at my trainers then comes back home the others challenge it's place in the hiearchy.

[pagancat]

My three girls know the sound of their treat containers (I have 3 kinds, hamster/small animal donuts, sunflower seeds and raisins for an extreme special treat) plus a food container and the dust container. They know which container I'm touching even before I've opened it. When I open the donut treats, they take their time coming to the door for them, the sunflower seeds they move alot quicker, but if its the raisins they make a mad dash for the door and practically fall out of the cage when I open the door. When it the food, they head for their food dishes and watch me put it in there, and the dust, they are in their dust baths even before I'm ready to put the dust in ;D All 3 also respond to their names as well as "My pretty Ladies" (I use this when I want all 3s attention at once) and seem to understand its time to go home, when its time to go back to the cage(2 come quickly the other runs like the dickens to avoid going back) I always give them a treat when they are back in their cage after their "freedom" runs(I'm hoping it will help for if we every have an escape).

Walk in peace,
Cat