taffy
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19
|
New cage
Jul 26, 2019 19:47:47 GMT
via mobile
Post by taffy on Jul 26, 2019 19:47:47 GMT
Hi guys.. I've 2 male degus..ive just put them in a aventura cage today.. Which is alot bigger than what they had before.. They seem to be chattering their teeth at each other and fighting.. I've separated them n put them back together but still keep having disagreements.. Should I separate them over night as I carnt watch them all night or is that to long? Will they eventually get back to how they was? Thankyou
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 26, 2019 21:04:34 GMT
Hi Taffy and welcome to the forum.
The Adventura is a great cage which can be divided if necessary by blocking off the hole in the full centre level.
There are a number of things which could be causing the fighting.
You don't say how old your boys are and it could get that they are going through adolescence (usually between 6-18 months old) which means the fighting is normal as they are like hormonal teenagers and they get very stroppy.
They could also be fighting over who is going to be in charge of this wonderful new territory. Degus are very territorial.
It could also be that they are just hot and bothered and tempers are short.
You also don't say how bad the fighting is, is it just squabbles, boxing or is it more serious (FBOD). If it's squabbles and boxing you may have to let them sort it out themselves. FBOD fighting has to be stopped as it can lead to death or serious injury.
Finally, did you put anything from their old cage into the new such as toys, bedding, old substrate as they may help them settle down.
|
|
|
Post by randomname on Jul 26, 2019 21:11:19 GMT
Savvy has covered everything, but I want to add that I find it helpful to have at least 2 of everything (wheels, water bottles, food dishes, bed areas etc) so they're not fighting for them & it can help alleviate tension overall.
I've always found any change to the environment to be a trigger for fighting with degus so I'd guess that's the main cause, but it's hard to tell without observing them for a while.
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 26, 2019 21:25:40 GMT
I'd also be very careful how you separate them as degu bites can be nasty.
From your post in the intro section, this sounds like they're trying to sort out whose in charge, but the hot weather won't be helping either. My two have been grumpy since the temperature rose.
As Random says, give them two of what you can, also feed them in different locations so they both have a chance to eat.
A loud 'no!' from you, followed by a bang on the cage should be enough to stop them fighting if it isn't serious, if they are causing injuries, you will need to separate (dividing the cage with something they can't get through will suffice and give them more room then the horrible thickets cage) until injuries heal. You will also need to remove the sand bath if there are open wounds to help prevent an infection.
|
|
taffy
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19
|
New cage
Jul 26, 2019 21:26:40 GMT
via mobile
Post by taffy on Jul 26, 2019 21:26:40 GMT
Hi and thankyou.. I got them in November when they was 18 months old so their just over 2 now.. They've got old toys in there and some old substrate.. They are puffing up.. Chattering teeth and end up rolling round and I have to intervine and separate them..never did this before they always cuddled up and slept together.. I've used different substrate from before though.. as much as they've got everything from the old cage They have new houses.. Plus lots more new stuff as the cage is bigger.. They have food bowls on both levels.. Water bottles on both levels and a house on both levels.. Will They ever get back to how they was? I think it's more one than the other but not sure
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 26, 2019 21:37:35 GMT
Rolling around is FBOD (fur ball of death) so must be stopped. I'd separate them by putting the least aggressive one at the top of the cage, and the challenger at the bottom until their tempers cool.
They will be fine overnight like this as long as they can't break through the cordon. Something like a heavy chopping board to cover the hole or similar.
This way you can try to reintroduce them tomorrow when they are hopefully calmer. If you keep swapping them from one cage to the other, it's only going to confuse them and potentially make the fighting worse.
Degus really do hate change, even when it's for the better and they can take a while to settle down and accept it.
We will help where we can so please don't worry too much.
|
|
taffy
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19
|
Post by taffy on Jul 26, 2019 21:47:51 GMT
Thankyou so much.. I will try them again in the morning fingers crossed.. Really dont want them to be permanently separated if I can help it.. Feel do bad that they are apart tonight.. Will keep you updated
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 26, 2019 21:53:45 GMT
We've all been through periods when they've been fighting and have had to separate, it is hard, but necessary.
At the end of the day, you have to be top degu.
|
|
taffy
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19
|
New cage
Jul 27, 2019 12:24:33 GMT
via mobile
Post by taffy on Jul 27, 2019 12:24:33 GMT
I've just tried them together again.. Waterslide started chattering his teeth first this time and his fur was up.. Then Billy started so I separated them before anything started.. I will try again later on.. So hard when they've always been together but don't want any injuries.. I'm just scared the longer their apart the more they will be territorial on their half the cage
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 27, 2019 12:30:33 GMT
Where are you attempting the reintroductions, they really need to be on a neutral territory. A play pen or bath is ideal as long as you can intervene when necessary and they can't get out on their own.
|
|
taffy
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19
|
New cage
Jul 27, 2019 13:23:18 GMT
via mobile
Post by taffy on Jul 27, 2019 13:23:18 GMT
Hi..atm they are in the aventura.. Billy is at the bottom and waterslide is on the top.. I've got a tile separating them.. I've just been removing the tile.. I'm new to all this and finding things out everyday.. I havnt got a playpen as yet before I got this big cage they used to just run around the room
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 27, 2019 14:26:55 GMT
Don't worry, we were all new once. I think you need to do the reintroductions outside of the cage, they can go back in again when they are back to being friends.
Try swapping a handful of substrate between them so they can get used to each others scents being in their part of the cage, if that makes sense, then try getting them together on neutral territory outside the cage.
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 27, 2019 14:39:03 GMT
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Jul 27, 2019 16:17:19 GMT
I think this has been caused by territorial behaviour over the new, better cage. Chances are they should be OK if you can get them over this hurdle.
I would try taking all the new stuff out and rubbing old substrate everywhere. I'm wondering if they would be OK if you put them both back in the old cage temporarily? Or if you tried them both in a smaller section of the new cage and then gradually expanded the new area. Things to think about are reinforcing the heirarchy because that is your quickest route to the subdominant degu submitting. You might need to think on your feet, you might get a different response if you add the dominant degu to the half of the cage where the sub degu currently is. Physically higher territory reinforces dominance, so put the dominant goo in the top. You probably do want to wait for them to calm down before you do anything.
|
|
taffy
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19
|
New cage
Jul 27, 2019 19:56:26 GMT
via mobile
Post by taffy on Jul 27, 2019 19:56:26 GMT
I let them out the cage today to run around the room so it was neutral ground.. Initially they was chattering teeth and one had its fur up in a ball.. Waterslide was going upto Billy really careful and sniffing and after a bit they both stopped chattering their teeth and the fur was down.. Billy then started snuffing too.. They Didnt leave each other alone just a very slight bit of boxing and that was it.. I was pleased with them I was expecting worse.. I've kept them separated atm and going to try them in the bath tomorrow with in being a smaller space and see how it goes.. Fingers crossed will let you know.. Thanks everybody I really appreciate your support x
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 27, 2019 20:09:25 GMT
That sounds really positive, well done.
Please let us know how it goes.
|
|
taffy
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19
|
New cage
Jul 27, 2019 20:33:50 GMT
via mobile
Post by taffy on Jul 27, 2019 20:33:50 GMT
Thankyou I really hope so.. I will keep you informed tomorrow 😁
|
|
taffy
Newborn Degu
Posts: 19
|
New cage
Jul 29, 2019 8:43:48 GMT
via mobile
Post by taffy on Jul 29, 2019 8:43:48 GMT
I've just tried them in the bath.. I put plenty of forage in and toys.. But within a minute they were rolling around and Billy has blood on his back.. Not alot I had a look it's a little wound.. I separated them straight away and put them back in the cage.. I feel so stressed especially since they were living together before the new cage.. I feel so disheartened 😢
|
|
|
Post by savvy on Jul 29, 2019 9:06:09 GMT
Don't give up! Degus can be very stubborn and they can hold a grudge for ages. You will need to keep Billy away from the sand bath until his wound heals. If he will let you hold him, the wound will need to be bathed in cooled boiled salt water to make sure it's clean. If it starts to feel hot, or looks red and/or inflamed you will need to get him to a vet. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/22352/degu-first-caring-sick-injured
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Jul 29, 2019 9:34:42 GMT
I'm sorry it didn't go well. Sounds like they need more time to calm down. Try not to be disheartened, getting them a bigger cage was the right thing to do and it's just the occasional group or pair that has a difficult time transitioning and you couldn't have foreseen it would happen to you.
|
|