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Post by yoelle on Jun 1, 2020 23:24:11 GMT
I grew up with rats but am thinking of getting some degus as rats are illegal here and degus seem great! With rats my female pairs had different behavioural traits than male pairings. Males were a little less skittish but also more aggressive. Is there a similar behavioural difference in degus? Are there any differences between having 3 femal vs male degus?
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 2, 2020 0:15:19 GMT
Males will be a little more assertive in the contest for dominance, but females can be just as assertive. Really, there isn't much difference, though females are typically a little less aggressive. They have the same behaviors, the same funny quirks, and so forth, but females are . . . quicker to get along?
How's that for clarity. LOL!
Welcome to the forum, Yoelle!
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Post by yoelle on Jun 2, 2020 1:27:13 GMT
Thanks for the response! It will probably come down to whatever sex the store has available... but that was clear so I appreciate it!
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 2, 2020 9:05:05 GMT
The only thing that is usually more difficult with males is the adolescent/young adult phase that is typically between 6 months of age up to 18 months of age . . . in some going as long as 24 months. They can be very combative and aggressive with each other during these months. Some are REALLY bad. There is no way of knowing what you'll get. Some females are every bit as bad . . . but generally their phase is milder. What is available will definitely impact you're choices! Just know that it can be extremely trying for the owner as well. Something else you would find very useful to know is how to identify a male from a female. To help you with that, have a look at this. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/13070/degus Degus are more often mis-sexed than they are correctly sexed . . . even by vets. So, do familiarize yourself with the differences as shown in the link above. It could save you some massive headaches!! (Because degus procreate REALLY FAST. Female pups can be impregnated as early as six weeks, male pups can do the deed as early as 8 weeks, and litters on average are five or six in number but can be as large as 10. OFTEN, as in, 99 percent of the time, if a male is still present in the cage when a pregnant degu gives birth, she will be pregnant again within hours of finishing delivery, as that is their most fertile time and the male knows it. If daddy is still present when the pups are 5-6 weeks of age, he will also impregnate any females that are there . . . no hesitation just because they are his daughters. All that to say, if you can avoid a mixed pair . . . avoid it. Unless the male has already been neutered.)
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Post by moletteuk on Jun 2, 2020 16:43:33 GMT
There isn't the same difference in male and female degus as there is in rats. Do check out our beginner's guide as degus need more space, time and effort than rats and it's not always easy to get decent food or vet care for them in the States or outside western Europe deguworld.proboards.com/thread/19754/beginners-guide-degu-keeping
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Post by yoelle on Jun 2, 2020 21:49:04 GMT
I’m in Alberta Canada so rats are illegal and this is more of me Turing 30 and wanting to have rodents(only had rats when I was young). I’ve taken a look at a lot of the resources on the site and will be trying to make a DIY cage in my basement and housing them there. My biggest concern is thatI have a cat who I’m sure degus wouldn’t like lol, I obviously would keep them away from each other but would them seeing a cat through glass stress them out too much? She’s a nice cat but probably has instincts lol.
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 3, 2020 1:57:14 GMT
I'm also in Alberta! Cats aren't usually a problem with degus, because degus have LOTS of ATTITUDE. They will stand up to a cat most times. If you are planning a DIY cage with glass doors . . . that won't be a problem at all. If you wanted to make wooden frames and cover them with good quality chicken wire, that is also OK. If the openings are square and no bigger than 1 cm, a cat will not be able to reach in and snag anyone. Are you planning a wooden cage? With glass doors you have to plan lots of venting for fresh air so have that in mind as you start to plan. Do you know how many degus you want to bring home? If you've had a look at our recommended cage sizes, that will help you to plan what size you need to make. When I made my own wooden cage, I made it HUGE . . . bigger than I actually intended. LOL I had three males to start with, and ended up with a cage large enough for seven degus. Turned out to be a really good thing in our case. If you plan to keep them in your basement, you will need to arrange supplementary lighting for them. They are diurnal animals, which means they are up during the day, though most active mornings and evenings. Because of this, they need full spectrum lighting to help keep them healthy. There are probably other things I can tell you about, though most of my experience is in the southern regions of the province. If you have questions, please feel free to PM me!!
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Post by savvy on Jun 3, 2020 2:01:34 GMT
If it's any help, when I first had my degus I also had an elderly cat. It took the degus less than a week before they were grabbing her tail through the bars! I had to keep rescuing the cat from the degus, lol.
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Post by MistyAnna on Jun 3, 2020 4:55:26 GMT
I have two cats and two degus, there’s been no problems between the two
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Post by yoelle on Jun 3, 2020 6:18:52 GMT
You guys and gals are great! What a relief! My cat might hiss at them at first would they be freaked out? I know I might have to keep them separate and introduce them gradually. Would that usually work? I have a decent set of woodworking tools and will (wife willing) build a 4’ or 1.25 ish cm by 50 cm deep and 4-6 ft high. I would then try to get 3 degus (maybe female if I might have an easier adolescent stage 😂). I’m actually looking forward to trying to design a degu haven for them 🧐 and will install an light system on timers. I really appreciate the tips! My wife gave me a soft go ahead so I wanna make sure I’ve made the cage and have an idea of food and toys and stuff before I get these goos.
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Post by yoelle on Jun 3, 2020 6:40:30 GMT
You guys and gals are great! What a relief! My cat might hiss at them at first would they be freaked out? I know I might have to keep them separate and introduce them gradually. Would that usually work? I have a decent set of woodworking tools and will (wife willing) build a 4’ or 1.25 ish cm by 50 cm deep and 4-6 ft high(along the lines of some of the guides on this sight. I would then try to get 3 degus (maybe female if I might have an easier adolescent stage 😂). I’m actually looking forward to trying to design a degu haven for them 🧐 and will install an light system on timers. I really appreciate the tips! My wife gave me a soft go ahead so I wanna make sure I’ve made the cage and have an idea of food and toys and stuff before I get these goos. I think I saw 10 or so degus at a local pet store so I think I’ll Give them a call to check before I get too invested (emotionally in getting these cute little things 😂). Any other thoughts and advice is greatly appreciated!
Also deguconvert do you know what stores in Edmonton or Calgary carry degus? I saw an old post on a different site saying Lethbridge had a breeding pair but maybe that’s not the most recent information.
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 3, 2020 8:15:15 GMT
Petland carries them sometimes. I have seen them in a store near me, but they haven't been pups. I would say the ones I have sometimes seen have been adults . . . but they could be anywhere from a year to several years . . . it's hard to tell. Pisces Pet Emporium in Calgary has sometimes had them as well. It's kind of hit and miss. They used to carry them all the time, but because they failed repeatedly to get the sexes right, they constantly had people coming back to them to report that their two males had just given birth. OR the pups that were 3 months old when they picked them up at the store had given birth. Anyway, this brought on a "no degus" policy, but that doesn't seem quite so solid anymore. I am not sure about stores in Edmonton, sorry to say. I have no connections there that would be looking anymore. So give several Petland stores and Pisces Pet Emporium a call to see if they have some. You could also try PetSmart . . . but I'm not so sure if they do. I've only once seen degus in a store I very occasionally step into. I'd burn up the telephone wires before going anywhere, and if some are located, maybe ask to have a hold put on them so that you can at least see them and make up your mind. BEFORE that . . . become VERY familiar with male and female appearances. If you have doubts . . . depending on where you are going . . . I might be able to give you a hand with that. The wooden cage I built was 164 cm long, 60 cm deep, and about 125 cm . . . maybe a little more . . . high. It was huge, but the degus LOVED it, and it was awesome! I had the floor level, and then two additional levels of the same surface area above those. I would strongly encourage you to put on doors that you can open wide, whether they are sliding all the way, or swinging. It makes a MASSIVE difference to the task of cleaning. Also, for all of your levels, plan to build in a kiln dried lip around the edges . . . I used 2X4's on mine, which all got chewed, but that was part of the whole point. They help to keep mess in, and to give a chewing option for the degus, and degus live to chew. Among many other things. ALSO distracts them from going after the walls. For your lighting . . . LED strips work a treat, and I think you can get them in full spectrum, AND you can make a safety cage out of chicken wire to cover them so the goos won't eat them. Putting any electrical wires that lead from them and outside of the cage into metal shower hose also works well! One of the tips I have learned from all our members in Britain is to look at livestock stores for substrate. You can get a lot more for a lot less. Pet stores seriously over charge for substrate. FOOD . . . well that is a different thing all together. Britain has AMAZING sources for their food, and a LOT of variety. Canada . . . meh . . . not so much. We'll have to talk about that further. I really have to get myself to bed for now. All this covid stuff, all the kids being home (thankfully young adults and a mid teenager) means that my night owl tendencies have kicked in BIG TIME. Not to mention that with a house with four adults and a teenager doesn't lend me many opportunities to have the peace and quiet during work and school hours I used to have and appreciate. LOL!! The early hours of the morning are like a retreat. I should use them better.
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Post by yoelle on Jun 3, 2020 17:50:23 GMT
Your advice is amazing! Thanks. Yah I think I saw them at the petland in Edmonton. I assume getting pups is beneficial for adjusting them to handling? Yah I’m looking forward to making a cage and will take all your advice! The food is a bit of a concern for me as it’s quite a bit more intensive than pets I normally have so I’m going to have to get something figured out before I pull the trigger.
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 3, 2020 19:02:42 GMT
Have you looked at the Diet and Nutrition board? There is a LOT . . . like "A L O T" . . . to seen, read, and digested in there but it is really good information. A short cut . . . HA . . . might be to start here. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/15795/links-interesting-food-threads Which is actually a thread with a lot of links in it, so it is really just doorways to MORE reading. It's a good way to get your feet wet though. They have really helpful information that will give you many ideas of what you can do as far as feeding these guys. You may already know that they do not tolerate sugars well, especially "added" sugars, but you also want to avoid fruits with them, as even the natural sugars can cause diabetes in short order. Most especially dried fruits. Avoid those at all costs.
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Post by bouncy on Jun 3, 2020 22:39:00 GMT
There used to be a member on here with both a large dog (was he a boxer?) and a marmalade cat. The goo spent most of the day out of his cage and yes, they were scared of the goo.
I hope you find your ideal rodents, whether goos or anything else!
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Post by savvy on Jun 4, 2020 1:49:40 GMT
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 4, 2020 7:16:38 GMT
I don't know if this link will work . . . www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Y1LN57XnAY . . . I was feeling sorry for the kittens before very long. They're pretty young, and that degu was almost as big as they were!!
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Post by bouncy on Jun 4, 2020 14:37:51 GMT
Two from the same owner!
The goo is determined the cat will do as he's told........
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 4, 2020 17:18:44 GMT
At least the love was mutual in the second video. Degu was being a real brat in the first one, LOL!
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Post by savvy on Jun 4, 2020 17:40:35 GMT
That's one very tolerant cat, lol.
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