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Post by newtothis on Aug 14, 2020 15:41:40 GMT
Hi everyone - I think I last posted on here 2-3 years ago now so I don't expect the mods to remember me but 'hi'  . My 3 boys are 6 years old now and doing well. When they were around 18 months old they were separated due to fighting (I got some great advise at the time from this forum so thanks again!) and they have been separated ever since. The boy on his own (Pepper) seems happy enough alone and when the three of them are out of the cage for playtime (separate enclosures but very close together and very visible to each other) I can see no aggression at all and the odd greeting (I would say no apparent hostility now for a couple of years). My question is, should I just let sleeping dogs lie and leave them as a happy 2 and a 1, or try to get the 3 of them reunited? They are getting on a bit now so if 3 becomes 2 I don't want to end up with 2 singletons. What are people's thoughts/experiences on reintroducing after several years apart? Thanks! EDIT: they are all in a Explorer cage - Pepper in the top and Max and Mendel in the bottom - they can see each other and interact through the bars in the gap - for the first year or so after separation there was a lot of aggression between the bars but now nothing... |
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 14, 2020 19:10:35 GMT
Hello again! It is lovely to see you on after a long absence! Welcome back. I am glad to hear that everyone seems to be doing well.
I would be inclined to try some introductions. Two years without any aggression . . . I think it is worth giving it a try. If they don't blend and become a happy group, you haven't really lost anything. If they DO blend . . . it's a wonderful gain!
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Post by bouncy on Aug 14, 2020 20:44:45 GMT
Hello! I remember you! Mind, I think I was a helper back then lol
Can you please remind me - did you replace the shelves with full levels?
I'm with DC - it's worth a try!
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Post by newtothis on Aug 14, 2020 22:35:03 GMT
Thank you DC and bouncy. Tonight all 3 boys were together in the large play pen for about 1 hour - I am pleased to say it went very well!!- Pepper (the lone male) was grooming the alpha male (Mendel)and they were running around the playpen together making degu noises! There was the odd attempt to mount (Pepper to Mendel) and a little bit of over giddiness but ok. I noticed a LOT more markings on the playpen floor vs when they are a 2 and a 1 playing but presumably that's ok? Completely different body language to my last attempt at the face-to-face time together. I think the reason it worked this time is because Mendel is more laid back these days as I think Pepper can be quite annoying and in ya' face! ha-ha They are back in their own sections of the cage now (I did not want to push it) but will try again tomorrow. Just feel bad now that I did not do this a year ago!
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Post by newtothis on Aug 14, 2020 22:38:46 GMT
Hello! I remember you! Mind, I think I was a helper back then lol C I'm with DC - it's worth a try! No I did not in the end - a full floor and a half floor with shelves on each main level. They have lots of out of cage time though in a large playpen |
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Post by bouncy on Aug 15, 2020 8:02:30 GMT
If you want to introduce them again, I would consider adding one full level. The more space, the better!
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Post by newtothis on Aug 15, 2020 22:03:37 GMT
If you want to introduce them again, I would consider adding one full level. The more space, the better! Ok. I had all three boys out together again in the playpen today for ~1 hour. No issues. There was a mixture of mounting and a little chasing (but not nasty) between the alpha (Mendel) and Pepper - Max (the 'soft' one of the trio) was happy to submit to both Pepper and Mendel. I think I will do a couple more playtimes and then think about merging the cage sections so they are all together. I have decided to get rid of all the wooden shelves in both sections and replace them with larger units (per your recommendation and agreed they would probably like more space). Prior to all three going back into the cage - the cage will be cleaned but with substrate from both sections mixed in. I will wheel the cage from the back room into the living room so I can keep a close eye on them for a while.... I will report back... |
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 15, 2020 22:33:25 GMT
AWESOME!!!
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Post by bouncy on Aug 16, 2020 8:45:21 GMT
That's brilliant news!
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Post by newtothis on Aug 19, 2020 21:24:59 GMT
A quick question. Pepper (the one who was alone) is proper 'creeping' to Mendal (the alpha) lying at his feet and generally trying to groom Mendel but poor Max is being completely ignored - should I be worried about Max losing his status as Mendel's bestie? All 3 boys were together in the playpen tonight for a good 2 hours - no issues at all (not counting my chickens until all have settled back into the cage together)...
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 19, 2020 22:48:59 GMT
Not at all!! This is EXCELLENT! He is totally submitting to Mendal! This means he really wants to be part of the group!
C E L E B R A T I O N!!!!
HUGE step forward!!
This doesn't mean there will not be skirmishes, as there definitely still could be . . . but it won't be nasty. AND you can take the top degu position and just absolutely insist that they STOP! Loud NO!! beside the cage, and even stomping your foot or slamming the table/wall or part of the cage will get the message through. This may not even be needed. It depends on your individual degus.
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Post by newtothis on Aug 23, 2020 15:55:55 GMT
Ok. Some great news. All 3 boys have been together sharing the same cage for 24 hours now. They have been sleeping together and making cute degu noises. Every now and again Mendel and Pepper shout at each other a bit and there is a bit of mounting but never lasts longer that a couple of seconds and nowhere on the 'nasty' scale that it used to be. Was so nice to go into the back room this morning and see the 3 of them cuddled-up with their heads popping out of their little house. So reintroductions can happen! eventually in the case of my three! That said I think it would have been harder had the 3 boys been completely separated in 2 different cages - I think my three eventually became relaxed by the smell of each other and being able to see each other through the cage divider. (as the admins know - 2 years ago Mendel was like a rodent possessed in his wanting to get to Pepper and attack him... degu old age maybe haha)
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Post by moletteuk on Aug 24, 2020 17:01:03 GMT
Great to see you, newtothis, and even better that you have achieved a happy ending, long may it continue |
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Post by newtothis on Oct 24, 2020 22:01:08 GMT
Over 1 month has passed and the 3 boys are still happy together 24-7. They sleep together and they play together. I honestly never thought they would be together again. They are 6-years old now so probably too old for the silliness of youth!
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 25, 2020 3:43:02 GMT
This is truly AWESOME!! Well done!! I'm so glad for the update, and that all is still going so well! EXCELLENT!
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Post by yasmin on Oct 31, 2020 1:09:59 GMT
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. My 3 boys are 6 years old now and doing well. When they were around 18 months old they were separated due to fighting (I got some great advise at the time from this forum so thanks again!) and they have been separated ever since. The boy on his own (Pepper) seems happy enough alone and when the three of them are out of the cage for playtime (separate enclosures but very close together and very visible to each other) I can see no aggression at all and the odd greeting (I would say no apparent hostility now for a couple of years). My question is, should I just let sleeping dogs lie and leave them as a happy 2 and a 1, or try to get the 3 of them reunited? They are getting on a bit now so if 3 becomes 2 I don't want to end up with 2 singletons. What are people's thoughts/experiences on reintroducing after several years apart? Thanks!
