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Post by Xellie on Mar 25, 2021 7:03:48 GMT
Okay so, I'm never sure if I'm doing the right thing... I'm letting them guide me for the most part. The split cage thing is a bit difficult to manage in that there are escapees from one group to the other side often (but not the two in conflict). But the two groups are interacting well and the two degus that have been fighting stay on their side while the others get to roam all over the cage when I'm in the room (which is mostly all day except when I'm sleeping). They let me know when they want to get into the other side! They all cuddle up together and when the divider is up, they'll sit by each other by the bars.
I'm trading the substrate and sand bath as if it's an introduction.
When the two that have been fighting interact through the divider without signs of aggression or irritation, I give both a treat. When they start complaining at each other I put up a solid divider (this also goes up overnight).
What it LOOKS like is that Choca is holding a grudge from being injured. She's very defensive and now looks like she's starting it, when her initial response is a fear response (it seems). So I'm trying to teach her that Bryn isn't that scary and giving her rewards when they are together without issue.
I really hope I have the right read on this.
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Post by bouncy on Mar 25, 2021 11:15:14 GMT
It sounds sensible to me. The best way to work any introduction is to be guided by the goos themselves. Is Choca the little lady who likes to plonk herself in the middle of your palm to sleep? If so, could she be viewing the treats to her bully as traitorous behaviour by her hooman. I think you're doing the right thing, I'm just trying to see it from the viewpoint of an irrational goo mind
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Post by deguconvert on Mar 25, 2021 17:58:47 GMT
Grudges are big in degu hearts, they can be harder to mend than the physical wounds. They definitely take time. I think you are doing really well!!
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Post by Xellie on Mar 25, 2021 19:33:08 GMT
It sounds sensible to me. The best way to work any introduction is to be guided by the goos themselves. Is Choca the little lady who likes to plonk herself in the middle of your palm to sleep? If so, could she be viewing the treats to her bully as traitorous behaviour by her hooman. I think you're doing the right thing, I'm just trying to see it from the viewpoint of an irrational goo mind Haha no, she's the one that jumps on me from whatever distance she can if the door is open. Incidentally Bryn does the same thing, but to a lesser degree. I'm glad everyone else in the group is getting along for the meantime.
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Post by Xellie on Mar 30, 2021 15:21:31 GMT
So Bryn started attacking another one in her group today. I got to them with the victim having a few small scratches on her face. It was a lot less aggressive than the last one she fought with.
I came here to check the date of the first fight and it's exactly three weeks, sooooooo, I think she's got a heat problem.
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Post by deguconvert on Mar 30, 2021 18:35:19 GMT
You smart cookie!! I wonder if a neutered boy would be helpful . . . .
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Post by Xellie on Mar 30, 2021 20:46:04 GMT
I could have 2 neutered boys, but I really wouldn't like to split anyone up unless its a last resort....
My boys are so affectionate to each other (also I'm pretty sure Banshee has issues or something he's crazy even by Degu standards)
Just checking but I'm sure I know the answer - 2 neutered boys and 1 female will lead to bloodshed, won't it?
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Post by Xellie on Mar 30, 2021 21:05:48 GMT
The other option is to put her in jail for a couple of days every 3 weeks
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Post by savvy on Mar 30, 2021 21:25:29 GMT
I think jailing her is just going to lead to resentment.
Yep, 1 neutered male to multiple female SHOULD make a happy group. I say SHOULD because we are taking about degus, lol.
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Post by Xellie on Mar 30, 2021 21:37:09 GMT
That's a terrible choice to have to make, I don't think I could have the space for 7 in one cage (6 is just about doable with the creativity we've applied), but I'm really unsure about splitting Banshee and Buddy.
Banshee might surprise me, but he's so nervous of everything. The girls might make him feel confident perhaps...
I do wonder if I can get the two groups to be friends in separate cages without the boys squabbling.
So the optimal thing would be 3 girls + 1 boy in each cage but a big upheaval for them all.
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Post by Xellie on Mar 30, 2021 22:16:43 GMT
I've had them separated about 8 hours and they weren't bickering through the bars, so I tried a reintroduction and she hasn't cooled off at all. I'm worried she's just gonna pick someone different each time.
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Post by Xellie on Apr 6, 2021 21:19:08 GMT
We're making good progress!
Since Bryn was starting on the others and being generally nasty, I isolated her in a split cage setup for a few days (so she could still interact) and gave her lots of human time. I'm treating it as an almost new introduction to the group. She's still been having visits from the ones she doesn't fight with and there's been no problems doing this.
Today I let them interact with no divider. There were some scuffles but it was pretty much okay for about 40 mins, at which point I divided them once it started getting nasty. Last time they only interacted for about 10 mins before a fight broke out.
So hopefully these interactions will last longer and longer each time. I have a bigger/better playpen in the post so when that arrives, I will be using that for the interactions so there's no territory issues - but so far, it doesn't seem too bad.
Also interestingly, after an initial scuffle with Choca, Bryn submitted to her and let Choca mount her and just sat there rather subdued. She's not injured (I check them after every meeting) so I'm hoping they're working out their hierarchy.
Whenever she niggles with the others through the divider too much I block it off until they chill out.
And fingers crossed this is working. We're in a much better place now.
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 7, 2021 0:07:44 GMT
Well done, Xellie!!
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Post by Xellie on Apr 9, 2021 17:02:38 GMT
the playpen is like magic! Everyone is getting along really well.
Choca and Bryn even shared a wheel for a few moments
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Post by Xellie on Apr 13, 2021 12:08:01 GMT
We're sharing a cage with no problems now! Its been a couple of hours, I've divided them because I have to go out for a bit, but nothing happened at all.
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 13, 2021 16:55:04 GMT
This is encouraging!! You're doing so well, Xellie!!
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Post by Xellie on Apr 13, 2021 17:10:05 GMT
I'm convinced that playpens are magic now.
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Post by deguconvert on Apr 13, 2021 17:17:50 GMT
AWESOME!!
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Post by Xellie on Apr 13, 2021 18:45:36 GMT
I guess this means they're friends again?
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Post by bouncy on Apr 13, 2021 20:58:46 GMT
Fantastic! It may just be that they've worked out they have more space and don't need to squabble over territory any more! They certainly look happy!
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