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Post by Bexi87 on Dec 13, 2021 7:22:50 GMT
Do we need a safe word?
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Post by savvy on Dec 13, 2021 10:34:00 GMT
Well they're definitely getting pushy! I get squeaked at if I leave the room, including popping to the loo, and it continues until I come back, lol.
When I gave them their breakfast this morning, little Amber was hiding behind the large bridge waiting to pounce, luckily she was just hungry, but I can see I'm going to have to be on my guard with these three.
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Post by bouncy on Dec 13, 2021 11:27:33 GMT
Do we need a safe word? I wouldn't put it on here, especially as it's Savvy's account they'll have hold of!
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Post by savvy on Dec 22, 2021 20:19:31 GMT
I have a quick question about degu memory and time frames.
I adopted the Yorkshire Lasses in May 2021, they were about 20 months old when I bought them home, and they had been at the RSPCA for nine months, prior to that, they were at a college for approx nine months after being sent there when they were babies.
My question is this, they've now been with me for about eight and a half months, do you think the reason they are slow to settle fully in is because they expect to be moving again soon and haven't yet realised they have a home for life?
PS: today is 3 years since I lost little Bumblebee, you have not been forgotten little man and Happy Gotya Day tomorrow for Reggie.
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Post by winic1 on Dec 23, 2021 0:32:51 GMT
Has anyone ever studied the kind of memory capability in small creatures?
I know that we had had our dog Bo for over 6 years when we decided to adopt another to be his playmate. After scouting out dogs, we took Bo to this rescue (completely different one than he came from)to meet one we had our eye on. The rescue was in an old house (with all the pens behind it) and the parking lot was on a property behind some t4rees next door. As soon as we started to walk onto the lawn of the rescue's house, Bo went into a panic and kept trying to pull away. Over six years later, and he recognized the type of place we were at and obviously remembered being brought to one and his time there. Poor Bo! Thankfully, the rescue was quite willing to bring dogs to us on the grassy space by the parking lot next door, so we didn't have to keep Bo that close to the rescue, where he was calm enough that we could see how he felt about the other dogs we were evaluating.
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Post by savvy on Dec 23, 2021 1:29:47 GMT
Poor Bo! It stands to reason that if they have an intellect, they must have memory.
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Post by bouncy on Dec 23, 2021 1:40:59 GMT
Mine seem to recall stuff quite well.
Since Spidey took off with a lid, I don't often put out the wooden drawers and covered holes to hide treats. Silly certainly remembers.
My guys also know when I'm going away. They recognise my putting the boards away from in front of the kitchen units, and start to sulk.
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Post by deguconvert on Dec 23, 2021 8:13:15 GMT
I believe they have a very good memory. I also believe that they can be rather troubled by their past. )ne of our degus lost half his tail when the cage door was closed on it by a pet store clerk . . . he feared and hated all humans and was terrified to be taken through the doors of the cage. You couldn't touch his tail. It took me months to build a trust and love bond with him, and for the most part he was good with people after that, but he wouldn't come out of the cage unless it was me taking him.
One of our dogs we brought into our home when he was almost 2 years old. He was very deeply bonded to the wife of the couple we got him from, and I could tell he was fearful of her husband. In fact, I had a very strong impression that both the dog and the wife were fearful of the man. Ollie, as we came to call him, wanted nothing more than to protect her from "him." I think that there must have been a time when the woman left for a time, and Ollie blamed the man for her absence. Ollie is deeply bonded to me, and back in August I spent three days out of town with my sister. Normally I take Ollie with me, but this time they had their own three dogs, two other dogs visiting, and four of their children visiting, as well as myself. It would have been a burden to have Ollie with me, so he stayed home. Ever since that trip, he hates to leave my side MORE than he ever has before, pines while I'm out on errands, and vigilantly seeks to "protect" me from my husband. My husband has never hurt or been aggressive with him, but there is a memory (or many memories) in his heart and mind that is associated with men, and he is unable to get past it.
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Post by savvy on Dec 23, 2021 10:32:35 GMT
That's so sad. I believe Bumblebee never got over his past and I'm convinced it caused his heart problems and hastened his demise. The cat who slept on the top of his cage was black, and I could never wear black without him running and hiding in his hut the minute I walked in the room.
I'm not sure how the Yorkshire Lasses are going to take it if the council decides that we have to temporarily decamp to complete the repairs.
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Post by moletteuk on Dec 23, 2021 17:14:03 GMT
I think remembering things that scared you or endangered your health or wellbeing is essential for any animal for survival. I also think these things don't just form memories at conscious and unconscious levels, they also cause genetic changes switching some genes on or off, changing you forever, part of the 'nurture' development of who we are.
I wonder if you will see further settling, Savvy, 2 or 3 months past the 9 month mark? If it's any reassurance, I think that staying in the same cage and keeping you as their carer will strongly mitigate any temporary change of location if you have to vacate for a few weeks to sort the flat.
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Post by deguconvert on Dec 24, 2021 6:55:52 GMT
Hear hear!! Well said, Moletteuk!
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Post by savvy on Jan 14, 2022 11:54:09 GMT
I think we're going to need that safe word..... today they all rushed at me at breakfast, but I managed to distract them with forage. Scared! Lol.
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Post by bouncy on Jan 14, 2022 15:38:34 GMT
Perhaps an unattached poo guard, so you can push them back? Or just butchers gloves lol
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Post by savvy on Jan 14, 2022 15:59:06 GMT
I'm hoping they were just hungry, even though they are never without food, either that or they've finally decided that they like me, lol.
They came from different directions so keeping an eye on all of them is quite a task first thing in the morning.
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Post by bouncy on Jan 14, 2022 16:15:04 GMT
Best make sure you don't approach until you've had your first cup of coffee/tea! Personally, I favour a can of Red Bull
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Post by savvy on Jan 15, 2022 21:47:32 GMT
OK, I've worked out who the instigator is - little Amber! After cleaning the top section today, she hid when I was feeding them, then launched herself at my hand from the upper level, landing only a couple of inches from me. She's certainly getting confident, she didn't even bother using the ramp, she just jumped.
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Post by deguconvert on Jan 16, 2022 1:42:32 GMT
If she is the instigator, does that mean she may be the alpha as well?
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Post by savvy on Jan 16, 2022 2:18:07 GMT
No, the alpha is definitely Sphene, who makes sure they others wait their turn, Ruby is the vocal one who tells me off for leaving the room, and Amber is the smallest of the group, but she's always been the most outgoing with me and Reggie.
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Post by bouncy on Jan 16, 2022 15:00:50 GMT
I wonder if Amber has been reading the forum behind your back, and is trying to emulate Mist? It's a lovely idea!
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Post by savvy on Jan 30, 2022 0:21:42 GMT
After the great escape yesterday the Yorkshire Lasses have been a bit quiet today. All three slept most of yesterday evening and the two runaways did nothing but eat in between.
I think they realised that although the room is great for running around in, the floor is a bit hard on the paws, there's a draught under the doors and there's no food, water or comfy places to kip. They haven't come anywhere near the cage doors today so hopefully they've learned their lesson and will stay in the cage.
The issue arose when I was trying to get them in the carry case to get them to the vet, but I've had an idea. Transferring and transporting them is always the biggest escape opportunity, so what I need is a carrier which is split into three sections, each divided by mesh so they can see and interact, but each compartment needs its own separate lid. This means that I can transfer them without the risk of one or more jumping out which is what happened yesterday. Or failing this, a carrier with a sliding hatch that can be pulled back when the catch-a-goo-tube is in place.
If anyone can come up with any designs that would be fab!
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