|
Post by Xellie on Jul 23, 2021 15:49:37 GMT
That's good, yes! Let them do that. Screaming and stuff also does happen.
You'll know if its nasty, its a very obvious thing, the way they chase, the kicking, they'll run so hard they hit the side of the cage. You will know.
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 23, 2021 17:08:12 GMT
Alright, so should I allow them in the big cage after playtimes then?
|
|
|
Post by Xellie on Jul 23, 2021 17:41:47 GMT
I would give it a couple more sessions, but it sounds like you're getting close
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Jul 23, 2021 17:48:20 GMT
Just bear in mind that you have to weigh up speed against it all going horribly wrong, which will cost a lot more time in the long run.
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 23, 2021 19:18:15 GMT
Alright, I will do that. Thank you all for this advice, its been a big help.
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Jul 24, 2021 5:00:55 GMT
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 24, 2021 8:43:30 GMT
Ooh whoops. Thank you for the links though!
|
|
|
Post by bouncy on Jul 24, 2021 23:34:06 GMT
You do need to be very careful. We hope for the natural instinct to kick in, but it can backfire. We had one member reintroducing weaned pups to their dad. From memory, one was killed and one injured.
Goos are very territorial. If you let them into each others' territory without there being a n established companionship, things can turn bad very quickly and very badly.
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 25, 2021 0:42:28 GMT
How many weeks should I give them before I try in cage introductions?
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 25, 2021 0:44:08 GMT
Today I put in a box with bedding in it and treats scattered in it, and the babies and big girls were working together to forage in it. Is that a good sign too?
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Jul 25, 2021 5:34:05 GMT
That is a good sign! And I would keep up with doing that.
As for how many weeks . . . there is no definite time that can be set. It really depends on the degus and how they are responding to each other, and if they are forming trust and attachments with each other. They are so strong in personality, likes and dislikes, and sometimes we could almost think they have personal agendas, and these things can create quite chaotic results. One day awesome, and the next day a real set back. It's often a day at a time kind of thing.
It's that way with a lot of animals. My daughter has been introducing our cat to her boyfriends cat . . . and they had got to a good place the two kitties. Then her BF had plans with his family and was going to be really busy with them over several days, so she came home and stayed two nights with us. She brought Sundae with her. When she went back, of course taking Sundae with her, the other cat was SO MAD!! He looked at Sundae and had a hissy fit. For the last three weeks he has been hissing at her, swiping at her, reacting like she is a perfect stranger again. It's been SO WEIRD. My thought is that he had concluded that she was well and gone and he'd never have to see her again . . . until she came back! Then it was, "I can't outright attack you, but I don't have to make your life easy, either!!" He even totally rejected my daughter! He was snuggling with her, letting her touch and pet him like he absolutely REFUSES to let anyone else do, even his owner . . . but when she brought Sundae back . . . she was off his good list. Just in the past couple of days has he started to turn the corner in a better direction. He's gone two whole days without trying to scratch my daughter's ankles when she walks past. LOL!
Anyway . . . all that to say, bumps seen and unforeseen will and do happen and there is no telling what the result will be until we are there. Which is why we lean to the slower is better (in most situations) thinking. There are the odd times when two or more will just fall in love right away, but that is not frequent.
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 25, 2021 5:40:59 GMT
Ok, I'll keep letting them do the forage pit in playtime, they did seem to almost be collaborating, with the pups near the big girls when foraging most of the time. We plan to get better cage walls for them during playtime, since Cookie decided to escape several times and lead me to having to capture her and put her back in the pen. I guess for now I will just keep watching them and try to do introductions when I think the time is right, and separate if it becomes apparent my judgement was wrong.
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Jul 25, 2021 19:04:17 GMT
Escaping from the cage, or the playpen? Is Cookie a pup or an older degu?
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 25, 2021 22:48:37 GMT
Cookie is an older girl, and she loves escaping the play pen. Escape from the cage isn’t possible thankfully. We just got a higher playpen area for them today.
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 25, 2021 22:52:14 GMT
And luckily with some time and oats I can manage to get Cookie and put her back in the pen.
|
|
|
Post by moletteuk on Jul 26, 2021 11:06:47 GMT
It might be an idea to adapt the playpen so it is escape proof and so that it has solid walls so they can't see through to the other side, which tends to reduce the desire to escape. Perhaps you could line the inside or outside with cardboard, or corroplast if you can do that without any edges exposed to allow chewing. there are some playpen threads here deguworld.proboards.com/thread/18716/accessories-make-buy
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 27, 2021 1:49:48 GMT
Yeah we got a new playpen that works well. Also during playtime today we put the dust bathe in, and the big girls happily bathed with the pups! Two at a time, one big girl and one pup jumped into the dust bathe together and bathed. Is that a good sign that they are bonding?
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Jul 27, 2021 6:01:09 GMT
That is a good sign! They are adding up!
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 27, 2021 6:41:23 GMT
That’s great to hear! I saw on the guide to let them use the same substrate for bathing which is what I’ve been doing, and I’ve made sure to keep it the same substrate as well. They do seem to be becoming somewhat more tolerant of each other as well. Obviously they are more interested in the friend their age, but I’ve noticed them exploring around the play area with one of the girls from the other group.
|
|
|
Post by degusinfl on Jul 31, 2021 16:48:31 GMT
We put the babies in the big cage and there’s almost no aggression. A few minor arguments here and there but they are mostly doing fine!
|
|