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Post by firsttimedegumum on Jul 30, 2021 19:51:11 GMT
Hi. My ex abandoned two girl degus about 6 months ago and me and my 8 year old have decided to keep them and have fallen in love with them. Today we had them out of the cage playing in the living room and doug(injured one) was chasing Dennis around. My daughter didn't see doug and as she was chasing Dennis out my daughter thought she was still in the room and accidentally shut the door on dougs head. It wasn't shut hard but it still hit her. My daughter noticed as soon as she saw me grab doug and had a breakdown. When I picked doug up she had a fit in my arms and was limp and we thought we lost her,my daughter went into full-blown panic mode and feels like she's guilty. I did some cpr on her and held her and after a few minutes she opened her eyes and started to come to. Its been a few hours and doug has come round and is running around,eating small amounts and is somewhat back to normal but I still feel so panicky and I hate myself right now. I'm keeping an eye on her after speaking to the vet and saying that she's come round again and they said she should be fine but if she still isn't right to bring her straight in but I'm still in a constant state of panic and fear cause I thought I lost her. I have no support network either around me,no friends and no family and my mental health has taken a huge hit today,I'm too scared to leave doug alone incase something happens in the night and I'm asleep
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Post by savvy on Jul 30, 2021 20:56:44 GMT
Welcome to the forum, I'm sorry to hear about Doug.
First of all try not to panic, degus are notorious for getting into dangerous situations. You have done everything right in contacting your vet via the phone, but I think a check up in person would be a good idea, if only to set your mind at rest.
I would suggest investing in a play pen or some sort of cordon so they can have exercise outside of the cage, but be in a secure area. Degus are chewers, and its not unknown for them to chew electric cables. Like human babies, degus explore the world with their mouths.
Please let us know how he is getting on and if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to ask, there are no silly questions when it comes to degus.
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Post by bouncy on Jul 30, 2021 22:34:20 GMT
Ditto Savvy - please don't worry. Some of the things my goos have gotten themselves into are crazy. It sounds like Doug maybe had a bit of head trauma (concussion), which would account for the loss of consciousness. If your vet isn't concerned, all you can do is keep checking. With a human, you'd be told to check on them and wake them up every couple of hours, but this could stress Doug Out even more. See how they're doing in the morning
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Post by deguconvert on Jul 30, 2021 22:48:25 GMT
Welcome to the forum, firstimedegumum . . . how are you and your daughter doing? I hope you have been able to comfort her? Let her comfort you as well. You've done a great job of comforting Doug as well.
I ditto Savvy as well. Hang in there, Love!
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Post by firsttimedegumum on Jul 30, 2021 22:55:57 GMT
Thankyou. I keep checking on her as I've kept her in my bedroom with me for tonight and she's pretty content and chilled but today terrified me. It just sent me into overdrive and I don't know what I'll do if I lose her so I'm just wide awake now unable to sleep. I'm hoping she'll be OK,it just terrified me watching her just go stiff and limp and cold after having a fit but my daughter has been excellent. She's been watching her today so I could go catch my breath and she's been so calming and doug and her were having a cuddle earlier,I told her it was an accident but she was so scared she'd killed her and it was just distressing. I'm used to them both just jumping off the sofa or pushing eachother off of their climbing frame in their cage but this was just next level. I just can't seem to calm my nerves,they've came into our lives right when I was at my worst mental state in years and they've been a saving grace in all honesty,they truly are part of our family so today really shook us up. If doug isn't right tomorrow I'll be taking her under an emergency appointment but the vet said if she's acting like she normally does then she should be OK,I just hate seeing her like that cause she's so little still. I just hope I'm doing everything OK
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Post by firsttimedegumum on Jul 30, 2021 22:58:34 GMT
My daughter is asleep but she's not left dougs side all day,she's OK I think but seeing her and doug both in distress was horrible I explained its not her fault but we just need to be so careful around them cause they're so little so she's been extra careful not to sit too close and stuff just incase,it's just been horrible today
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Post by firsttimedegumum on Jul 31, 2021 6:22:53 GMT
Shes still alive,I'm happy now. Like I'm extremely happy,shes just been resting all night and I just went to check on her and she's a bit annoyed I woke her up but she's just fine again. I can settle a little more now
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Post by savvy on Jul 31, 2021 10:01:48 GMT
Excellent news!
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Post by firsttimedegumum on Jul 31, 2021 12:24:36 GMT
Update,shes really quiet and sleepy,shes not eating much at all but she seems happy enough. Is it normal for them to be off food for this long? She ate yesterday before she hurt her head and I gave her some of my pizza crust to chew on and some spinach and she was eating little and often last night but today she just wants to sleep and isn't eating or drinking much When shes getting hyper bursts though shes bounding around but she seems a lot more reserved than she usually is,I gave her some carrot stick to try to get her to eat and some oats but she's sort of nibbling,second guessing,doing it again and then just having no interest. Dennis though is as hyper as ever and keeps trying to get doug to play with her and she's having none of it 😩🤣
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Post by bouncy on Jul 31, 2021 14:19:34 GMT
Being hyper, then chilling is all very natural, and certainly nothing to worry about. It's sometimes annoying that they get hyper and start on their noisiest activity when you'd rather they be quiet, but we still love them.
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Post by bouncy on Jul 31, 2021 14:21:15 GMT
Random question - from the names Doug and Dennis, am I right in thinking you thought they were boys and now find they're girls? How sure are you of their sexes?
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Post by firsttimedegumum on Jul 31, 2021 15:10:00 GMT
Ah I'd rather doug be hyper right now because she's usually a curious little thing and likes to run up on you and then try to hide,but she's so quiet all she's done is lie down on my chest. Dennis keeps climbing on her so I've had to separate them just incase she hurts her. Yeah,from what my ex said he named them and then found out they were girls so we've just kept them as the same names so they don't get confused.
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Post by bouncy on Jul 31, 2021 19:30:11 GMT
It's worth double checking their bits.
What you're looking for is the difference in spacing between the bum hole and cone. Males have a gap between the two of up to 1cm, females don't. It doesn't really matter which you have, as long as they're both the same!
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Post by savvy on Jul 31, 2021 19:44:47 GMT
I've got a female called Reggie for the same reason, she was mis-sold as a male and I kept the name she arrived with.
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 1, 2021 3:45:07 GMT
Hey firsttimedegumum . . . you've had a stressful couple of days and I am sure you are minutely examining everything that you see Doug doing. I think it is possible that she is exhausted simply because of the shock that she experienced, and shock can set us back as much as an injury sometimes. If you find that tomorrow she still isn't eating like normal, it may well be worth having a vet look at her just to be sure there isn't a tooth loose or something. She could have some bruising on her noggin, that could make chewing uncomfortable. You may need to help her with some pain relief, which the vet could help you with. We would also support you as well as we are able.
It is likely she will be totally normal tomorrow and never look back, and that I know is your hope, and ours as well! IF you have a feeling you cannot ignore, then take her to the vet. You'll feel better for it, whatever you learn!
I think I can say for all of us that we totally get how your two little girls have become such a huge part of your lives, your family, and your comfort. So many of us have been likewise benefitted by knowing and loving them. They are marvelous little characters!! We love our goos passionately! You are in a group of like minded fellows, and we are glad to have you here!
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Post by firsttimedegumum on Aug 1, 2021 10:25:40 GMT
Hi everyone,I did just type and got half way but then I accidentally refreshed the page and lost it -_- I've checked her over and I can't see any tooth problems,when I'm touching her chin or face she's not like yelping in pain or anything she's just putting her head to the side so I can give her chin rubs and then looking at me if I stop as if to say "nah you need to keep going mam" so I'm assuming she's OK. I did feel around dennis' face just to see if I could notice any difference in how their bone structure feels and it all feels and looks good,her eyes are bright and her energy is almost back,and I can't see any injuries other than a small cut near her one front nail or a slight bit of a cut near her nose but they don't seem to be bothering her,so I don't think she's got any real worrying injuries which is incredible however she's still not 100% with her food and drink. I've put bowls of food that I think would be softer or easier for her to eat and stuff she usually goes mad for just to sort of encourage her to eat but she's not going mad for it.i did when I woke up put some oats in my hand and she took a few and then just pushed me away so idk if it's cause she's just resting or tired so tomorrow if she's still the same ill ring the vet again to see if I can bring her in,I'm just trying to do anything I can to keep her stress free. My mums got a few days off so is having my daughter so I'm just pretty much gonna let her out as usual and keep an eye on her but she seems really content and chill which sets me at ease and I can now sleep without my brain going into overdrive and staying up all night panicking. Dennis is being a great sibling too,today she's just been chattering away with doug and they've been snuggling,so her bedside manner is phenomenal. Thankyou all for your support too,I panicked about posting just incase I was judged for how the injury happened cause I know the Internet can be horrific sometimes but you've all helped me feel at ease. Also doug now has enjoyed just laying there while I have an old clean soft hair dye brush and just essentially brushing her fur after her sand baths,I think she feels like she's having special treatment and actually looks annoyed if I stop so I think I'm now raising a spoiled pampered little princess but it seems to put her at ease and it makes her happy so I'm more than willing to do it
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Post by savvy on Aug 1, 2021 10:48:39 GMT
We've all been there with the accidents degus can have so we don't judge, we just know how easy they can happen.
Over the years on this forum, I recall degus falling off ledges when they've rolled over in their sleep, getting an electric shock from biting a cable, falling off a mezzanine floor, getting a leg stuck in a ramp, jumping and missing, chasing cats, escaping in cars when being transported, I could go on and I hasten to add that this is multiple degus and multiple owners. They just like finding new ways to injure themselves, so we fully understand.
Its likely that its scared her a bit so she's a bit quiet. Degus are master manipulators though, so you are quite right that she'll happily be a spoiled little princess, lol. We have a saying on this forum, dogs have owners, cats have staff, but degus have slaves.
We look forward to hearing more about them, and we love pictures!
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Post by firsttimedegumum on Aug 1, 2021 12:12:04 GMT
Ah wait,I didn't know you could upload pictures,someone will have to let me know how to do it cause Dennis is pretty standard looking but doug is just this tiny little fluffball. I also checked their bits and they're definitely both girls too Ah doug put on a little bit of weight recently so she's a chonky baba and Dennis decided to push her off of their climbing frame a few months ago so they're both used to having a few falls but this recent one terrified me,but it's sort of nice to see they're used to having dangerous accidents and still being very resilient so it makes me feel a bit more at ease,if they can get electrocuted and survive then it's safe to say they recover faster than I do as I'm incredibly accident prone 🤣. Doug managed to eat around half a handful of oats earlier so I think she's almost fully pulled through after the incident so I'm literally so stoked rn. Ah definitely,as a previous cat owner I can attest that cats definitely have staff but these two are next level,I'm pretty much dougs unpaid maid rn lol. She's back to nipping my fingers now so I think she's slowly coming out of her shell again. When they came here Dennis was the dare devil and doug was terrified to come near me and my ex and in the short time I've had them I've worked with doug to get her to come out of her shell and it's completely night and day in such a short amount of time,now she'll come to me if I say come and shell jump on my shoulder and watch TV with me so idk what level of neglect they were put under before I had them here but doug is like my favorite child now cause she's just come so far so when I thought I lost her I had a complete breakdown,so just to see her eat now means the absolute world and idk how I went so long not even hearing about what a degu was let alone actually having them but I'm so glad they exist,they keep me both on edge and sane.
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Post by deguconvert on Aug 1, 2021 22:08:38 GMT
You've said it all with that last sentence! LOL! They are quite the handful of love and insanity! Actually, when you look at it, all of creation has wonderful characters and personalities. It's marvelous!
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Post by firsttimedegumum on Aug 2, 2021 0:49:47 GMT
They're nuts but I love them lol. Who knew something so smol could be so hyper and energetic
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