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Post by savvy on Oct 27, 2021 15:28:18 GMT
Those pups are adorable! I just want to cuddle them and I can certainly see dad in at least one of them.
As for wheels, it depends on how many degus you have per cage. I have two tic tac wheels in the cage with 3 girls and I think they are campaigning for a third wheel. The problems aren't how many can fit on at one time, but which direction they want to run in. Its something they never discuss before hand and ultimately results on one degu either upside down or being kicked off because she's running in the opposite direction, lol. Its the source of frequent squabbles.
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Post by bouncy on Oct 27, 2021 16:41:57 GMT
Lol I said dipstick tail because you have a beautiful blue pup in the first photo that suddenly goes all black along the tail. It reminds me of the stick (we call it a dipstick) you would use to check the oil level in your car
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 27, 2021 18:37:29 GMT
I'm so glad to hear that you are getting a 16 inch wheel. The 12 inch is actually on the small side for degus because it forces their backs to curve unnaturally in the opposite direction of their normal posture, and that can cause spinal and nerve injuries.
When we had degus, I kept three wheels in their cages. I think TicTac has good supports for their wheels to help prevent the shaking of the cage, but if they don't support well enough, you can try supporting them better by the use of some wood planks. If you can swing two wheels it would be good . . . but you can purchase them in stages if you need to for the sake of your budget.
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lindie
Foraging Degu
Posts: 107
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Post by lindie on Oct 29, 2021 8:00:04 GMT
Your photos and video are LOVELY! The pups look like they are doing really well! You're doing a great job, Lindie! I'm going to suggest that you get a second water bottle (if the one in the video is the only one you have?) and that you place it at a lower height. The pups will be starting to nibble on hard foods a bit, and they will be starting to taste and drink a little water. The bottle you have in the cage is too high for them to be able to do that. I suggest a second one because the one that you have in there now is a good height for momma and auntie goos, and you want to keep it at a height that is comfortable for them. The pups need one that is much lower for them to begin to learn about and use. You may well see the older degus drinking from it on occasion, which isn't a problem. I expect they will prefer the higher one for the most part. HOWEVER . . . degus are inclined to throw curve balls just to keep us alert and ready to change plans, so you might see them preferring the lower water bottle. LOL! Whaha I just saw Remi drinking from the lower baby bottle.I guess I accidentally switched the bottles and hung their favorite bottle on the baby height and the new bottle on their height. My goos are so stubborn and only want to drink from their favouite bottle and apparently even when it hangs very low. Well at least I don't have the problem that the babies can't reach the bottle where mum and aunt drink from....
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Post by bouncy on Oct 29, 2021 12:33:15 GMT
Degus find the weirdest drinking positions. I've got a couple who like to have their heads almost upside down and the bottle as close to the ground as possible. Others like to stretch up as far as possible. I'd love to see what the pups come up with!
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 29, 2021 12:36:32 GMT
Keep trying with the SAB seed mix, it may take a while for them to decide it is safe. Make sure to offer plenty of forage too, Remi needs calcium at the moment.
I'm not a baby expert, but I would wait until they are regularly active and mobile around the cage to start socialising. I would also keep an eye on Remi to check she is happy with your interactions.
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Post by winic1 on Oct 29, 2021 16:10:14 GMT
I would think that it is good that Remi is drinking from the low bottle that the babies can reach. This way they will see Mama does this thing, maybe I should try it too.
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lindie
Foraging Degu
Posts: 107
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Post by lindie on Oct 30, 2021 10:19:18 GMT
Keep trying with the SAB seed mix, it may take a while for them to decide it is safe. Make sure to offer plenty of forage too, Remi needs calcium at the moment. I'm not a baby expert, but I would wait until they are regularly active and mobile around the cage to start socialising. I would also keep an eye on Remi to check she is happy with your interactions. Remi is already eating the seed mix! And they always have a bowl full of forage. Remi eats so much at the moment. Remi has gotten skinnier, and you can feel her spine when I pet her, but her underbelly is a bit fatter. I guess it is because she uses all the calories and food to make milk for the babies. She mainly eats science selective pellets and some seeds from the mix, hay and a bit of forage. I have given her some oats and sunflower and pumpkin seeds a few times, but don't want to give her to much because of the sugar in the oats and lower calcium in the pumpkin and sunflower seeds. I'm not worried about it because she eats well and after the babies stop nursing she will gain the weight back. But is there something else I can do?
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lindie
Foraging Degu
Posts: 107
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Post by lindie on Oct 30, 2021 10:26:35 GMT
Also, Yesterday I cleaned the cage (I didn't touch the nest) and since the babies are starting to develop into small little bundles of trouble and climbing machines, I added a few lower climbing things for them to explore and learn to climb on. I also added the sandbath, but the goos only use it as a toilet because they don't like the new sand I bought (I bought 15 kg from zooplus to safe money......) so I need to buy some new sand so that the babies can learn to clean themselves.
The babies are growing really fast now. They started climbing the cage walls (that's why I added the lower climbing possibilities) and are way more active which makes me nervous sometimes.Tonight i will try to upload some new videos and photos tonight to flickr so that you can see.
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Post by moletteuk on Oct 30, 2021 10:53:12 GMT
The healthiest thing with good nutrition for her is more forage, even a bag of alfalfa hay would be good, if you can find a few fresh dandelions and plantain (ribwort or broad leaved), that would be good, kitchen herbs are also particularly high in calcium. A few nuts and some dandelion roots are an option too, they aren't particularly healthy overall but do contain some good nutrition. It's great that she is eating the seed mix now
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lindie
Foraging Degu
Posts: 107
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Post by lindie on Oct 30, 2021 14:37:46 GMT
Okay, I will pick some dandelion and plantain leaves and see if she likes those. I can't remember if I gave them before (I give them often to my guinea pigs). I also have dried dandelion roots at home, and I put quite a lot of dried parsley in the forage mix.
Also a little update, today is the first day that I am not at home the whole day since the Babies are born. And my mum called me a few hours ago that Remi and Ethel chewed a big hole in the plastic pan/tray at the bottom of the cage... So I am going to try and make the cage bigger tomorrow and see if that makes them happier. I plan on setting the cage on the floor, removing a side and placing a second critter nation next to it. If it works the cage would be 180 x 60 cm.
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lindie
Foraging Degu
Posts: 107
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Post by lindie on Nov 8, 2021 18:29:32 GMT
Hi, little update.
The babies are doing really well! They are growing eating and yesterday i even saw a baby using the water bottle!
The degu's also have acces to the lower part of the cage with the wheel now. The wheel is not dangerous because the babies just slide out if mum or aunt start running. And the babies actually already use the wheel! I often see one or two babies running together or they sit next to the wheel and touch the wheel with their little paw while mum or aunt are running
The only thing I am not that happy about is that mum has made a new nest in the lower part of the cage because the babies would pile up in a corner instead of going the their nest. because of this I move everybody to the upper part of the cage at night and block of the acces so they sleep together in the original nest. I know I should let them do their own thing, but I guess I am as stubborn as they are.
I also started preparing for move-out day! I have ordered a 16-inch wheel from tic tac wheels. And since I can't find a double critter nation second hand I am buying a new one this week (ITS SOO EXPENSIVE.....) So this means that the boys will have a double critter nation and they will stay in the cage they are in at the moment. And the girls will move to the new cage which will be a double and a single critter nation.
I decided that the girls will move cage. This because than the boys can stay in the cage and only need to adapt to living without adults. And the baby girls will have their aunt and mum so moving cage is not that big of a deal compared to moving cage and adapting to live alone. If anybody has any tips to make moving day less stressfull for the goos I would love to hear them!
Okay this actually is quite a big update.. (I can speak about my animals for hourss... hihi)
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Post by savvy on Nov 8, 2021 18:36:19 GMT
But... but.... where are the photos! Lol.
Try to move some familiar things to the new cage, together with a couple of handfuls of used substrate. This will give them scents they recognise so they'll know they're still in their own territory.
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Post by deguconvert on Nov 8, 2021 18:59:44 GMT
It's amazing how much difference there can be in 18 days!! It sounds like they are doing so very well!! You have a few weeks yet before you will be wanting to separate the pups from mom and aunt, but it must be fun to be thinking of the new cage setups.
I'm putting in a plug for photos as well.
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lindie
Foraging Degu
Posts: 107
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Post by lindie on Nov 8, 2021 19:55:56 GMT
Yes the pictures. I have loads. I wil get my laptop and upload them to flickr
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Post by deguconvert on Nov 8, 2021 21:06:39 GMT
WOO HOO!!! PICTURES!!!
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Post by savvy on Nov 8, 2021 21:10:35 GMT
WE WANT PICTURES! WE WANT PICTURES! WE WANT PICTURES!
I think that's a big enough hint, lol.
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lindie
Foraging Degu
Posts: 107
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Post by lindie on Nov 8, 2021 21:23:05 GMT
Okay, it took a while but I have uploaded 50 pictures and 3 videos to flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/194132835@N08/albums/72157720076401491I actually also need name suggestions. Because I can't decide! I already named the Agouti boy: Elphias, The blue boy: Narfi, and the blue girl: Myrtle. But I still need names for The piebald boy & girl. And I can't decide. I thought about naming the girl: Nymphadora or Cleo/Clio and the boy Walter or Remus. But I am not sure, and I was wondering if any of you knew some good names. I am looking for nature and/or fairytale/mystical/magical names.
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Post by savvy on Nov 8, 2021 21:34:58 GMT
Wow, they are getting so big! Love the pic where the two pups are reaching up to mum.
I'm not too good on fairytales, but magical names are usually based on the universe, Luna, Venus, etc or the ancient Gods such as the Greek, Roman or Norse pantheons.
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lindie
Foraging Degu
Posts: 107
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Post by lindie on Nov 8, 2021 21:41:57 GMT
Wow, they are getting so big! Love the pic where the two pups are reaching up to mum. I'm not too good on fairytales, but magical names are usually based on the universe, Luna, Venus, etc or the ancient Gods such as the Greek, Roman or Norse pantheons. That's actually their aunt. Mum is agouti. I don't know why but the babies love bothering their aunt together
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