Post by Aimeelou on Jun 8, 2005 12:56:07 GMT
2015 Update
Please be aware that some of the information in this thread requires updating. In particular the father should preferably be removed before the birth to avoid another pregnancy. If the birth is unexpected the father should be removed immediately on discovery. The mother will be fertile immediately after birth and again in 21 days time, but it is impossible to be accurate about the interval and impossible to say exactly how long she is fertile for, so it is generally not worth the risk of putting the father back in after the birth.
Degu Family
Before you think about a family....
A degu family is very unusual from normal rodents.The more degus you have the more interesting and warming the family is.
Females usually mature quicker than males, sometimes as young as 6 weeks old, but usually about a year old. Males mature after 2-3 months old, up to a year old.
Take into consideration that a female is usually pregnant for around 90 days,about 3 months, and can have around 4 litters a year.They can have between 5- 10 puppies in a litter.AND the female is most highly fertile up to 24 hours after birth, so if she does become pregnant straight after birth, she will be under strain feeding the puppies and the puppies inside her.
A degu can live between 5-10 years, but a females life span is cut shorter the more pregnancies she has.
*ALSO, do you know what your going to do with the babies after 6 weeks? Find homes before you start to breed, as you wont be able to keep them all together after 6 weeks.Most pet shops are willing to take them off your hands, but don't think of it as an easy option.
Before the birth....
You will tell that the female is pregnant about 1 month before she gives birth. The male will start to gather nesting materials so make sure you offer plenty of soft tissue or like wise to make sure the bed is safe and free from sharp or ruff bedding and anything else they've managed to drag in there!
If you have more degus than just the mother and father, put another nest box in the cage for the others to sleep in.
Don't worry about the other degus in the cage as they will all help the mother before and after the birth.
During the birth....
The male usually makes a sharp "cheep" noise while the mother is giving birth to her babies, and can take around 45 mins to deliver the babies.Don't worry about the father and the babies as the males are excellent fathers.BUT! don't forget the female is at her most fertile now, and can soon get pregnant again, so it is advisable to take the farther out of the cage for a day.Don't leave the father out to long as the female will need him to help her.
Leave the mother for a few hours before trying to see the babies, she will want time to clean them and rest without the temptation of getting up to see you.you don't want to stress her out.
You will notice that the babies are quite well developed.They are born with fur and teeth and their eyes are open within a few hours.Soon after, or the next day, they will start eating normal degu food.
The fun begins....!
This is when the fun starts! Take a look at the spaces between the bars, and if you think a baby might fit through them, you need to find something strong to cover the bars. I found that CDs and cases worked best on my cage secured with ties, but depending on your cage this might not be the best option.
Within days, the babies will be exploring a little.if the nest is high up, make sure there is something soft to land on,if they fall out.
Baby degus cannot thermo-regulate (keep there own heat to stay warm)so the babies need to stay in the nest quite alot.The mother and father will take it in turns to keep the babies warm, and yes, the father will do his share of the work!
If you do notice a baby is away from the nest, don't panic, a parent will come and pick them up and put them back where they should be. But if you feel that the baby hasn't been seen, intervene a little and pop them back. If the baby doesn't stay warm at least for the first few days, they could develop pneumonia, which is virtually incurable in degus.
All the other degus will help with the brood, and play and groom them as the get a little older.
Be sure there is enough food and hay for the new brood, as they grow, they can sure put some food away!
The babies need to be sexed and split from the parents after around 6 weeks, when she would of stopped nursing them, and ready for the big wide world.
Aimee
Please be aware that some of the information in this thread requires updating. In particular the father should preferably be removed before the birth to avoid another pregnancy. If the birth is unexpected the father should be removed immediately on discovery. The mother will be fertile immediately after birth and again in 21 days time, but it is impossible to be accurate about the interval and impossible to say exactly how long she is fertile for, so it is generally not worth the risk of putting the father back in after the birth.
Degu Family
Before you think about a family....
A degu family is very unusual from normal rodents.The more degus you have the more interesting and warming the family is.
Females usually mature quicker than males, sometimes as young as 6 weeks old, but usually about a year old. Males mature after 2-3 months old, up to a year old.
Take into consideration that a female is usually pregnant for around 90 days,about 3 months, and can have around 4 litters a year.They can have between 5- 10 puppies in a litter.AND the female is most highly fertile up to 24 hours after birth, so if she does become pregnant straight after birth, she will be under strain feeding the puppies and the puppies inside her.
A degu can live between 5-10 years, but a females life span is cut shorter the more pregnancies she has.
*ALSO, do you know what your going to do with the babies after 6 weeks? Find homes before you start to breed, as you wont be able to keep them all together after 6 weeks.Most pet shops are willing to take them off your hands, but don't think of it as an easy option.
Before the birth....
You will tell that the female is pregnant about 1 month before she gives birth. The male will start to gather nesting materials so make sure you offer plenty of soft tissue or like wise to make sure the bed is safe and free from sharp or ruff bedding and anything else they've managed to drag in there!
If you have more degus than just the mother and father, put another nest box in the cage for the others to sleep in.
Don't worry about the other degus in the cage as they will all help the mother before and after the birth.
During the birth....
The male usually makes a sharp "cheep" noise while the mother is giving birth to her babies, and can take around 45 mins to deliver the babies.Don't worry about the father and the babies as the males are excellent fathers.BUT! don't forget the female is at her most fertile now, and can soon get pregnant again, so it is advisable to take the farther out of the cage for a day.Don't leave the father out to long as the female will need him to help her.
Leave the mother for a few hours before trying to see the babies, she will want time to clean them and rest without the temptation of getting up to see you.you don't want to stress her out.
You will notice that the babies are quite well developed.They are born with fur and teeth and their eyes are open within a few hours.Soon after, or the next day, they will start eating normal degu food.
The fun begins....!
This is when the fun starts! Take a look at the spaces between the bars, and if you think a baby might fit through them, you need to find something strong to cover the bars. I found that CDs and cases worked best on my cage secured with ties, but depending on your cage this might not be the best option.
Within days, the babies will be exploring a little.if the nest is high up, make sure there is something soft to land on,if they fall out.
Baby degus cannot thermo-regulate (keep there own heat to stay warm)so the babies need to stay in the nest quite alot.The mother and father will take it in turns to keep the babies warm, and yes, the father will do his share of the work!
If you do notice a baby is away from the nest, don't panic, a parent will come and pick them up and put them back where they should be. But if you feel that the baby hasn't been seen, intervene a little and pop them back. If the baby doesn't stay warm at least for the first few days, they could develop pneumonia, which is virtually incurable in degus.
All the other degus will help with the brood, and play and groom them as the get a little older.
Be sure there is enough food and hay for the new brood, as they grow, they can sure put some food away!
The babies need to be sexed and split from the parents after around 6 weeks, when she would of stopped nursing them, and ready for the big wide world.
Aimee