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Post by parker on Jun 7, 2022 2:44:12 GMT
I just got my first Degu for my birthday. I ended up buying myself one that she was paired with. I quickly noticed that one was male and the other female ! I kept the female and gave the male to my sibling.
I live in New York , is it possible she could be pregnant ? The pet store had them in the same tank for at least the day and most likely longer than that.
She's not really fat but she is six months old (according to the store)
if she is pregnant, what should i feed her ? I don't want her or the babies getting sick or dying.
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Post by bouncy on Jun 7, 2022 9:11:20 GMT
Hi, It's usual for pet stores to mis-sex degus - they get confused by the cone! Degus can become pregnant from 6-7 weeks onwards, so it is probable that you could hear little squeaks. The gestation is three months, but it's often hard to tell the difference between a fat or pregnant degu until the last few weeks. First things first, have a good read of this thread, as well as other sticky threads in this section. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/23456/information-sheet-pregnant-degus-careImmediate things to consider are: a) diet - you can help by offering higher calcium seeds to supplement her diet b) pups are active, fully furred, eyes open, from day one, and have no clue about safety, so think about adapting your cage - depending on bar spacing, you may need to find a way of covering the bars, as well as removing wheels and other obstacles c) cage size - this could work well in your favour. As you already know, degus need company. Pups can help solve both your and your brother's issue as male and female pups can be homed with the relevant parent after weaning, but you both need to ensure your enclosures will be large enough. It's difficult to know about pregnancy for now, but assume the maximum timescale for pups to appear will be three months from the date they were last together. Feeding calcium seeds will not be detrimental, as excess calcium is excreted through urine, but you won't necessarily need to take the other steps until you're sure. If three months go past and no pups appear, you're going to have to search for cage mate(s) for your lady! Feel free to ask as many questions as you like - we're happy to help!
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Post by moletteuk on Jun 7, 2022 9:28:38 GMT
I'm going to be brutally honest - if you only just got the degus I would return them to the store and find a more reliable source to get a same sex pair.
Is she isn't pregnant then you and your sibling are both going to have to find other degus and attempt introductions, which is not a straightforward process. If she is pregnant then there are risks associated with that and you don't know how many degus you are going to end up with.
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Post by parker on Jun 7, 2022 17:29:37 GMT
I'm going to be brutally honest - if you only just got the degus I would return them to the store and find a more reliable source to get a same sex pair. Is she isn't pregnant then you and your sibling are both going to have to find other degus and attempt introductions, which is not a straightforward process. If she is pregnant then there are risks associated with that and you don't know how many degus you are going to end up with. I called the store a few hours after i got them and they said they don't do refunds for accidental opposite pairs. The store will take the babies once they are weaned off the mother. The store said that they can't just take the animal back. I've dealt with guinea pig pregnancy and have experience with hamsters and rabbits so i'm not too worried about any challenges i might have to face. Should I get another female for her or let her be alone until I know if she is pregnant or not ? I am worried about an aggressive female attacking any potential babies.
There is a breeder near me but they are on hold for sales until September due to summer heat.
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Post by savvy on Jun 7, 2022 18:13:10 GMT
Degus do much better in pairs or groups. Personally I'd keep the original pair in separate, but side by side cages until you know if she is pregnant or not. If she is, the litter could be split into two groups giving both degus company. If not, you could get the male neutered so he could safely go back in with the female without the risk of babies, but you would need a degus experienced vet to carry out the operation.
Degus tend to all help with the rearing of pups so there are no worries about others attacking them as long as they have a big enough cage.
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Post by bouncy on Jun 7, 2022 18:31:47 GMT
That's very true! I've introduced young pups to my goos twice in the past, with instant success!
Just a warning - you mentioned your lady is about six months. Assuming he's of a similar age, her former cage mate shouldn't be neutered before 12 months to ensure full development before removal.
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Post by teemu on Jun 8, 2022 11:29:26 GMT
As otherd have suggested, if she's pregnant you'll be able to get both of the degus cagemates from the litter. I'd wait until she either gives birth or definitely isn't pregnant until making changes in the situation. Young degus can be hard to introduce to new cagemates since the puberty can make them temperamental, and a pregnant mother really does not need the extra stress right now.
For now, as others have suggested, see to it that the cages are adequate and that they are getting proper nutrition and keep a close eye on the girl.
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Post by teemu on Jun 8, 2022 11:35:19 GMT
One thing you should watch out for is if the girl seems really moody and hyperactive and screams a lot and looks a bit miserable for a couple of days at some point. That is a likely sign that she's in heat (you can find more info on this on the forum, it happens around once a month but it's not always as obvious), which would mean that she's not pregnant.
It's not a sure sign since something else could make her behave strangely, but it's a thing to look out for.
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 8, 2022 23:46:16 GMT
In regard to the cage being of adequate size. I would like to direct you to our forums cage size recommendations. These recommendations are the result of work done by a former member of this forum, and while they may seem large, they are no where near as large as their natural habitat is . . . which is typically around a square km. Can you imagine building THAT fence . . . and all the work that would be needed to ensure that they couldn't dig down and out as well. LOL! Anyhow . . . degus are happier and healthier in larger cages, and the larger your colony/group of cohabitating degus, the larger the cage they need. When they don't feel squeezed, we get to enjoy more of their character and natural behaviors as well. It is a wonderful thing! Here is a link to our recommendations thread. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/9396/forums-cage-size-recommendations
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Post by parker on Jun 10, 2022 0:16:48 GMT
Update: Now that i am looking more at lil mama, I'm almost positive that she is a he. It was hard to tell because she was so shy the first few days I brought her home. I will observe it more closely the next few days. Once I am positive that lil mama is male, I will re-introduce the two i already had. Having two males is my best case scenario. I am positive the other one is male. Is it possible for one male to get on top of another to show dominance ? I have heard that the females do that.
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Post by savvy on Jun 10, 2022 0:44:36 GMT
They will all mount for various reasons, dominance, being on heat, breeding season, even trying to get the other degu to pile. The only way to check their sex is to look at the gap between the anus and the cone; no gap and they are female, big gap and they are male. If you are having trouble seeing it clearly because of handling issues, try putting some treats in a clear glass bowl, let the degu sit in the bowl eating the treats and take a quick look through the bottom of the bowl. A camera can be useful for a quick photo and if you're still having problems, let us see the pictures and we'll give our opinion on gender. We have a video here which may help. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/13070/degus
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Post by parker on Jun 15, 2022 0:28:14 GMT
HUGE UPDATE !! The male has been removed from the tank, he was in there briefly die to an accident on my sisters half, he is now in care of a more responsible sister so no worries.
lil mama gave birth to two healthy pups today. Thank you all for helping. It came as such a shock because I only got her a week ago. I am so glad to have saved those pups from a pet store life. All three are doing well. I have just a few questions about the newborns.
When should I put the sand bath back in ?
Should I continue to feel lil mama her vitamins ?
At what age can i determine sex ?
I'll continue to do my own research too, again, thank you all for helping me with this.
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Post by savvy on Jun 15, 2022 1:42:55 GMT
Congratulations mama!
It sounds like you removed dad just in time to prevent a back to back pregnancy.
The sand bath cannot go back in for at least a couple of weeks, and you will need to remove anything that the babies can fall off, into or over, including anything they can get trapped under. Think toddlers with no sense of danger, but bags of energy.
Mama needs more high quality foods such as seeds, etc to help her get enough not only for her needs, but also to produce milk for the pups.
Sex of the pups can be determined quite early. You can use the method mentioned in a previous post about the glass bowl, but remember that the pups won't be on solid food until about 3-4 weeks old.
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 15, 2022 2:32:48 GMT
How wide apart are the bars of her cage?
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Post by bouncy on Jun 15, 2022 9:27:51 GMT
Good point! Tiny pups may go walkabout through the bars - as it's only a temporary measure, you could fix cardboard with wire to the outside of the cage, or weave card through the bars. If yours are no more than half an inch apart, you should be fine by 4-5 weeks, when they'll be adult gerbil-sized. Take the wheel out. Mum will fling them out like a discus thrower! Also, if you see any away from mum too long in the first couple of weeks, pop them back with her - they can get cold quickly! It may be worth having a little rummage through the nest - just double checking there are only two
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Post by bouncy on Jun 15, 2022 10:09:40 GMT
Oh, and we need pup pics! We LOVE those oversized noses!
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Post by parker on Jun 21, 2022 17:35:58 GMT
Here are the babies ! The white one is named wanderer and the brown one is named mocha sprinkles ! Also the bars are only 1/3 inch apart, there's no way those babies are escaping
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Post by savvy on Jun 21, 2022 22:34:10 GMT
They are gorgeous! Is Wanderer aptly named, lol.
Do you know their sexes yet?
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Post by deguconvert on Jun 22, 2022 5:03:39 GMT
Degu pups are so lovely!! They are full of fun and mischief. I am sure you are enjoying them!
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Post by bouncy on Jun 22, 2022 5:57:50 GMT
Snoooots! Love 'em! And at least you can easily tell them apart!
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