kn12
Warbling Degu
Posts: 43 
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Post by kn12 on Nov 21, 2022 9:34:57 GMT
Hi everyone
My degu Daisy was euthanised on Saturday and she has left behind her loving sister Daffodil
Daffy doesn’t really like to be held by me (she nips me) and she loves her cage more than anything
I’ve got her a snugglesafe and I’m giving her plenty of treats (within reason) and she’s eating but she’s quiet and I hate seeing her on her own
Does anyone have any tips on making sure a lone degu doesn’t get depressed?
I’m thinking of adopting more degus but I have no idea on the whole introductory process and I’ve heard it can be stressful for both degu and human
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Post by winic1 on Nov 21, 2022 15:02:50 GMT
We do have a section on introducing new degus, and lots and lots of advice, here on this forum.
But it's early days yet. Daffodil will be unusually quiet and lonely at first, without a doubt. Then she may adapt and get used to being without another degu, and learn to appreciate her human companions. Or she may continue to miss degu company.
In the mean time, you can start reading up on introducing a new degu, and see if it's something you think you can do. Feel free to ask us as many questions as you want to about the process and about how you could make it work within your house and available cage(s) and set up. What you don't read on the forum, someone here can probably tell you from their own experience.
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Post by moletteuk on Nov 21, 2022 19:43:48 GMT
Just spend some time with Daffodil in whatever way she prefers, so if that means just sitting next to the cage, then that is fine. She may or may not want to interact with you more than before, just keep an open mind and make yourself available to her. Do you have a playpen or safe space where you can sit on the floor and then she can approach you if she chooses to? This always worked well for me as a way to spend time with degus while allowing them the control to visit me for treats or sit with me if they wanted to, and it doesn't have to involve hands. You can try doing a sharp yelp noise if she nips you to try to communicate that it hurts, but she may already know it hurts, in which case it's a more complicated issue.
For introductions you may wish to think about what age of degus would suit (teenage degus are more difficult to introduce), whether you want a single or pair (if you wanted babies you would need to get a pair), who might be available in your area. If degus are older then we usually recommend introducing to other degus 5+ yrs plus to match their activity and excitability levels. There is a degu rehoming group on facebook that was quite active last time I looked. The best way to tackle an introduction is to have them live side by side for however long it takes for them to get used to each other, and then we usually recommend introductions in a neutral area like a playpen. Results and length of time and difficulty vary widely.
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Post by deguconvert on Nov 21, 2022 20:12:14 GMT
Fighting and introductions guide . . . don't be distracted by the "fighting" part of the title. Fighting is often the result of issues over dominance, and introductions involves the establishment of dominance, so the core issue is the same. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/17619/deguconverts-detailed-introductions-fighting-guideAllowing Daisy some time to grieve her loss is important, and having that time will hopefully mean that she is then open to meeting someone, or several someones, in the near-ish future. Something to consider as you look for more degus. What is Daisy's age? Do you want another degu or two that are close to Daisy's age? If you get pups, are you prepared for the introductions, as well as the chaos that often comes with the adolescent/young adult stage? Also, it is important to realize that while your pups may have bonded with Daisy, as their brains and bodies change with the onset of adolescence/young adulthood, it almost always disrupts the balance of their relationships and everything is topsy turvy again. |
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kn12
Warbling Degu
Posts: 43
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Post by kn12 on Nov 23, 2022 9:32:20 GMT
Thank you for your comments
I am warming up to the idea of getting daffodil a friend
What is the rehoming groups name on Facebook?
Also I work full time- would I still be able to introduce degus to each other? I’m not in during the day but I’m there in evenings and weekends
I’ve heard the introduction process is long and I have a big enough cage to be able to separate them so that’s helpful but I’m scared they won’t get along!
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Post by teemu on Nov 23, 2022 14:56:41 GMT
It should not be a problem for introductions that you cannot be there all the time, as introductions should only be done slowly and when you are present to begin with. It is hard to say how long it will take to begin with, but it can be a very long process. When it looks like they are ready to be in the same cage, you should try to aim for a period where you can spend a lot of time at home observing them (for example, do it at the start of a weekend so you can observe and take actions if things go wrong).
To be clear, they should be in separate cages in the beginning, and should only be slowly introduced in a neutral area, before divided cages or a shared cage is considered. Putting them in the same cage right in the beginning is a surefire way to make a very bad first impression!
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Post by moletteuk on Nov 23, 2022 18:03:00 GMT
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Post by deguconvert on Nov 23, 2022 18:40:40 GMT
I have a slightly different opinion from Teemu. If you have a very large cage, then dividing it into two is acceptable . . . BUT the idea of what is a very large cage is somewhat subjective. We have a cage size recommendation thread here, which is based on a lot of research that was done by a group of our members, several years back. Here is a link for you to have a look. It is found under the Cages, Housing and Accessories board. deguworld.proboards.com/thread/9396/forums-cage-size-recommendationsWhat are the dimensions of your cage? |
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Post by winic1 on Nov 23, 2022 19:46:35 GMT
If you divide one cage for them both, make sure you put up a double divider, so that there is space between the two layers of the divider, other wise they can bite off each other's toes and tails.
Tell us about your cage and the size it is, and the size each half will be. If the degus, new and old, feel crowded, it will not help them adjust to having someone new on the other side of a divider. They can't understand that there will always be enough food provided, so a crowded space means threatened resources means threatened survival, means don't accept that other degu--it'll mean the death of us all!
How old is Daffodil? If your cage is big enough, consider adopting two new friends, that way you won't be faced with a lone degu again any time soon.
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Post by teemu on Nov 24, 2022 11:20:07 GMT
Yeah, I agree that if the cage is large enough that both degus will have space for living by themselves for a while, then it can be possible to just divide the cage for them.
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kn12
Warbling Degu
Posts: 43
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Post by kn12 on Nov 25, 2022 9:46:36 GMT
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Post by teemu on Nov 25, 2022 16:00:44 GMT
7 years is quite old. At that age, it is very worthwhile to consider the degu's personality and how they are after the loss. It can be very comforting for them to find new friends in their late years, too, but it's more up to the degu at that point. It could be a source of stress that an old animal does not need.
I think it is a very sensible idea to observe her for a while and not make any hasty decisions, in a situation like this.
It is also worth noting that since she is that old, you really should get a pair of degus if you do, since getting only one would mean that you will, unfortunately, have another lone one in the future. Or you could consider an old rescue degu or a similar idea.
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Post by deguconvert on Nov 25, 2022 19:38:24 GMT
Ditto to what Teemu said.
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