What a surprise I got!!

[jrosler04]

Last friday, I was at the high school, picking joe up from school, as school let out, i looked in my review mirror, and I saw a kid carrying an aquarium with bedding..i thought "oh what's that?!" then i saw them.... 2 degus running back & forth in a 10 gallon!

I asked the teacher & him "are those degus?!" (knowing they were)

and she was like "yes, i am surprised you knew wha they are" .. well, i told her I had a pair at home..she replied with "do you want another pair?" I asked her how much and if she was serious...she said "free if you promise to love them!!"

soo..i brought home a male & female pair of degu's last friday..


This morning, I Fed everyone some fresh dandelion leaves & Clover..

I left, did some outside work, and came back...as I was feeding the pigs, I kept hearing the WEIRDEST sounds...i looked in, and a TEENY TINY degu face greeted me!!

SHE had 4 babies!!

I cannot believe this! I didn't realize she was pregnant (kinda suspected it with her living with him) but not that far along at least!!

all 4 babies are up wandering around..but they went back in the nesty house when I fixed it back for thm!!!

pics coming soon!!

[jrosler04]

I also have a question,....how long until I can handle them?? I know with the guinea pigs & chinnies, they can be handled within an hour or so!!!

Thanks in advance!!

[diet otaku]

i believe since degus are born eyes open and fully furred that you should be able to pick them up any time. handling baby degus helps socialize them with humans and makes them more tame. :3

[jrosler04]

Cool!! thank you very much!!

I am still shocked that she had them!!
I figured that they were like the pigs & chinnies and could be held anytime..i usually like to give the momma the first day to bond..then after that, they are "fair game" for my attention! lol

[ra]

Your Degu colony has gone from two to eight in a single weekend! You might want to consider separating the new father from the group unless you want more babies in about three months. I do love those little babies but it can get out of hand rather quickly.
Mocha's babies were gregarious from the start. They do need to stay close by and in the nest for the first 7 or 8 days until they can regulate their own body temperature. Gosh I can't believe how much I have alread forgotten about caring for the newborns!

With Mocha and her daughter Tanzania I won't have to worry about babies again. It's been a year since Mocha had her puppies. Will have to re-read my early posts from last year!