kate
Warbling Degu
Posts: 28
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taming
Mar 26, 2008 12:40:34 GMT
Post by kate on Mar 26, 2008 12:40:34 GMT
Hello, sorry I am new to this forum business, never used computer really!! I posted a hello on the wrong bit I think, anyhow, we have two new male (father and son) degus (never had pets before either). I read they are lovely animals and tame and intellegent and dont' bite (really afraid of being bitten by hamsters etc!!). Anyhow, just wanted tips really on how to tame them, we have had them a week and haven't picked them up, just opening cage, offering our hand with tip bit and they are skittish very afraid, take it and run off. We haven't managed to stroke them or anything yet. Is is usual ? Any tips on how to tame them would be really appreciated. We talk to them all the time. They are called Bubble and Squeak. (very original!!). Regards Kate
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taming
Mar 26, 2008 14:14:11 GMT
Post by Lala on Mar 26, 2008 14:14:11 GMT
Hiiiii Degus are lovely animals and once you gain their trust are really affectionate, but like people all of them are different; some of them are really scared & skittish whereas others are brave and don't mind running straight up to people! You seem to be doing every thing right so far, just sit by their cage talk to them, open the cage and place your hand in so they can get used to your smell, offer them treats and they'll soon come round! It takes time and if you happen to have really skittish one, a lot of patience. If one's feeling brave and allows you to pick him/her up reward them with a nice treat and eventually they'll learn you're nothing to be scared of then the fun begins Love the names
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taming
Mar 26, 2008 14:28:41 GMT
Post by elliekay on Mar 26, 2008 14:28:41 GMT
Kate, I know EXACTLY how you feel. Once the novelty of just watching them wore off about 3 days after I got my three (it never REALLY wears off, but I think you'll know what I mean) I was heard to say to my hubby "We've got pointless pets ... I'm bored now ... take them away".
But he did not take them away and gradually, over the last 6 weeks or so we've started to build up some trust with them. I think part of the problem I had was that I was as scared of them as they were of me so every time one climbed onto my hand/arm I'd jump and scare them off.
This last week things have really started going well and I freshened up the cage last night with one sat on my shoulder.
We still have one super adventurous one, one who will take a while but then comes and sits on you and one who just seems to hide all the time, but they are slowly beginning to act the way other people on the forum say theirs do.
Just have patience, and don't try to rush them because they can hold a grudge for a long time!
Welcome to the forum and good luck!
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taming
Mar 26, 2008 14:45:28 GMT
Post by elliekay on Mar 26, 2008 14:45:28 GMT
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alex
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 212
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taming
Mar 26, 2008 19:06:30 GMT
Post by alex on Mar 26, 2008 19:06:30 GMT
Hi Kate, Had mine just under 2 months now. When I first got them they were very scared of me, wouldn't come near and would hide from me. I left them alone for 2 days to get used to their new home, although I'd sit by the cage and watch them and talk to them so they started to get used to my voice. I'd then put my hand in the cage with them so they got used to me not beign a threat. They eventually started to come up and sniff me, but wouldn't touch me. At this stage I didn't touch them. Then I started with the small treats. At first I let them take it and run off to eat it somewhere else. Then i started holding onto it, so they had to actually eat it from my hand. I then started to stroke them, but never while they were eating (they didn't used to like that and would just wag their tails and squak at me!)
All this took about 3-4 weeks for Optimus & Prime. You just have to have patience. These days when I open the cage, im normally say down and as soon as the cage opens optimus runs out onto my knees, then climbs straight up and sits on my shoulder. Prime genrally runs up onto my knee, sits there for a minute, then turns back round, jumps onto his cage and then tries to climb down the back onto the floor! As soon as I come home from work they run to the top floor of the cage and come to say hello, they are so friendly. This took me as I ay almost 2 months though of daily contact.
With your Degus was the father not used to human contact already?
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kate
Warbling Degu
Posts: 28
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taming
Mar 26, 2008 21:15:48 GMT
Post by kate on Mar 26, 2008 21:15:48 GMT
Thank you for the encouragement, glad to know I am basically doing the right thing!! Bubble actually volunteered to go into the pet shop owners hands when we looked at them and promptly ran up his sleeve and didn't bit, came out and we all cuddled (had him running through our hands etc) which is mainly the reason we bought them because I thought he was tame. Things went awol when they came home. Maybe just because they weren't used to our house (bit manic) and busy and different owners and voices etc. If you think of anything I should be doing please just reply. Altogether I am learning two things - how to participate in the virtual world of computer forums and how to handle degus!!
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alex
Burrowing Degu
Posts: 212
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taming
Mar 26, 2008 21:33:53 GMT
Post by alex on Mar 26, 2008 21:33:53 GMT
They rarely bite, so dont worry about that. Even when untamed i never got bitten. They 'bite' now as they try to groom me, but this is more of a tickle. I just have to say dont pick them up from above, ever. My guys are quite tame now, but my brothers fiancee tried to pick Optimus up from above like a hamster the other day when i wasn't looking and he hated it. It really stressed him out and he was annoyed for few hours.
Im way off being an expert, having my boys for just a couple of months (kept hamsters etc for years before) but this is what ive experienced.
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taming
Mar 27, 2008 10:40:01 GMT
Post by Lala on Mar 27, 2008 10:40:01 GMT
Alex has made a good point, if you pick them up from above it's like their being attacked by a predator and can really stress them out. To pick them up, scoop them from underneath
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kate
Warbling Degu
Posts: 28
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taming
Mar 27, 2008 14:10:32 GMT
Post by kate on Mar 27, 2008 14:10:32 GMT
Thank you for your encouragement, this forum business is quite peculiar, don't know if I'm even doing that right, beginning to stress about the whole thing. What is the "sleeve trick"?? Also, when and howdo I begin to clean out their cage if I can't pick them up?? The two top shelves are full of droppings and they have left pee pee all in their wheel!! As they are in the kitchen (away from food area- we have a large long room!!) it still doesn't look nice (although strangly doesn't smell). Tips welcome and anything to help. Am popping up to Pets at home tomorrow for the seeds. xx
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kate
Warbling Degu
Posts: 28
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taming
Mar 27, 2008 14:17:21 GMT
Post by kate on Mar 27, 2008 14:17:21 GMT
Oh, sorry, just quickly, got my daughter to show me and accessed the link - learning all the computer jargon now as well - will definitely get my son to try the sleeve trick tonight after school - I don't want to be the one to get bitten first !!! Will let you know how we got on tomorrow. Big baggy tucked in jumpers here we come.......xx
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taming
Mar 27, 2008 14:50:43 GMT
Post by elliekay on Mar 27, 2008 14:50:43 GMT
What sort of cage do you have?
I have a john Hopewell one with a slide out bottom and I never remove the degus when cleaning them out!
I sweep down the shelves and wipe them to get rid of the wee stains then close the main door and remove the bottom tray (making sure the degus are up on the shelves) then leave them to explore the new bare cage while I'm cleaning.
I find that to keep it all looking nice a quick sweep (with a dustpan & brush) and wipe every couple of days does the trick.
Good luck with the jumper, and don't try to rush things. I know how frustrating it is, but the hard work and patience will pay off in the end.
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taming
Mar 27, 2008 15:22:50 GMT
Post by phe on Mar 27, 2008 15:22:50 GMT
yea degus never really bite and if they are gettin angry at u they will let u kno way before the teeth come out, they make a whining grumbley noise that is quite obviously a back off warning! thank you alex and lala!! wen i told the vet not to grab her from above i got a mini lecture on how many years she'd been to vet school(not that she new what a degu was) gggrrrrr
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kate
Warbling Degu
Posts: 28
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taming
Mar 30, 2008 15:49:13 GMT
Post by kate on Mar 30, 2008 15:49:13 GMT
Hi my
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kate
Warbling Degu
Posts: 28
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taming
Mar 30, 2008 15:51:12 GMT
Post by kate on Mar 30, 2008 15:51:12 GMT
Hi my degus are still huddeling dont you think there adorable i love em
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kate
Warbling Degu
Posts: 28
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taming
Mar 30, 2008 15:57:04 GMT
Post by kate on Mar 30, 2008 15:57:04 GMT
hi my degus are so cute and there still huddeling is'nt that still cute
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taming
Mar 30, 2008 16:17:27 GMT
Post by phe on Mar 30, 2008 16:17:27 GMT
aaawww well im glad yours are being cute but mine are in a very mishcheivious mood today stolen 3 things and NIBBLED my rockect dogs little buggers xxx xx
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taming
Mar 30, 2008 17:47:24 GMT
Post by rsnooks on Mar 30, 2008 17:47:24 GMT
rofl
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taming
Mar 30, 2008 20:46:00 GMT
Post by Wendi on Mar 30, 2008 20:46:00 GMT
Would really see red if they nibbled my Rocket Dogs!!! Those shoes are ace!! On the subject of cleaning, mine are quite happy to go into a sawdust box while I clean the cage out. They just get narked when I put them back coz their hidden goodies have gone!! Doogie get VERY precious over pieces of loo paper. He screams until I give him more! xx
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