New degu owner handling question

[gina]

Hi everyone,i got given 3 male degus last week,they were rehomed by a friend of mine but she couldn't keep them longterm so i said i'd take them on,i have been watching them and talking to them but haven't yet got them out,they will sniff my hand when i offer it but if i try to stroke them they dart off...my question really is when clean out day comes,which will be in the next couple of days how do i go about catching them,i don't want to stress them and i don't want to get bitten either,has anyone got any tips? I'm used to rats that come to me naturally,i'm not sure how to go about removing something that doesn't want me to be near it,lol.

[Sunshinemeg]

From my point of view, I think that you have three options.

1. clean out by scooping out the debris, working around the degus. I favour this most often as its a lot quicker, and quite funny watching them investigate your cleaning efforts.

2. Use a garden glove (tough leather) to scoop them up. Be as gentle as you can, so they dont see you as too much of a threat. if they bite its the glove not you so you wont be over cautious.

3. get a giant clean glass jar. lay it in the cage and when one walks in tip it to slip them to the back of the jar, and then transfer them to a travel cage.

Let us know how you get on.

[gina]

Thanks for the tips,i'm waiting for their new cage to arrive,i ordered them a critter 3 as the cage they're in,although its ok,i don't like it,the doors are too small to get in and do anything so until the new cage is here i think the glove option sounds the best...i shall let you know how it goes!

[Sunshinemeg]

I used to have the gloves handy when a new degu was being introduced. It meant that I could get one out very fast if i needed to, without fear of being bitten.

I also know that the person i had to re-home one of my boys with used to give these tough gloves to her young son so he could hold the degu without being scratched. so they are good with young children who might other wise drop a degu if their claws dig in.

[sarah]

We used to lure Buddy and Blossom with treats and a round cardboard tube. Put a treat in the tube, put it in front of the cage door and when they go inside quickly put your hands over each end and move them to their temporary holding place. We don't have to do this anymore, as they will jump onto our laps to get the treats, and we just grab them.

The babies are different -- we have to take everything out of the cage and try to grab them. Sometimes we use a net. It sounds awful, but it really isn't. They usually just walk into the net and we gently pick it up with our other hand over the top so they won't jump out.

One baby escaped from the cage the other day and ran way back underneath the cage where we couldn't get to him -- the net came in very handy!

Sarah

[gooey]

the only thing that gets my guys truly stressed is cage cleaning time. Tiki will still come out, although sometimes he needs a little coaxing, but Tino totally freaks and i have to use gloves to pick him up. which just shows that humans can be taught also as i finally learned to use gloves since i have been bitten by Tino every time!
oh, i use a glass jar to transport them to temp quarters--they are so nosy they crawl in and then i just cover the open end with my hand (in the glove )
hope this helps

[gina]

Hi,i used the glove method today as the cage doors in their old cage wouldn't allow for any jars to go in but the new cage is great as the doors are bigger and the top lid opens right up so it should be easier next time,one actually came out of his own accord,the other took about 5 mins to catch and the last one was still screaming at me half an hour later but i got there in the end and they're all settling into their new cage...i have pics if i can figure out how to upload..i'll try here:
They're called Scarface,Bugsy and Capone,lol!

[sarah]

Great pictures and what cute names! Good job!

Sarah

[gooey]

great pics ;Dand your guys are too cute!
what is that cool looking blue and white house thingy you have in the cage?

[gina]

Its a guinea pig igloo,heheh!! It is attached the the side of the cage just so no accidents can happen!!

[jon]

I have that cage!!!

Its the tits! ;D