New Girls in the Family

[Mojo]

Hi,

So I have adopted 3 girls from Burford Bluecross (Milly, Lilly and Tilly). They are now settling into their new home and ill be doing intros in a few weeks so they can get to know my boys.

As soon as I put them into their cage they had a good run around. The boys knew they were there straight away and are a little agitated and have been boxing a little. I expect they'll settle down over the next few days and then nextx week I can start intros via a divide before moving onto intros on netural ground.

I'll keep you posted. Fingers crossed it all goes well and I can get them living as one big happy family.......

[deguconvert]

A question for you? Are your boys neutered?

[Mojo]

but of course ...... I do not want any little surprises (no matter how cute they may be) lol

[deguconvert]

I thought I remembered that that was the case, but once I thought I remembered it I began to doubt that I did. LOL! Thought I had better ask just to be sure.

It is possible you may have a bit of a circus getting them all together, but I know you have the patience for it. Please fill us in on all the bits and bobs that happen as you go along.

How tame are the girls? I hope you will post pictures of piles of degus once they are integrated.

[Mojo]

Yeah I expect that it will be quite a challenge to integrate the boys and the girls especially due to the fact it's 2 social groups. It'd be a shame if I can't as split my huge cage is big enough for them to have half each but together it'll give them loads of places to rund and explore. I'll be patient and I'm sure I'll get there.

The girls are about 2 years old. I am surpirsed how tame they actually are. Straight away they'll come to the cage door when I come in the room. They'll happily eat from my hand and even enjoy sniffing my fingers and having a little grooming nibble. They are also good as gold.

Condition wise they are in great shape. Look very healthy. They have obviously had a few scraps in the past as one is missing a couple of fingers, one a tail tip and one has a split ear. It must have been when they were young as they are all completely healed.

I am looking forward to getting to know them more. It's funny, I don't know if it's just me but they actually look more girly compared to my boys. Their features seem softer? I expect it's just my imagination lol ;-D

[deguconvert]

LOL! I was going to say it's all in the eyelashes, but then immediately thought, "But most of the people I know with fabulous eyelashes are male!!" So decided to X that thought, lol. Must be their more "womanly" curves.

[fliddie]

Awww you got the 2 blue degus!! I saw them on the blue cross website and put a link on this forum. I had to stop myself from going to visit in Burford because I knew I would bring them home with me otherwise, they looked beautiful! Last time I went to Burford the girl there tried to talk me into bringing home 4 chinchillas!!!!!

[Mojo]

yeah the 2 girls on there had already gone but they got 3 girls back in and I took them home with me. So far they are a delight. Very tame and friendly even after a few days.....

[Mojo]

So quick update. I decided to do my first intro tonight as the goos havn't shown any agression towards each other through the divide and "tweet" happily to each other through the mesh.

I put them in a neutral location and armed with my spray gun I expected the worst. However there was no agression, minimal dominance humping and only one incident where 2 of the girls had a quick box. I kept them together for almost an hour and a half and they happily played togther. There was cross gender grooming, plenmty of face washing and sitting together. I am really surprised. I havn't got over excited and will be taking it slow but this is a really really positive sign......

Fingers crossed and may the harmony continue.......

[deguconvert]

WOO HOO!!!! Minor celebration dance . . . not getting carried away just yet. Things certainly do sound very good!

[gemmagreaves]

what sort of spray gun do you use? lol ive got to introduce and adult female to my group of 1 adult female and 3 girls, then 1 adult male to a group of 2 adult males and 2 boys. i then will have to introduce another adult female an her 3 girls to my other females (they're big cages!) im just curious as the last time my goos fought i lost the skin on my knuckle trying to break them up. i am currently seeking new separation methods incase they get into a fight :-D

[Mojo]

So I use a spray bottle bought from a garden centre. It's the same kind you'd get your bathroom or kitchen cleaner in but is brand new and never had any chemicals in it.

I had to use it when introducing my boys and it stops the fight immediatly. When doing intros I have a pair of gardening gloves (protects the hands), a spray gun (last resort), some sunflower seeds (treats make the experience seem positive for them ) and a tea towel (you can throw this on the top of fighting goos and it stops them too).

[phoenixm]

i have this visual of you all decked out in your fight gear....lol armed with a spray bottle......i dont think i would start anything around you either! lol

[Mojo]

Sooo big day today. I put my 4 boys and 3 girls together for 2 hours and they all got along fine and dandy. So I put them in the cage together and took down the mesh divide. It seems I now have an integrated colony of males/females. They have spent the day playing and an hour ago I got a glimpse of a 7 Goo cuddle pile. I have to say it was amazing and looked like the most comfortable place in the world to be. No photo yet as they woke up and moved by the time I got my camera but as soon as I snap one I will get it one here.

I can't believe how easy it was to introduce the boys and girls. It took like 2 weeks and might have been sooner. Much harder to intro my 4 boys that took weeks and weeks. Very pleased and can't wait to see how they get on over the next few days.........

[phoenixm]

lol....cant wait to see the 7-goo pile =) & to see the difference in their looks.....i know my momma does seem to have a longer shapely head....& papa is more round...pushed in...robust looking....but that too...could be my imagination....lol