Fighting 4 months after introduction

[sheepgirl19]

I introduced my previous degu pair, with a recue degu back at the beginning of august after a couple of failed attempts. For the last 4 months everything has been fine, they've played together, slept together, groomed eachother and ran in their wheel together. So I was a bit shocked when I got back from the supermarket at 11.30pm tonight and found the two males in a fight. I let them carry on for a bit to see if they could sort it out because it seemed safe to as they weren't managing to inflict any damage on eachother.
I took the partially sighed one out the cage for 10minutes and then tried to put him back in but straight away the other degu went for him and the fighting started again but this time worse, so I've had no choice but take one of them out and put him in a separate cage.

Has anyone got any ideas on what I should do now? Or any experience of fights breaking out a long time after the initial introduction. I don't understand how they can go from being best buddies, to enemys in the space of an hour.

Spud

[deguconvert]

It's difficult to say what can cause a sudden change. Sometimes it is just a matter of grumpiness, or for some reason one decides to challenge the dominant goo for his position, or something really annoyed one and he is holding a grudge. Degus have a LOOOONG memory, and a grudge is held rather closely in the degu heart. We have kind of stumbled upon a method that can be useful in severe cases of fighting, or if you feel kind of hopeless about things.

You need to have a second cage in which you can place the aggressive offender, but it is VERY important that you have the right degu. If you put in the one that is actually the defensive participant, it won't solve the situation at all. So . . . be very observant and very sure that you have the degu that is instigating all the fighting. Once you know who it is, put that degu in the second cage and then place that cage in a room totally separate from the other degus. A place where he will have no sound, sight, or scent of the others. You will be his only companionship. Keep him there for at least 2 days, and then bring him back to the others and see what happens. Most likely he will be SOOO glad to see the others that all grudges will be forgotten. If however fights start again, try the separation again for a longer period of time. It there is still no success then you have one of three options . . . neutering, or keeping him single, or getting a new degu and trying to bond him with the new one.

I don't think you are quite at this point though. What you can do for now is put your foot down and make it clear to them all that you, as top goo, absolutely will not tolerate the fighting. So when you see something that is worse than boxing and needs to be stopped, go right over to the cage and squeak loudly and firmly at them. Every time they try to go at it again, loud squeak from you again. If the squeak doesn't work, blow on them as well. If that doesn't work, squeak, blow, and a tap on the nose will usually do it. But you have to 'tell them off in degu speak' every time they get out of hand. They will learn that you at in charge. This can help a lot to turn things around. It can take time though, cause degus don't exactly build their relationships at light speed. Nor do they forgive at light speed, but they will eventually get there!

If it gets worse, then resort to the 'solitary confinement.' Also ask any questions, as you know, and we'll try to help, or at least encourage you. I hope it will turn around and go well for you.

[sheepgirl19]

Thanks for the advise. I did initially try and break up the fights by squeaking, tapping the cage, or tapping them on the nose, and although I could distract Sonic from fighting toasty just took advantage of this and kept on going for him again and again. Which is strange because he's normally the most timid around me and loud noises or sudden movements would normally be enough to freak him out. Sonic showed all the signs of wanting to give up by moving away from toasty and wedging himself in the corner shaking, but toasty just kept on attacking.

Initially I'd separated the wrong degu, as the less agressive one was looking really shaken up by the whole experience. But now after reading what you wrote, I have toasty who appears to be the more agressive one on his own (well atleast he's the one who starts it). I'm not quite sure about solitary confinement as I rent a room in a flat and my flat mates are scared of rodents so the only place to have the other cage is in the same room so he's always going to be able to hear or smell the other two, even though he currently is on the other side of the room.

[franksl87]

fighting usually stops for us if theres a squirt bottle involved they will all separate and chucky goes up to the top and grinds his teeth at me for gettin him wet but all is good between them all agen