Eating flies and waving tail?

[aya0aya]

As I got useful advices before I decided to ask one more question about strange behavior of the little sisters.
It doesn't bother me, but I was wondering if anyone else saw that and what it means.

First, they like to chase and eat flies. If they see a fly and it's slow enough, they'll catch it and eat. If the fly escape, they'll chase it until it's high enough they can't see it anymore. Both of them doing that.
I saw there degus in the wild can eat bugs accidentally, but I never heard they eat it by itself. Can that hurt them in any way? They leave alone ants and other bugs, they like flies alone. Maybe they just like to chase them.

The other thing is waving/wagging their tail like dogs does.
I noticed this the other day. Bambi was in a bad mood, complaining and talking all day long. This day I saw her sitting on the flying saucer and waving her tail. The same day Sefi took her sand bath and when out, she wave her tail as well.
I have no idea what this should mean, maybe someone knows. It seems strange to me that everything done they do it both. Other behaviors are common so it's not strange, but why both waving their tail at the same day?
I saw the only explanation that degus that mated do that, but they're both female. They didn't do dominance mounting at that time (Bambi was really in bad mood and was shouting at Sefi if she got close to her) so I really don't know.

[fred]

I don't think degus in the wild have been studied closely enough to say whether they occasionally eat insects deliberately or only by accident. They are clearly not their usually diet but eating the odd one doesn't do them harm. I think it may be more the chase that excites them rather than the additional “treat”. In a way you could look at them as a very cost-effective toy. However, in particular with flies you don't know where they have had their feet in (literally ). Just keep on eye on it.

Tail wagging is a sign of excitement / arousal in a variety of social interactions, so I am not surprised they do it at the same time.

[aya0aya]

Thanks Fred. Another useful reply. Now I know about waving tails and maybe Bambi wasn't in a bad mood, better say in a good mood

I'll try to watch on fly chasing, I hope it will work. But they're too fast for me (both, degus and flies )when in action

[w8152]

They do also wag them when posturing but that may also be the arousal again...

[malteser60]

No idea on the tail bit. Some animals do it out of excitement, others for posturing, others to signal a bad mood, others all three! Cats are of the latter, wagging tail mainly means 'oi, back off', but it can also mean internal excitement (they've been stalking the stuffed mouse, the excitement mounts, the tail twitches and moves, then the Pounce!).

However, the fly bit. Can I just say that degus seem to eat everything! Except mine don't eat veg, typical! I don't think eating flies will hurt them, although it'll push their daily protein up to the max, however, as fred says, who knows were the flies have been - not exactly the cleanest of organisms.

[deguconvert]

LOL! Trust a degu to be weird!! I personally don't find it alarming that they are doing this. It's strange, yes, but I don't think it will harm them. Kind of funny, really.

[amie]

Waving the tail can be territorial too. Mine seem to do it as if to say "MY WHEEL", lol.

[aya0aya]

Yeah, I learned that they can behave strange Funny thing is when they eating something and while eating jump on flying saucer and exercise while have food in their mouth. So many nice stuff to do, no time for eating

Anyways, Sefi did lift her paw for me to rub her on the belly, I'm so glad she trusts me enough. While Bambi have no time to do that, she's too busy nibbling me and fighting my hand.

[malteser60]

Aww, I wish mine would let me rub their bellies! Whenever I try that they grab my finger, lift it up and have a look underneath (to see where the treat is off course!), and if there is no treat they give it a good bite! No blood drawn, just hard enough to show their displeasure at there being no treat!

[Jaiye]

Aug 10, 2011 3:05:20 GMT amie said:

Waving the tail can be territorial too. Mine seem to do it as if to say "MY WHEEL", lol.

Mine do that!!! But on the foot stool that seems to be their favourite place in the room XP

Funny thing is when they eating something and while eating jump on flying saucer and exercise while have food in their mouth.

Again, Dega does this a lot, she gets a piece of food, does a few laps in the wheel, jumps out, eats the food or buries it, back in the wheel - runs the other way o.o - for a few laps then out and back to the food bowl!



They are certainly all crazy little critters!