separate or not?

[shaz]

Hi all


I have 3 degus two we got from P@H and the other was born nearly a month ago. (they are all girls - onion was must have been pregnant when we got them)

Cheese and onion our eldest ones have for no apparent reason this afternoon really started fighting a lot....So much so that onion has a cut on the side of her face and cheese is squeaking (i assume she is scared). We have taken onion out for now and put her in our travel cage it is next to the cage and all she is doing is scratching to get out of it (it is a lot smaller than what she is use to) I have no idea why they have started fighting they did fight a bit before the baby was born but since then they have been getting on really well like a nice little family.

I really don't want to keep onion in the small cage but it is her that starts the fights! ... What do you suggest we do? we don't have another cage to keep onion in and seeing as pickle is still so young she will still need onion but i don't want them to fight and hurt each other any more....

Any advice would be great!!!

[deguconvert]

The first thing I would like to know is what is the approximate age of Cheese and Onion? This can be a very large part of their fighting if their age is between 6 and 18 months, as this is their adolesent age. Like humans, adolesence in degus can be very turmoil filled, not just for them but for their owners as well. This is a time that we have to get through to the best of our ability, I am sorry to say. Somethings can help ease it, but these are not guaranteed, not do they always work with every degu. So . . . it's sort of a find your way as best you can
kind of thing.

That doesn't mean you are all alone though. I wailed and panicked all over the forum when our three went through adolesence, and everyone here was a great help and encouragement to me. So . . . come and tells us about it . . . you'll feel better.

If it isn't their age, watch them and see what you can observe of their interactions. THey might give you some clues about what is going on between them.

[shaz]

They are about 6 months old...

In the end last night we put onion back in - o/h says 'nature will take its course' ... but im not so sure. They still arent great today...not rolling around fighting but cheese has very poorly feet and paws.

Cheese is hiding away and this morning was squeaking when onion came anywhere near her. This evening she is still hiding and onion is still looking for her and then sits next to where she is (either side on or with her back to her). Cheese isnt squeaking to much at her now but they still not getting on.

Its horrible to watch and we just dont know what to do to help it or even if there is anyting we can do

[shaz]

Things have got a million times worse that what they were.

Cheese died this morning. I feel like i have let her down so much. I have posted full story here
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