The Adventures of Elune and Jadzia

[Deleted]

Hello everyone,
here are my two degu girls that my boyfriend and I adopted last Monday
They were both born in April this year, and I think they're sisters.

Elune



Jadzia



The next month will be an interesting time for them and for me,
so I have decided to make this little blog for them so that I can
update you on their progress

[Deleted]

Background story:

My bf and I had been searching for a couple of degus to adopt,
but nothing turned up. Degus aren't all that common in Norway,
so there were no breeders nearby. Our last chance was buying them from a pet store.
We found a store about an hour's drive away that was supposed to have some,
so we went there to have a look (my bf had never seen a live degu before).

When we got there, the store had two female degus.
They were sitting alone in separate cages (which were very small)
and looked really depressed.
I asked the caretaker why they were alone, and she replied that they had
been together a few months ago, but they had started to fight so violently
that she had seen no other alternative than to separate them.
She told me they had tried to reintroduce them (by simply putting one of them
into the cage with the other..) and that had gone badly aswell.

We thought it wouldn't be possible to get these two to go together again,
so we abandoned the thought. The caretaker said that if we wanted degus,
the store could order them from a breeding facility in Sweden.
We went home to think it over.

After this, I found this forum and started reading about reintroducing degus
that had been fighting, and I decided that if it could be done, I would try it.
Both my bf and I had been feeling sorry for these two lonely degus that had been
stuck in their tiny cages for so long, and probably would stay at that store for no one
knows how long.

Monday morning I rang up the store to ask if they still had the two degus,
which they did. When my bf got home, we drove all the way down there again.
When we saw the two degus again, we knew that we'd made the right choice.
The caretaker was so happy when we told her we wanted these two, she sold
them to us for nearly nothing at all.

We loaded the two girls into separate shuttles and then headed home. Elune settled
down after just a few minutes, but Jadzia tried to gnaw her way out the entire journey.
Once at home, we installed the piece of mesh wire that would separate the upper level
from the bottom and put them into their new home

[Deleted]

Elune

Elune is the degu that lives on the upper level for now. She's a little timid, but she is getting
more and more interested in me and my bf (his name is Andreas, by the way).
She loves sitting at the highest point she can get to, most often one of the platforms,
but also on the top of the wheel. I put a piece of cardboard there for her comfort.

Jadzia

Jadzia is the degu that has the luxury of the bottom half. She's got a sparkling personality and
isn't afraid of anything or anyone. If she's not resting, she'll come up to one of the doors and
wait to get out. Once the door is opened, she can't wait and starts climbing onto my hand or arm.
I often sit at a chair in front of the cage and have the door open; she'll go back and forth between
my lap and the cage constantly. She also enjoys being scratched on the belly, which is adorable ;D

Jadzia has only half her tail left and one of her right front toes is sticking up at an odd angle.
I was told by the girl caring for them that this had happened to her when she had been fighting.
The toe is odd though, my guess is that it's been broken and then grown back in that position.
Anyway, none of this seems to bother her at all, she's still all over the place

[Deleted]

Food and Accessories

Their food right now is that degu blend from Versele-Laga, because it is the only food I could
find for degus in any of the 5+ stores I have visited. Luckily I have just found an online Norwegian
pet store that has the JR farm products. I have ordered a few blends from them:
Degus' snack, Carrot slices, Herbal garden, Ribwort, Herbs of the meadow and Jerusalem artichoke.

I checked all the ingredients on this forum so they should all be alright I have asked the store to
stock some of the full feeds from JR for degus, and they have said that they will get some for me.
As for seeds and such, I don't really know where to get it. But for now I think that this is more than
enough for them to get used to!

I ordered hemp bedding from an online store, but what I got was two sacks of alder
wood shavings with "hemp" written on it by hand... I think I must have a word with that shop
Luckily that alder bedding is really nice though, no dust, no smell and it seems smooth and fine

I've bought a nice big chinchilla bathtub for them. It's made of plastic, so I don't leave it in there,
but I offer them a bath once a day. They share the same bath and that is working out well.

I had to take the train for more than two hours
just to get another wheel that was big enough, but it was worth it!
Now they both have wheels and they sure do use them a lot

I had more branches and stuff in their cage, but they avoided them all. Right now I've taken them out so that there is more space for running instead. Once they're back together I'm going to move the bridge so that it can work as a ladder down from the upper level.

I have also ordered a fleece hammock and a flying saucer from Denmark. The latter is plastic so that one will only be available
when they're in the hallway and I can watch them

[Deleted]

The first week

Elune and Jadzia have settled down nicely. I'm going to follow the guide on reintroducing
degus from Sunshinemeg, so I am hopeful that they can be reunited.

Here is a photo of their cage, now with two full levels
That rock to the left is where the mesh wire is, and it is where
the staircase will be once we can have them together.



When meeting each other through the mesh wire, Jadzia gets very excited and chirps
a lot, and then she tries to get through the mesh. It's difficult to hear whether Elune
chirps aswell, but I don't think so. It's almost like she doesn't care.
She will grab a piece of hay and eat a bit before casually going back to her platform
while Jadzia is frantically trying to reach her.
I have no idea whether this is a good sign or not..

As mentioned above, Elune is still rather timid, but I can put my hand next to her and
she will accept any treat that I give her. She's become a little bolder since yesterday,
so I think she just needs a little more time to feel safe enough to be more curious.

Jadzia is Elune's total opposite and will come out to sit in my hand or in my lap.
Otherwise she'll tour her part of the cage, run in her wheel or get some food to hide
in the pile of hay on the bottom floor.

One thing they both do is attempt to nibble at my fingers. Elune is the worst, and
she can sometimes nibble a little too hard for my liking. Jadzia only does it rarely,
but it happens. They're not really biting, it's more like they're trying to test whether
or not I am edible. I usually respond with a firm "no" everytime this happens and
they do react, but the next time it will happen again.
Anyone knows what could be the reason for this behaviour?

[Ady]

Very nice blog Stormsong and lovely pics.

I think they try to groom u when they nibble at your fingers. Degus groom each other a lot. It's part of socializing. As they been alone for some time they miss it. But if their nibbling hurts u can try to make a little squeak, they should learn in time how much strength they can use. Otherwise it's good sign if they groom you. Good luck with introduction.

[Deleted]

Thank you Ady I hadn't even considered that they might be trying to groom me!
I will do as you suggest with the squeaking and see if they respond to that

[Deleted]

Good news today ;D

We've had the girls together in the playpen on the floor
for the first time, and it all went smoothly. They both had a bath in the same sand,
and then we moved them to the floor.
They were very interested in each other and got into the sand bath together.

There were some mounting (from Jadzia), but they were very quiet
and showed no signs of aggression. There were no bubbling sounds,
which surprised me a little since Jadzia makes them all the time when
they meet through the mesh wire.

Anyhow, after a few minutes it looked like Elune got a little tired of it all and she
started looking for a way out. We took this as a sign to stop and put them both back
into their respective part of the cage. Afterwards they both did a lot of running in
their wheels (more than usual, at least).

My guess is that Jadzia is a little too over-enthusiastic for Elune's liking. I hope she will be
patient with her. We have decided to take things slowly with them and have more but shorter meetings
in the hope that Jadzia will be a little less exalted after meeting a couple of times =)

On another note, I recieved the package full of JR Farm products a few days ago, and they absolutely love it,
especially the Jerusalem artichoke rods. Here's a photo of Elune enjoying her new snack:

[Kat]

Wow that looks tasty. I bet the girls are loving it at your house.

Kat
x

[NightwishRaven999]

I am so glad you decided to open a blog page.
We will be following this with interest

Degus will often mount each other and squabble until one degu has asserted its dominance over the other(s). Like many animals, they prove their aptitude to dominance with physical strength. Usually things settle down when one degu has proven to the other he or she is boss.

I really do hope you are able to get them to spend time together.
Having contact with each other is very important and hopefully your controlled approach will work in the long run.

Great photos ! Anxious to see and hear more.

[Deleted]

NightwishRaven999
Thank you, it's good to be able to share their progress

That controlled approach you mentioned WAS going great.
Yesterday we had them out together in the hallway. Jadzia was
still very enthusiastic and mounted Elune as soon as she got the
chance. Elune was more interested, but most of the time she ran away
from Jadzia. A few times they settled down a little and groomed each other.

There were some chittering and, when Elune grew tired of Jadzia's mounting,
she made some sounds that I think signals annoyance. I tried finding a soundclip
that would match. The closest I got was this: www.degus.com/sounds/octocris1mp3.wav
At 0:15 and 0:22 is the sound in question.

After a while, Elune seemed tired so we put them back into their respective levels.
I noticed that they quickly gathered by the mesh wire and both of them attempted to gnaw
their way through. The mesh wire is solid stuff and hasn't budged so far, so I saw no reason
to worry. This morning everything was fine, they were still trying to get through but there
were no visible marks on the mesh wire. I left home for a few hours to go to the university.

When my bf and I got home we immediately noticed that all was not as it should be,
and on the bottom floor sat two very guilty-looking degus! I checked the mesh wire, and
apparently they had managed to drag it a little away from the cage wall and then squeezed through.
I've checked them for injuries but have found nothing. They both seem very pleased with themselves.
I've also monitored them closely since I got home. Jadzia still tries to mount Elune a lot, and the
latter sometimes accept it, although most of the time she runs away.



Otherwise there has been no fighting or quarrelling, and I've seen them groom each other
a couple of times. Their food is still spread on two different levels, as is their water bottles
and the wheels.

I'm a little doubtful whether or not I should separate them again. They seem happy to be together
and sometimes I guess the animals themselves know what is best for them. However, I do not want them to start fighting again...
What do you guys think?

[deguconvert]

At this point I would be inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and trust them to be good together. Unless you give them time to prove they are doing good, you won't know.

[Kins]

Sept 27, 2011 20:20:39 GMT deguconvert said:

At this point I would be inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and trust them to be good together. Unless you give them time to prove they are doing good, you won't know.

Ditto.

Just monitor them carefully...oh and more pictures are always welcome!

[Deleted]

Sept 28, 2011 8:12:04 GMT Kins said:

Sept 27, 2011 20:20:39 GMT deguconvert said:

At this point I would be inclined to give them the benefit of the doubt and trust them to be good together. Unless you give them time to prove they are doing good, you won't know.

Ditto.

Just monitor them carefully...oh and more pictures are always welcome!

Thanks for the advice, both of you
I left them together and you will be happy to know that everything is going well!
Elune got tired of being chased around (at last) and responded by asserting her dominance.
Jadzia has calmed down very much. They still like to race around the cage though ^^
Looks like they're loving all the space they have now.

And here are some more pictures

Elune is to the left and Jadzia is to the right.


I do catch them being snuggled together sometimes, but when I'm sitting by
the cage they do their utmost to ensure that I don't get a good photo of them together!

Jadzia to the left and Elune to the right.


This one is a little sweet When they do eat at the same spot, they don't quarrel over the food.
Jadzia to the left and Elune to the right.


And here is a photo of Jadzia enjoying a piece of dried carrot.


The new food from JR Farm has been warmly welcomed, although they still eat
the VL nuggets aswell. They are most fond of the pieces of dried carrot and peaflakes,
while most of the flowers get left behind. And I discovered that they go crazy for fresh basil ;D

Even Elune, which has grown bolder the last few days but is still a little timid, actually came out
onto my lap earlier this evening to get hold of a piece of basil. I've only given them a little,
since they're not used to it and I'm not sure how much I can give them anyway.

That's it for now I think, it's going better than I thought it would. I just hope that it's not beginner's luck..

[NightwishRaven999]

This is some excellent news ! And those are precious photos ! I see a few I would like to use to illustrate my website.

I am so happy to hear Elune and Jadzia are getting along.
They seem very well cared for....well done

---------------------

UPDATE: Elune and Jadzia are featured in one of my articles.
octodondegus.weebly.com/ten-steps-to-keeping-happier-and-healthier-degus.html
You will notice under the photo there is a small caption with credit going to your username on this forum. If you would like more personal credit, please send me your name by pm.

Thanks and looking forward to hearing more of your degu girls !

[Deleted]

Thank you, and feel free to use as many photos of mine that you want
I'm an avid photographer when it comes to my animals (already have tons of
photos of all my horses), so there will probably be lots more of these two ;D
That is, as long as they don't eat my camera, they've already tried a couple of times

Edit: found them resting like this ^^

[deguconvert]

Do any of you ever wonder just HOW this position can be comfortable for the degu drapped over top? I mean . . . look at them . . . does she have to hold on so as not to fall off? Do they get a crick in the back because of the curve? Is there such an ailment as "Degu Pile Hunchback?" Clearly the degu on the bottom has the better deal!!

Maybe that's what all the boxing is about . . . "I've been your degu blanket for the last four piles! I want a turn on the bottom!!" "HAA HAAA!! Only if you win this boxing match!!"

[malteser60]

Not only that DC, but I always wonder how comfy it is for the one at the bottom of the pile, especially when there can be up to four other degus piled on top!

Lovely photos stormsong and I'm really enjoying reading about Elune and Jadzia

[deguconvert]

LOL! Yeah . . . I've thought a few of the bottom goos were looking a little . . . flat . . . on occasion.

[Deleted]

Thank you, Malteser I've been on holiday this weekend
so my boyfriend has been watching Elune and Jadzia.
There hasn't been any trouble at all so far, so I think it's going to
work out in the long run

Actually, they do take turns in who gets to lie on top of the other

I've had them out in the hallway a couple of times. Jadzia is so happy
every time we let her out, while Elune would rather stay in the cage.
So I made a makeshift bridge from the cage to the floor so that they can
go in and out as they wish, and this seems to be working. Even Elune
dared to come down after about half an hour, which is a huge step for her.

I have a few issues though:

1. I'm unsure how much food they're supposed to have every day. Do degus
eat until they're full, or are they more like horses who can eat until they die from
too much food?

2. My degus care nothing for the branches and twigs I have put in their cage or
on the floor. They will sometimes chew apple branches. They do, however, have
a great talent for gnawing on everything else. For example the cage bars, the plastic
chair in the hallway, the wall lists (unsure about translation) etc.

3. They sometimes seem bored. I have put in branches to climb on, cardboard tunnels,
a huge pile of hay to burrow in, some stubs and rocks, twigs and ladders. They do not
seem very interested in all this. Most of the time they'll run in their wheels or sleep.
This is also the case during their most active period in the evenings.

It's also the same when I have them out on the floor - they'll run around a bit,
try to gnaw on the stuff they're not supposed to gnaw on, and then try to get through the playpen wall.
I have a large box full of woodchips for digging, and I've hidden some treats in there. Jadzia uses this a little,
but she too gets bored of it easily.
There is a flying saucer and a hammock on the way here by mail that I hope will keep them occupied for some time,
but is there anything else I could do to keep them more entertained?

Storm