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Post by smithomatic on Sept 29, 2011 20:58:35 GMT
Hey everyone, I rescued a degu today. Its only a baby about 6- 8 weeks old I think. It was being kept in a hamster cage. Here is my issue, I have tried to sex this degu but I am unable to determine the gender. If its a boy I will keep him and try to merge him into the group, all my boys have already met it and they seem to get on well with it. If its a girl, I will be able to offer it a nice large home for about 2weeks max while I look for someone who can take it on. Please see the picture in the link 1.bp.blogspot.com/-dqZPl6taUuA/ToTbj02JdHI/AAAAAAAAAFc/odO1z6zz6xI/s1600/degu.jpgIf anyone could advise me I would really appreciate it, I took this little one on becuase I didnt like to see it in a hamster cage but was aware I might need to try and rehome it. If anyone can tell me if its a Boy or Girl I would really appreciate it!!!
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Post by fred on Sept 29, 2011 21:38:07 GMT
That looks very much a boy.
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Post by fuzzymum1 on Sept 29, 2011 22:12:12 GMT
I agree with Fred, looks like a boy to me.
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Post by smithomatic on Sept 29, 2011 22:26:20 GMT
im leaning more towards boy aswell from the millions of pictures of degus willies ive looked at now.. :S I was just worried becuase alot of the pups I have looked at its far harder to tell. My other concern was that when it met my single degu, my single degu got "very excited", I dont just mean dominence mounting. There was full on humping! silly silly degus..
Thanks fred, its helpful to hear another owners feed back
More is much appreciated!
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Post by smithomatic on Sept 29, 2011 22:40:44 GMT
further more, would a female pup still show signs of some kind of teat bi-laterally ?
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Post by NightwishRaven999 on Sept 30, 2011 1:09:27 GMT
Agree with Fred and fuzzymum...this defenitely looks like a boy.
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Post by deguconvert on Sept 30, 2011 1:15:56 GMT
Distinctly male.
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Post by amie on Sept 30, 2011 2:19:37 GMT
Boy!
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Post by Kins on Sept 30, 2011 8:09:44 GMT
Yup, definitely a boy!
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Post by smithomatic on Sept 30, 2011 10:36:04 GMT
Thanks guys, looks like il be trying to introduce him to my single! that was lucky Second of all, I did put him with my double group earlier today and something strange happened. They totally ignored the pup and began to growel and screech at each other followed by some intense chasing. Any ideas what this might mean?
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Post by malteser60 on Sept 30, 2011 13:44:02 GMT
Looks like a boy to me too! Well, for the humping I can relate my experience but with my girls. I just introduced two 6 week old pups to my two older girls, and both the older girls tried to hump the pups. But one of them got so so excited about it all, she was properly going for it, not just mounting. Honestly if I didn't know for a fact that she was a girl, with the show she gave me I would have expected to see something more than just mounting! Another thing also happened was that when I introduced the two pups, my dominant girl (Nutmeg) not only obviously tried/asserted her dominance over the two pups but she also started being very very bossy towards the other older girl. Now before the pups my two girls reached a very comfortable state with each other, lots of give and take, some squabbles, lots of loving, and very blurred boundaries over who's the boss. However now, with the two pups newly introduced, there's still lots of activity over who's boss, who's second-in-command, and so on. Never had so much squeeking and vocalising before in my degu cage as now! (along with chasing each other). So my conclusion - the introduction of a new degu(s) has the potential to disrupt the group hierarchy therefore the dominant degu feels that he/she needs to re-assert his/her dominance or bossiness over the group. This also feeds down the hierarchy, so that the next-in-command, whilst being put into its place by the alpha degu, will also exert his or her dominance over the rest of the group, and so on. Please note that these are my observations and opinions and I may have gotten it all wrong, but looking into other animals that live in groups (such as meerkats or wolves) suggests that this is most likely what happens with degus. And finally well done on rescuing the degu. Poor thing, living in a hamster cage!
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Post by smithomatic on Sept 30, 2011 15:00:06 GMT
Thanks Malteser,
I did think it was the case however becuase they are squeeking and growling so much I was worried about an all out brall, I dont have the room for 3 seperate degu groups!
Do you think it will be easier to try and introduce my pup to my 2degus into a 3 then introduce my other older single degu into this group? Or will it be easier to introduce the pup to the single then try to merge the 2 groups?
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Post by nonstopasltu on Sept 30, 2011 19:20:14 GMT
I can tell you that it looks a new good boy goo
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Post by smithomatic on Sept 30, 2011 22:51:55 GMT
Quick update!
I have no idea how this has happened.. While I was at work the baby goo has managed to squeeze his way into the bigger goos cage? I cannot find any holes or gaps? I came home and found them both warbling at each other in the same cage, I panicked big time! I have quickly calmed down though, the baby seems to have no damage to him and they are having alot of fun playing and chasing each other! Seems they have introduced themselves and cut out the middle man (me). I am just going to leave them to it as it looks like they are getting on really really well.
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Post by smithomatic on Sept 30, 2011 22:52:52 GMT
My new issue is how to introduce 2 goos to 2 goos... hmmmm......
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Post by deguconvert on Oct 1, 2011 4:43:37 GMT
Well, at least you know what the next thing you have to tackle is . . . now that baby took the matter into his own paws. LOL! What a shock for you! I'm so glad all is going well!
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