zoebaz
Warbling Degu
Banjo and Kazooie
Posts: 33
|
Post by zoebaz on Nov 28, 2011 18:54:55 GMT
Does anyone know roughly when the mating seasonis supposed to start and end? I really don't want to risk trying again with the integration until the testosterone has calmed down, as last week's attempt resulted in blood-letting...
|
|
|
|
Post by Maravilla on Nov 28, 2011 19:17:41 GMT
What mating season? In wild, degus normally mate in may-june (late autumn). In our homes, degus can mate throughout the year. I don't think that there is a well-defined season for mating. But maybe I am wrong.
In the German degu forum a couple of user described a strange, somewhat more aggressive behaviour in autumn, this being among girls as well as boys.
How old are your goos? Are they still in puberty, between 6 and approx. 18 months? This would be a possible explanation.
|
|
|
|
Post by beamfrost on Nov 28, 2011 20:40:03 GMT
oooo mine have been more aggresive than usual these last few weeks, hope they calm down soon
|
|
|
|
Post by fred on Nov 29, 2011 14:19:00 GMT
The question of a mating season or breeding season is a difficult one because several aspects of reproduction have changed very much in our captive populations. In the wild, males show a dramatic increase in free testosterone and agonistic male-male interactions over a period of about a month (Free and total testosterone levels in field males of Octodon degus (Rodentia, Octodontidae): accuracy of the hormonal regulation of behavior by Mauricio Soto-Gamboa 2005); www.scielo.cl/pdf/rchnat/v78n2/art06.pdf ). This occurs in June, i.e. corresponding to our December. If the perceived increase in aggression in captive degus in late autumn is real, it has to be noticed that it seems to extend over a longer time period and also, as Maravilla mentioned, occur in both boys and girls. I am therefore not convinced that this is equivalent to what is observed in the wild. |
|
|
|
Post by scoobos on Nov 29, 2011 20:32:39 GMT
Im pretty convinced that some trend is going on, i've got problems at the mo and searching the various boards there does seem to be a lot of people having goo issues. I got the breeding season info from degutopia "Please remember that you are most likely to see fighting between your degus during breeding season (early winter to mid spring each year)." thats a UK site i think and mine started bang on with the weather change in november. Deguconvert pointed out to me that its adolescence in my case, i think its pretty likely a lot of people buy their goos in spring / early summer and maybe this november to feb mating season mentioned elsewhere is actually just when everyones goos are going through "the 10-12 month change" ? Im feeling it with all the others having issues  |
|
zoebaz
Warbling Degu
Banjo and Kazooie
Posts: 33
|
Post by zoebaz on Dec 7, 2011 19:46:53 GMT
Not sure how old my lot are, as they're all rescues, and some of the people we got them from were vague to say the least. I think that they're all 2+ though.
|
|
|
|
Post by aya0aya on Dec 8, 2011 13:57:21 GMT
Does that affect to girls too? Bambi behave crazy for last few days. I thought it's because full moon will be soon, but I can't be sure. She's annoying Sefi all the time, punching her with front paws even if Sefi is trying to get away, chasing her, trying to came to the other two girls, Pepi and Mali. And from look on her face I think she wants to hurt them bad. And she talks and talks.... If she doesn't argue with Sefi, she talks in the air, running around and complaining all the time. I have no idea why. She even attacked chicory when I tried to feed it to her. I don't know if that's in some relation with something or maybe she's just crazy |
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Dec 8, 2011 15:49:50 GMT
How old is Bambi? Blossombrooks has a blog about the female cycle and how she has noticed behavioral changes in her Daisy every 21 days, which are brought on with the 21 day menstral cycle of degus. Perhaps Bambi is exhibting the same kind of thing? Mark these last few days on your calendar and then watch Bambi over the next 21 days and take note if she improves for 17ish days and then gets worse as day 21 nears.
|
|
|
|
Post by aya0aya on Dec 9, 2011 16:07:33 GMT
She was born in April. Deguconvert, this is a possible reason, because she's like that around fool moon It might be her cycle. I have never thought of that. Lol, degus are so like people |
|
|
|
Post by Ady on Dec 12, 2011 20:37:28 GMT
Hello,
I was about to rehome my baby boys to someone who wanted to introduce them to their adult males, however they've been advised by degutopia to wait because "its best to introduce in April when breeding season is over" I don't have any knowledge about introduction or breeding season, so just wanted to ask you guys about it. Tx
|
|
|
|
Post by fred on Dec 12, 2011 22:04:02 GMT
This is such a stupid thing to say  In April your boys will be six months old, clearly not a suitable age to introduce them to adults!!! If they are introduced now, there is a very good chance, though no guarantee, that it will work (for now). Our friends from the German degu community usually don't recommend introducing pups to adult degus because the group may become unstable when the young ones are several months old and need to determine their rank in the group. However, there are also many examples where this has happened without problems. Regarding the adult males, it would be good to know: how many, how old, do they have a clear hierarchy? |
|
|
|
Post by Ady on Dec 12, 2011 22:26:39 GMT
Sorry I wasn't clear. Degutopia advised them that introduction would be better to do in april when breeding season is over. Meaning they wouldn't adopt my pups (6 weeks now) but they would wait till april and then adopt some other young pups and do the introduction. I just wanted to ask, generally, if there is a breeding season in our captive degus as such and does it effect introductions in male groups? Basically if they have a better chance for easier introduction if they wait till april to get the pups or is it the same if they got the pups right now? Hope it makes sense, having problems to explain myself in English  |
|
|
|
Post by fred on Dec 12, 2011 22:48:58 GMT
You don't have any problems explaining yourself in English (as far as I can say at least, as a non-native speaker myself  ). IF a mating season similar to that found in the wild exists in captive degus, with a temporary rise in free testosterone and increased agonistic behaviour in males, it should already come to its end about now. I wouldn't expect to see a difference between now and April when introducing six week old pups to their adults. Anyway, I would consider other factors (age, number, hierarchy, available space) far more relevant to an introduction. |
|
|
|
Post by deguconvert on Dec 13, 2011 4:40:32 GMT
I have to agree with you, Fred. These other factors have a much stronger and more enduring impact than does the potential mating season moodiness.
|
|
|
|
Post by Ady on Dec 13, 2011 9:26:40 GMT
Thanx for advice.
|
|
In April your boys will be six months old, clearly not a suitable age to introduce them to adults!!! If they are introduced now, there is a very good chance, though no guarantee, that it will work (for now). Our friends from the German degu community usually don't recommend introducing pups to adult degus because the group may become unstable when the young ones are several months old and need to determine their rank in the group. However, there are also many examples where this has happened without problems. 
). IF a mating season similar to that found in the wild exists in captive degus, with a temporary rise in free testosterone and increased agonistic behaviour in males, it should already come to its end about now. I wouldn't expect to see a difference between now and April when introducing six week old pups to their adults.