Don't know what happened...

[morningangel513]

When I left for vacation on Friday the 8th, I had 4 seemingly healthy degus. My friend came in several times during the week to care for them. She said on Monday, she noticed there were only 3 degus in the cage.

We came home on Saturday the 16th, and sure enough there were only 3. We thought he had escaped but in reality there was no way. The bars on the cage are less than an inch apart, and the top of the cage was locked the entire time. My friend said she did not open the cage to put the food in, just dropped it through the top.

Then I thought perhaps my degus had gotten into a fight and killed the missing degu, but there was no body in the bottom of the cage.

I was terribly perplexed as to what could have happened to my favorite degu (the missing one was my 1st)

Today, as I was cleaning the cage out, I found several bones of the missing degu. Specifically, the skull. I could tell it was the skull because the orange teeth were still attached.

I thought degus were not cannibals?? I found no other bones but the skull, and it was in 3 pieces.

What could have happened?!

[Kendalle]

i'm sorry... thats horrible. I don't know what could have happened.

[laurieb]

I am so sorry for your loss!
I have been researching degus for a long time now, and I have honestly never ran across this before. What a horrible discovery!

Laurie

[Dragonrain]

I'm so sorry - that must have been horrable finding that

[Carissa]

Omgosh..im horribley sorry, i would have freaked! I don't know what happend

[Binky]

Oh my. I am so sorry for your loss. Yesterday my friend's hamster had killed it's cage mate. She is very upset and still can not get over the fact that her hamster is a killer. He is just too adorable and sweet to do such a thing...

But it does happen. That must have been very traumatic, horrifying, and just... shocking.

Once again, I am very sorry and hope you can get better soon.

Love, Binky.

[Amethystbelle]

aaaawwww i'm so sorry to hear of your loss Could the bones be left from natural decay? Long shot but if they are kept in a warm room it could be a possibility? I have heard of something simular before but it is really uncommon for degus to eat their own, i will try and find the article, think it was on a german site?!?!

[Animalgal]

Ya, I did have a very horrid experiance. I know how you feel, since Binky had already stated, my hamster ate my other hamster, it's a hard thing in time, you just need to scramble your facts until it makes a trail, see any wierd behavior. If only 3 bones were remaining, it's possible that the degu ate them, if one of them have stomach problems you must have found a victom. But again, I am very sorry for your loss.

[Rhapsody]

((((((( HUGS ))))))) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ((((((( HUGS )))))))


I am sorry to hear this has happened..... I pray you are doing well.

The only reasons I know of a Degu fighting to the death is:

1.) 2 Males fighting over a Female
2.) 2 Males fighting over dominace as they become adults.

While Degu's are not known for being a cannibal it is always possible for this type of thing to happen with any animal, as it did with a few hamsters I use to have - parts of the dead hamster was even eaten.


((((((( HUGS ))))))) ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ((((((( HUGS )))))))

[Animalgal]

Quote: parts of the dead hamster was even eaten.

Yep....My hamsters did the same.