Help Needed! Urgent! - Paw Talk

DeguLover · #1 12-19-2005, 04:28 PM

Ok so here is my dilemma...my degus are fine but then one starts running on top of his wheel for a second (mesh wheel) and the other one goes right up behind him(maybe bit him?) and the one that was on top of the wheel freaks out and is jumping all over the place making loads of noise. I then open the door at the top of the aquiarium and he jumps righ out onto my shirt then quicly climbs onto my shoulder and is fine! I then try taking the oter one out and putting the one who jumped on my shirt in. the other one is ok. I then try putting in the other one. he freaksout again. I open the cage yet again and he jumps out and onto my shirt then climbs onto my shoulder. after they both look like they have calmed down about 20 minutes later I put the one from my shirt in. as I am lowering my hand the one in my hand jumps down and freaks out yet again. the one who was already in the cage(not the one who jumped on my shirt) bit me incredibly hard on the finger(I was bleeding continously for about a minute) the other one jumped onto my shirt again. and I went to the washroom to was off the blood with the degu on my shoulder. my brother then got the aggresive one into the ball and the scared one into his cage. this is how thy are now. this is very urgent! I need help asap!

DorkyChantelle · #2 12-19-2005, 05:46 PM

I truly wish I could give some helpful advice

I'm new to owning degus so I really don't know what to do.

Do you have an extra cage to put the other one in (just so he doesn't have to stay in the ball)?

I really don't know what to do about the aggressive one. I hope someone who knows what they're doing can give you some help and you can get this situation resolved. Good luck

**Sasami** · #3 12-19-2005, 05:50 PM

Hmm. I don't quite understand what happend.

Do you mean one is just being very aggressive to both the other degu and you?

DeguLover · #4 12-19-2005, 07:30 PM

yes...by now the aggresive one has bitten me twice and scared the other so much that he wont go back in the aquarium with the other degu; when it is it jumps right back out.

kandy · #5 12-19-2005, 07:55 PM

I would suggest separating them if you can and if you have 2 cages.. You should check the agressive one to see if he is hurt, maybe he is defending himself? If you have to, wear gloves.

DeguLover · #6 12-19-2005, 08:48 PM

ok...if he is not injured...I read that when introducing degus to each other you can put a drop of vanilla extract in their sandbath so they smell the same and therefore dont attack eachother. will this work?

kandy · #7 12-20-2005, 10:15 AM

That will probably work, it might take some time though. How long were they together and fine before the big fight?

Amethystbelle · #8 12-20-2005, 10:44 AM

I'm not sure you should have seperated them as i don't think this was a fight or anything like that at all by what you have told us as if they fight they really fight. There seems to be no inbetween ground with degu's so if one bit the other the other would most probably attack him right back. And by seperating them you could make matters a whole lot worse later on as it makes putting them back together hard. It basically sounds like something has startled them both causing panic and upset and you have gotten bitten as a result as when they are scared they can and will bite (i've been bitten so i know how painful it is as they bite deep

). Remember with degu's one always has to be the boss so you can always expect some friction but never actual fighting, there will always be little scuffles and squeaks of annoyance but nothing more. I'd basically let them calm down and then reintoduce them in a neutral space but i would do that sooner rather than later. A little vanilla in the sand might help but thats normally a tip for degu's who don't know each other and aren't scented where as your boys should be still scented. Goodluck with them and let us know how you get on

**Sasami** · #9 12-20-2005, 08:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeguLover


	ok...if he is not injured...I read that when introducing degus to each other you can put a drop of vanilla extract in their sandbath so they smell the same and therefore dont attack eachother. will this work?

That helps, but it's more for degus who have never met.

I'm not really sure what would be best...you're sure the aggressive one isn't injured or anything?

It might not be good to seperate them unless they're literally killing eachother since now it will be tough to put them back together.

Good luck.

DeguLover · #10 12-23-2005, 12:42 AM

yup, they are back together and fine now.

Amethystbelle · #11 12-23-2005, 09:12 AM

That is great news

**Sasami** · #12 12-23-2005, 03:30 PM

That's awesome news!

DeguCrazy · #13 12-30-2005, 11:11 PM

Hi, I have been away from this forum for a while.
Your question interested me. I have tried many times to introduce my two younger degus with their 1 generation older sister. It never works. The babies are very interested but every time I walk away my older one attacks them, no blood. WHY?? Could she be so bonded with me that she's placed herself in solitary confinement? Won't this shorten her life? When I walk past her cage she pings off every wall and sits at her front door shrieking or squabbling until I let her sit upon my shoulder and scratch her whole upper body then she peck-bites at my hand for more if I stop.

Amethystbelle · #14 12-31-2005, 10:12 AM

Degu's can be funny things and it could be that she has bonded herself to you and see's you as another degu. Females tend to be a lot easier to introduce than males as they live in a large group structure where as there only tends to be one or two males. In captivity with no females around males live quite happily together. Do you keep their cages close together? Do you allow them to become scented for a day or so before introductions? And also is it fighting or just a disagreement as whenever you introduce degu's there is always some sort of scuffle sometimes over leadership or showing who is boss. I have a lone degu Basil and he is coming upto his 5th birthday this april and he is fine, he doesn't like other degu company and never has and he hasn't suffered any but i put that down to a lot of love and attention and the fact he is surrounded by another 6 degu's to occupy his time. The pecking at your hand isn't biting so to speak she is grooming you in return for you grooming her she is saying she accepts you as part of her group

DeguCrazy · #15 12-31-2005, 05:27 PM

Thank You for your reply. I believe she is going to live alone, by her choice. She is in a large bird cage in which I have added extra floors and ladders, etc. To her right she sees the activity of my 6 rats, directly beside her immediate left are the 2 degu sisters is a 29 g tank.

These two love her being around but she acts like they are a couple of pests. It is sad. Only when I walk away does she begin to bite the upper neck and shoulder area of the two that enjoy her presence.

I have noticed this: When it is treat time, Degu Baby (the older one) MUST be first to receive a treat. She will take it gently and walk up to my shoulder with ever-so-quiet squabbles and eat it. If a dare to treat Myandi and Paprika first, Degu Baby goes into frantic, almost irate, behavior. She shrieks and crabs and chews madly at her bars near them. When I open her door to settle her with her treat she grabs it from me and runs to the center of her cage, crabby as can be as if to say," How dare you give them treats before me!!! "