Id think youd have to slowly reintroduce them on natural grounds but im not sure as I dont own degus
One female degu is biting the others tail
I did have 3 female degus that I adopted from the RSCPA. One escaped last summer and I haven't seen her since.
The other two were getting along fine but in November they started fighting. I understand that this is normal behavior for ladies in breeding season. It is now March and it has not stopped. I had to separate them because it was getting so bad and now they wont be together. All they do is squeek at each other through the cages. I get the feeling I wont be able to put them back together. Any advice?
The other two were getting along fine but in November they started fighting. I understand that this is normal behavior for ladies in breeding season. It is now March and it has not stopped. I had to separate them because it was getting so bad and now they wont be together. All they do is squeek at each other through the cages. I get the feeling I wont be able to put them back together. Any advice?
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Hi, I moved this to the Degus section.
How old were they when you got them and how old are they now?
What is their set-up like (size, how many levels, what kinds of toys, etc.)?
Do they tend to fight after cage cleanings, after play time, during feeding time, or over a specific object like a wheel? Or is it more random?
Are they related?
Was there ever any bloodshed? How long had they been fighting before they were separated?
I know it's a lot of questions but degus fight for many different reasons so we have to figure that out first.
How old were they when you got them and how old are they now?
What is their set-up like (size, how many levels, what kinds of toys, etc.)?
Do they tend to fight after cage cleanings, after play time, during feeding time, or over a specific object like a wheel? Or is it more random?
Are they related?
Was there ever any bloodshed? How long had they been fighting before they were separated?
I know it's a lot of questions but degus fight for many different reasons so we have to figure that out first
.Hmm, there's a chance it's due to the cataracts. Sometimes degus pick on others if they don't act "right" (blindness, illness, etc.). If the fighting is that bloody and truly random, I wouldn't risk putting them back together . It's rare that females can't be bonded but at the same time, cataracts aren't common in wild degus so who knows how that might change social interactions.
Did they seem closely bonded before the fighting? Any cuddling or grooming?
. It's rare that females can't be bonded but at the same time, cataracts aren't common in wild degus so who knows how that might change social interactions.Did they seem closely bonded before the fighting? Any cuddling or grooming?
That's possible, too, sometimes it's hard to say .
If you try again, I'd wait until the injuries heal. Do very, very short (minute or two) meetings in neutral territory like a closet, bathtub, etc. Any small place they can be confined in that they don't normally go. Also let them share a dust bath...place it with one degu for a while and then switch off. Increase the meeting times if there's no fighting (some chasing and squeaking is OK but a ton of it means the meeting may have been too long). The fact that they were so close before means there's a little hope they can be re-bonded. But at the same time, I'd separate them permanently if there's any more real fighting.
.If you try again, I'd wait until the injuries heal. Do very, very short (minute or two) meetings in neutral territory like a closet, bathtub, etc. Any small place they can be confined in that they don't normally go. Also let them share a dust bath...place it with one degu for a while and then switch off. Increase the meeting times if there's no fighting (some chasing and squeaking is OK but a ton of it means the meeting may have been too long). The fact that they were so close before means there's a little hope they can be re-bonded. But at the same time, I'd separate them permanently if there's any more real fighting.
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