[mulder]

Hi guys. I'd rather pick your brains than make a mistake, so bear with me. My 2 girls (goos) can't go a week without havign a day where one (or both in alternation) seem to squeal like a stuck pig. I want to say it's cute because sometimes it sounds more like laughing than just squealing. It's never at any predictable moment. Sometimes one will wake up from a nap cheeping like she had a bad dream, so i talk to her, and the cheeps become weeps and then she quiets down. but sometimes one (it never matters which from what i've seen) will be running on the wheel and will start squealing, so i go over and talk to them, ask them what's up. nothing. they look at me. she'll stop running, wait a bit, then start running again, then squeal again. it's not for the whole time she's running, nor all day. but a few weeks ago they seems to be veeeerrrryyyyy chatty for 3 days straight. our friend came over and was hanging out that day and i had to tell him about the rodents that make noise lol. it was funny. back on topic. sometimes one will squeal (what appears to be) across the cage at the other. sometimes when there's squealing and i go over to them, they come to the side of the cage to look at me. at some point they've squealed while in every part of the cage, so i know it's not the wheel. also after the running and sqealing, there's more running. they also love their wheel. even as i'm typing this there's intermittent 10 second (approx.) squeals. one just walked up to the other and the squealing began. what is this about? it's not annoying i just want to make sure they're getting along (they're sisters) and i'd like to make sure it's not some funky mating thing. i re-checked their bums the other day and i still *think* they're both girls, if one's a boy then man, i sure can't see the difference. i know the pictures and stuff. i partially just don't trust my own judgement lol. they're born in feb or march, they're not even a year yet, maaaaybe 8 or 9 months? my cognitive abilities aren't what they could be. so, please all you goo owners, do yours squeal like stuck pigs? it seems like it started a month ago and has reoccured ever since. also since i got them, i've noticed one is a bit puffier than the other, that's how i tell them apart. puffy one is dominant, because the other gets overgroomed a lot, she's currently missing a toonie sized patch of fur on the shoulderblades. i've watched it and she doesn't even care that it's happening. she also lays and rolls around at the feet of puffy, like she's hoping for more grooming? all while sqeaking and squealing on and off. lottts of warbling with these two, seriously, i love them, it's like birds without the feathers (i'm sooooo allergic). did i mention when they squeal i squeal back? sometimes i swear they squealy squeak back at me, other times they just look at me like i'm a dork. Ha. well i am, but they don't know that lol. ok, so please let me know, i want them healthy and happy

p.s. if one was a male, i'd have already had babies, right??

 

[Amethystbelle]

If one was a male then i think you would definately know by now

Don't worry its perfectly normal for degus to squeal and squawk at one another, my boys do it all the time The normally do it at one another when one annoys the other, they also do it when something has spooked them and they are wary. They make a variety of noises and its just part of the way degus communicate

 

[mulder]

Okay thank you! I'm positive they get along. they can't go a day without wrestling and chasing each other around. i feel so much better now

 

[mulder]

ok again! they just did a 20 second squealing. they're curled up together sleeping in their dr. pepper case hutch. they're in a pile of sock and tp, sleeping. just poof, squealy squawky rolypoly poof done. have you ever seen yours roll around like a cat at the feet of the other? it seems so wierd. it's soooooo cute to see though, like a stretch or a yawn. they seem to be getting way more talkative as they're growing up. it's never loud, just audible, like human talk. the truly unimpressed sounds i go over and say hi for, to make sure everythings okay. they're so inseparable, it's sweet.

 

[Amethystbelle]

Wrestling is a sign of play usually, they tend to play fight a lot, well my boys do anyway

It sounds like she was just rolling over for the other one to cuddle up to her so they could get snuggly and go to sleep

 

[mulder]

ok good *whew*, thanks so much!

 

[DorkyChantelle]

Oh boy, mine do that all the time. Usually in the middle of the night, which makes it seem much louder and nearly gives me a heart attack. I have two males and they're always going nuts like that. It's just play fighting though My boys actually fight sometimes though so I'm always nervous that it'll turn into a real fight (although it rarely does because they usually only fight when I've cleaned their cage).

 

[mulder]

interesting! could it be possible then that i have 2 males?

 

[Amethystbelle]

Females play fight just as much as males so its very unlikely if you have sexed them that you have gotten it wrong

 

[KLocke]

Speaking of weird squeaking sounds...one of our girls has always screamed at me whenever I take her out to play and try to put her back in her cage. She's quite the doll with my husband though.
She will hop out of the cage to play though willingly...
There was a time when she tried to escape when we were cleaning their cage and I *just* caught by the hindquarters before she disappeared under the stove. I'm thinking maybe that's the reason she screams at me if I try to scoop her up? I've read degus have very long memories.

 

[mulder]

yeah she could remember that. now just give her a reason to remember something else. i give them treats (just food pellets but they like it) through the bars of the cage, or while they're out. i just let mind run around my apartment. they go under the stove, but they come out in 10 seconds once they've seen everything lol. they also like to find a shelf and curl up for sleep if i leave them out too long. the FIRST things i noticed about degus, they're smart like dogs but stubborn like cats. when i clean the cage i just open the door and let them out. while i'm cleaning the cage out they're playing around my legs and running in and out of the cage checking out what i'm doing. sometimes they're so nosy they're in my way. one thing they have NEVER done is flat out run off, or "escape". sure if i leave the cage door open they jailbreak. but they get a few feet away then start running back. they're smart enough to know their cage is a safe haven. they're smart enough to know what their food bag sounds like (mine go NUTS if i even touch it lol), they're smart enough to know the lady that doesn't like them going under the stove don't worry, she may not want to go back into the cage. when mine try to jailbreak if i'm checking hay and water, and i put up my hands so they don't run out, they sid and grind their teeth at me. little buggers. they're smart, give them that, but also smart enough to know you and to work past it. she can get over it as long as you're gentle with her from now on, give her food pellets as treats, bribery my friend lol

 

[corgimom]

Mine used to talk alot, when there were more of them (we had a male and female, who had 10 babies), but now that it's just 2 again they very rarely talk. If they have any more babies, I think we'll keep a total of 3 or 4 because they were more fun that way.