Dying Degu. Advice needed please! BexVN or similar

Dying Degu. Advice needed please! BexVN or similar

Author
Discussion

ali_kat

31,988 posts

220 months

Saturday 25th March 2017
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I'm sorry for your loss, but pleased you got to the Vet in time.

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah

Original Poster:

12,787 posts

99 months

Saturday 25th March 2017
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ali_kat said:
I'm sorry for your loss, but pleased you got to the Vet in time.
Thank you.

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah

Original Poster:

12,787 posts

99 months

Wednesday 14th June 2017
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Shouting out to anyone who knows Degu's, or a VN like Bex or similar.

We're here again. Had another, Bluebell, put to sleep tonight. V sad but completely for the best.

Sarah's been keeping an eye on the last one left - out of 19 to begin with, Pets At Home sold her 2 'boys', within months there were 19 of the buggers! She is worried as they are pack animals. The last ones demeanor suggests she's not happy tonight, restless, chattering teeth (apparently that is a sign they're unhappy) wandering around in a way that almost looks like she's looking for her. She also hasn't been on her wheel (a wok looking thing on an arm, which they run on at about 3000rpm) all of this evening, something which they frequent on loads.

Taking the vets advice we placed Bluebells corpse back in her bed, to let Buttercup (the last Gu) realise she's gone, rather than her just think shes missing.

What can we do to help her? I've suggested getting a small, Degu sized, soft toy to put in her bed, to help with the fact that they snuggled together at bed. Extra toys maybe, keep her mind busy? Do we need to spend more time with her, playing, strokes and fuss, so she feels like she's getting more attention? We would love to bring her cage downstairs so she can be centre action, but we have three dogs which would stress her right out, and the Dobe x loves going after waggly Gu tails, and did do on one occasion which gave us a fright!

We're going to get Buttercup to the vets in the coming days, just to give her an MOT so to speak.

Any advice thanked in advance, and apologies that it's not a cheery post!

bexVN

14,682 posts

210 months

Thursday 15th June 2017
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I am so sorry to read this. It is hard to know what to do for the best in these situations but a cuddly toy of her size is definitely worth a try I have known own that to help with rabbits before.

I don't know with Degu's if they can be matched up with other Degu's (like you can with Guinea pigs and sometimes rabbits) or even if that would be a route you would want to go down but that would be a consideration.

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah

Original Poster:

12,787 posts

99 months

Thursday 15th June 2017
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bexVN said:
I am so sorry to read this. It is hard to know what to do for the best in these situations but a cuddly toy of her size is definitely worth a try I have known own that to help with rabbits before.

I don't know with Degu's if they can be matched up with other Degu's (like you can with Guinea pigs and sometimes rabbits) or even if that would be a route you would want to go down but that would be a consideration.
Thanks Bex. We're not going to get further Gu's, so no mileage in that one. We'll definitely provide her with a small cuddly toy, see if it helps.

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

232 months

Thursday 15th June 2017
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Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:
Thanks Bex. We're not going to get further Gu's, so no mileage in that one. We'll definitely provide her with a small cuddly toy, see if it helps.
Out of interest how have you managed with 'containing' them?

We've had a number of hamsters, a couple of which have been right escapologists (always found when they get hungry/tired of their adventures) but are getting a little tired of falling for something, enjoying life with them and then the little furry critter going paws up after 2 years.

Been put off Dagus as ownership of something that can chew through metal and concrete is a touch off putting when i think of the damage one could do in our house if it got lose!

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah

Original Poster:

12,787 posts

99 months

Thursday 15th June 2017
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Rude-boy said:
Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:
Thanks Bex. We're not going to get further Gu's, so no mileage in that one. We'll definitely provide her with a small cuddly toy, see if it helps.
Out of interest how have you managed with 'containing' them?

We've had a number of hamsters, a couple of which have been right escapologists (always found when they get hungry/tired of their adventures) but are getting a little tired of falling for something, enjoying life with them and then the little furry critter going paws up after 2 years.

Been put off Dagus as ownership of something that can chew through metal and concrete is a touch off putting when i think of the damage one could do in our house if it got lose!
A large parrot cages on wheels. Basically split in to levels with ramps for them to access, a spin wheel on one level with other toys too, and bed boxes up top. When cleaning out their cage we put them in the bath, with just a millimeter/ puddles of water, which gives their feet a good clean!
Happy to PM or email you a photo if you need ideas.

Rude-boy

22,227 posts

232 months

Thursday 15th June 2017
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Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:
A large parrot cages on wheels. Basically split in to levels with ramps for them to access, a spin wheel on one level with other toys too, and bed boxes up top. When cleaning out their cage we put them in the bath, with just a millimeter/ puddles of water, which gives their feet a good clean!
Happy to PM or email you a photo if you need ideas.
Thanks.

Will hold at the back of my head that i now know how to find someone with 'experience' of them! Mikey (current furry idiot) is now getting to 21 months and starting to look a bit older. I know that we are likely to lose him before the year is out and so am starting to weigh up options. We'd really love to have a dog but we just can't with our lifestyle, it would not be fair on the dog. Hence little furry things in cages until one of us can give up work and we can get a dog.

Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah

Original Poster:

12,787 posts

99 months

Thursday 15th June 2017
quotequote all
Rude-boy said:
Fermit The Krog and Sexy Sarah said:
A large parrot cages on wheels. Basically split in to levels with ramps for them to access, a spin wheel on one level with other toys too, and bed boxes up top. When cleaning out their cage we put them in the bath, with just a millimeter/ puddles of water, which gives their feet a good clean!
Happy to PM or email you a photo if you need ideas.
Thanks.

Will hold at the back of my head that i now know how to find someone with 'experience' of them! Mikey (current furry idiot) is now getting to 21 months and starting to look a bit older. I know that we are likely to lose him before the year is out and so am starting to weigh up options. We'd really love to have a dog but we just can't with our lifestyle, it would not be fair on the dog. Hence little furry things in cages until one of us can give up work and we can get a dog.
No bother at all. If at some point you decide to consider/get them free free to ping me (contact details in my profile) and Sarah can give you all the pointers you need. She has 9 years of experience of them compared to my 3, so she's the greater expert on them!