concern for Degu well-being

[intrepidus6]

Hello, I have a friend who has a pet Degu, he got the Degu around Valentines day and was told by the people at the pet shop it was a male. on Saturday the degu gave birth to 5 babys, thus telling us it was infact a female.
I have been concerned about the health and well-being of the animal ever since he got her. He keeps her in a ten gallon glass aqurium, with no other degus for company, and in filthy conditions. He never lets her have anytime out of the cage for fear she will "run away" and when I ask to hold her he won't let me "Because she bites" (which only happened once when he scared the poor thing to death.)
I have done some research on Degus on the internet, and I know why she was mistakeen for a male. I asked him what research he had done on the and he said "They like fruit." Allthough I have read that degus can't digest glucose, so I hope he dosen't give her too much fruit.
I don't know what he feeds her, but he has never let her dust bathe.
I was wondering what you all think I should do about this. Also, I am concerned about the babys, when they get older he said he is going to sell all but one, which he is going to keep.
Please help me, I am really concerned about the animal.

 

[Gigas]

offer to take them off him, degus are social animals and would prefer friends ,fruit should not be the only thing they are getting, thats horrible, the should be on a half half chinchilla and small rodent diet, eg bunny pellets alfalfa(SP?) straw and fruit on the odd occaision! tll him he is not keeping her correctly and tell him its for the welfare of the babies that either he looks after them correctly or gives thwm to someone who can. and Degus are little devils, they love to bite, love it, not a cuddly pet but can be trained to be handled, he has a chance with the babies to raise them well, or someone else can. Its up to you to choose, personally i would tell him to work it out or u call the SPCA ,
you do not say he has degu nesessities, ie an exercise whell, dust bath and a *multistory cage* ,
*EDIT* i just read up and ya they shouldnt have fruit or sugary stuff

 

[intrepidus6]

Believe me, I have tried very hard to get him to give them, and even sell them, to me. I have contacted a degu rescue service who said they would take them if I could get my friend to give them to me first.
I have already asked him to give them better care, but he just won't listen.

 

[Gigas]

I dont know where your from but if you inform ANY animal welfare program run by the govern ment and you inform them on how they are being kept they will be outta ther soo fast..., but ur friend will be uber pissed at you although how gooda friend is he when he wont listen to your reasoning?

 

[rm90]

This makes me hate pet stores even more.

When I was younger I bought two chinchillas at a petstore, and there were three total. I chose two females, and when the lady went to sex them herself she gave me a female and a male!!!!! She said she knew what she was doing but they really dont.. >.<

 

[intrepidus6]

I think I will call my local SPCA... I think... but he is gonna know it was me that called them... and he will never want to speak to me again.... Waht do you think I should do???

 

[Gigas]

is he liek ur best friend?i fso u can reason with em, if not, screw him

 

[wickedsweetheart]

if he won't listen to reason and a friend who is trying to help, maybe someone of authority could explain the situation to him better...maybe?

 

[intrepidus6]

I think tomorrow I will call the SPCA and just ask them what they think I should do... And, no he's not really like my best friend, he's just an ok-friend i guess... if that makes sense...

 

[Snipes]

call PETA, they will come in with helicopters and a swat team . JK, good luck with getting the degu away while preserving the friendship.

 

[Arlius]

Myabe a not so subtle threat would work? Along the lines of "You're being cruel to that animal, if you don't find him a new home I will be forced to find him one for you by calling the SPCA" type of thing...

 

[intrepidus6]

I don't care if I never talk to him again, I just want these degus to be happy and healthy. Here, let me show you how crazy he is, this is an IM conversation we had:

ok says:
hi
ok says:
igot to go
vulcanus says:
hey
vulcanus says:
ok...
ok says:
bye
vulcanus says:
bye then
ok says:
ok
ok says:
are you still going to be mean to me agin
vulcanus says:
of course not
ok says:
you were
vulcanus says:
no, I just am concerned about your degus
ok says:
why
vulcanus says:
they aren't happy
ok says:
i changed there cage
vulcanus says:
what are they in now?
ok says:
that same cage
vulcanus says:
oh
vulcanus says:
it's to small for one degu, let alone 6!
ok says:
we are saving up oney ive been sick and we spent it on the doctor bill
vulcanus says:
ok...
ok says:
for the shot
vulcanus says:
what shot?
ok says:
for y poision ivy
vulcanus says:
ok...
ok says:
and pills for y sineses
vulcanus says:
i have never heard of somone getting a shot for poisen ivy....
ok says:
well they do
vulcanus says:
ok
vulcanus says:
I have to call the SPCA though
ok says:
why
ok says:
i a geting a biger cage
vulcanus says:
all they will do is come and look at them, and tell you what you need to do to improve, and if you don't improve, they will take them and give them to a new home
ok says:
soo i all ready no
ok says:
jordan
vulcanus says:
you know what?
ok says:
wat
vulcanus says:
??
ok says:
you said you no wat
vulcanus says:
what do you alrady know?
ok says:
they like fruit
vulcanus says:
oh my god....
ok says:
they like to be out of there cage
vulcanus says:
shane it's not funny...
ok says:
they like to play
vulcanus says:
i'm serius here
ok says:
i not trying to be
vulcanus says:
anyways, they can't digest glucose
ok says:
wat
vulcanus says:
degus can't digest glucose
ok says:
i do not know wat that is and why would i feed y ani als so t ng i dont know
ok says:
that they dont need
vulcanus says:
glucose is the suger in friut
vulcanus says:
it's in all fruit
vulcanus says:
and some vegetbles i think
ok says:
they said they like staw barries
vulcanus says:
yes, very rrely as a treat
vulcanus says:
not often
ok says:
but your not soupposted top give the a holle lote aND EVERY SO OFTEN
vulcanus says:
yes
ok says:
I ALREADY NO SOME PEOPLE THAT WANT ONE
ok says:
OR TOW
ok says:
TWO
vulcanus says:
who?
ok says:
MY FRINDS THAT ARNT MEAN TO ME
vulcanus says:
I'm not trying to be mean to you, shane
vulcanus says:
I'm trying to help the poor degus
ok says:
AND WANT CALL THE LAW ON YOU
vulcanus says:
I am doing this because I care about animals
vulcanus says:
it is nothing towards you
vulcanus says:
belive me, this is hard for me to do!
ok says:
WHY I WANT HAVE THEM LONG
vulcanus says:
what?
ok says:
I WILL GET READ OF THEM QUICK
vulcanus says:
but how do we knwo the people you give them to will be good to them?
ok says:
IM NOT KEEPING THEM
vulcanus says:
even the mother?
ok says:
IM GETING READ OF THEM ALL SOO YOU WILL BE HAPPY
ok says:
THE MOTHER
vulcanus says:
oh shane...
ok says:
WAT
ok says:
YTOO
vulcanus says:
that won't make me happy
vulcanus says:
this is not about making me happy
ok says:
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WOULD
ok says:
SOO THATS WAT IM GOING TO DO
vulcanus says:
but the people you give them to, how do you know they will be any better to them?
vulcanus says:
I've talked to a person who will take them
vulcanus says:
this person has a degu rescue servuce, they will be good to them there
ok says:
MY TEACHERS WANT THEM AND THEY WILL BE GOOD TO THEM
vulcanus says:
and they will get them good homes
vulcanus says:
how do you really know that?
ok says:
SOO WILL MY TEACHER
vulcanus says:
how do you really know that??
ok says:
AND THAT WILL MAKEYOU HAPPY\
vulcanus says:
no
ok says:
OH YESS IT WILL
vulcanus says:
this is NOT about making me happy
ok says:
HOW LONG DO YOU HAVE TO WAIT TO GIVE THEM A AWAY
ok says:
HUH
vulcanus says:
I think untill they are about 7 weeks, I don't know for sure
vulcanus says:
you should know
ok says:
NO YOU SHOULD KNOW BEACASE YOU SAID YOU KNEW EVERY THING
vulcanus says:
when did i say that?
ok says:
WHEN YOU SAID ILL TAKE GOOD CARE OF THEM
vulcanus says:
what?
ok says:
YOU SAID YOU KNEW EVERY THING ABOUT THEM
vulcanus says:
no id didn't
vulcanus says:
i never said that
ok says:
YOU CAN THINK WAT EVER
vulcanus says:
I know i didn't say anything like that
ok says:
BUT A FEW MOR WEEKS AND ILL GET READ OF THM
ok says:
THEM
vulcanus says:
Shane....
ok says:
I WANT WAIT THAT LONG ILL GIVE THE MOTHER TO MY FRIND AND THE BABIES TO
vulcanus says:
Shane... please
ok says:
IS THERE ANY THING ELSE YOU WANT ME TO GET READ OF
vulcanus says:
no
ok says:
HUH
vulcanus says:
NO!
vulcanus says:
shane stop acting so immature
ok says:
IT SOUNDS LIKE IT
vulcanus says:
what?
ok says:
IM NOT
ok says:
I AM GETTING READ OF THEM ALL
ok says:
AND I MEAN IT WAIT TWO WEAKS AND YOU WILL SEE
vulcanus says:
Shane...
ok says:
NO LIE
vulcanus says:
how do you know that who you give them to will be any better to them???
ok says:
I DONT KNOW AND I JUST WANT TO GET READ OF THEM TO MY TEACHER
ok says:
FOR I DONT HAVE TO LISEN TO YOU WINE
vulcanus says:
why didn't you give them to me back when i was going to buy them?
ok says:
I DONT KNOW BUT I JUST FOUND A HOME FO TEM
ok says:
THEM
vulcanus says:
but is it a good home?
ok says:
I DONT NO JORDAN I JUST WANT TO GET READ OF THEM AND I WANT HAVE TO LISEN TO YOU SAY IM GOINIG TO CALL PSCA
vulcanus says:
I know it's the right thing for me to do though
ok says:
I DONT KNOW WHY IF IM GOING TO GET READ OF THEM IN TWO WEEKS
vulcanus says:
because the people you give them to will probably be just as bad!
ok says:
SOO NOW YOUR SAYING THAT MY FAMILY AND FRINDS ARE BAD
vulcanus says:
no
vulcanus says:
I'm not
ok says:
YEA YOU ARE
vulcanus says:
no
ok says:
YOU JUST SAID
vulcanus says:
no
vulcanus says:
unless they have done lots of research on them and are preparred.....
ok says:
THERE IS A MAN LOOKING AT THEM RIGHT KNOW
vulcanus says:
who?
ok says:
SOO HOLD ON
ok says:
OK
vulcanus says:
is he somone staying at the motel?
ok says:
NO\
vulcanus says:
ok
ok says:
ITS A MAN
ok says:
OK
vulcanus says:
but what man?
ok says:
HE SAID HE COULD NOT HAV THEM ALL
vulcanus says:
i don't knwo what you mean
ok says:
ILL GIVE THEM TO DAVE TO MORROW
ok says:
OR THIS WEEKEND
vulcanus says:
well i can't get you to understand
vulcanus says:
I'm just waisting my time trying...
vulcanus says:
bye
ok says:
WELL I DO KNOW IM GOING TO GET READ OF THEM

 

[Ryan C.]

Wow.... He needs to actually listen, He has no clue if the people he are giving them to are going to actually give them good homes. I don't understand why he won't give them to the rescue. That ensures them a good home. Hopefully he will come to his senses and give them to the rescue.

 

[Bedlam]

This person seems a tad slow.

 

[intrepidus6]

As you can see this guy is mentaly ill, what should I do?

 

[Bedlam]

Well I certainly wouldn't trust the person to do the right thing on his own.
Contact the SPCA and see what they can do. If they cant do anything about the situation, there isn't really a reason to get them involved. You said you were in contact with someone that rescues Degus.....that would be your best bet right there. Maybe have that person contact your friend.

 

[intrepidus6]

I haven't talked to the degu rescue in a about a while... next time I hear from them I will see if he can contact them.

 

[Scylla]

A couple of questions: What state are you in? What city? How old is your friend?

 

[Ryan C.]

How old is your friend?

I was thinking the same thing, Because if hes a minor couldn't you just tell his parents.

 

[intrepidus6]

He is a minor, yes, but noone in his familly is umm... sane. I have talked to his parents but they don't understand it any better than he does. I live in Abingdon Virginia.
I gave his phone number to the degu rescue people, and they called his familly and talked to his mom, It dosen't seem like she is willing to give the degus to the rescue, but they did say that they informed them about how to better care for the degus, and hopefully they will head the advice.