Since I joined and posted about my pet degu I have noticed that I have been given a negative karma point. Could someone explain how the system works and how I might have come to have acquired it?
I could almost understand if it was based on my post about having a lone male. Perhaps someone saw this as me being cruel? However in that thread I was asking for advice as I got him from the adoption centre in my local Pets @ Home store and was told he had been brought back because the original pair were fighting and so he had to be kept on his own.

I have spoiled him rotten and spared no expense. I work full time but I spend lots of time with him, rubbing his chin and tummy (which he absolutely loves) and stroking and handling him a lot. I give him lots of things to play with too and he goes through so much toilet paper it's unreal (he loves torn up toilet paper to shred for his bedding).

Since I have split up with my girlfriend, who was adamant that we mustn't try to introduce other degus in to him as we had been told not to, I'm now desperately trying to arrange to get either a single female around his age (approximately 4 years) or a pair (or more) of younger females (to avoid a single female massively outliving him and then being lonely herself).


It might only be a (-) next to my name on a forum but it seems like something really personal against me. I try my best to keep him happy and I love him unconditionally and only want the best for him. Am I a bad person for having kept him on his own so far as I was specifically instructed by P@H?

- Tristan.

My male degu has lived alone since I adopted him from Pets@Home (and was told he couldn't live with other degus).

However, since I am no longer with my girlfriend who insisted we not get another as we were told not to, I am desperate to get a pair (or more, just more than 2 so I'm not left in the same situation when he goes as he is 4 now!) of females. My thinking is that if I get him female company there should be less fighting for dominance as there would be if I tried to introduce other males.

It would be absolutely perfect if someone had a lone female of a few years old so that I wouldn't have to worry as much about one seriously outliving the other and then becoming lonely themselves, but a pair of younger females would still be perfect.
I already have a spare cage, of a decent enough size for the purpose, to allow a gradual introduction and, of course, neutering is a must (I'm not planning to become a breeder). I also have a friend who would be willing to take them in if the transition does not go smoothly so, regardless of how the introduction attempt goes, it/they will be well looked after (I can't have 2 cages in my room as it is a private rent and we agreed one).

Please help me as he seems even more lonely than before, probably because I am on my own now too so he's getting less human attention unfortunately. If nobody is able to help I will probably resort to buying a couple of pups from P@H in a few weeks anyway as I really want him to be happy.

Thanks,

Tristan.

I know this is quite an old post but I'm looking for a pair of females to attempt to introduce them to my single male (approx 4yrs). I already have a spare cage to do the introduction slowly and, of course, neutering is a must. He's incredibly mild mannered so I'm desperate to get him some company.

Cheers,

Tristan.