Degu

Degu

(Octodon degus) 

Degus are small sociable and vocal rodents that have long silky coats that are greyish brown tinged and a long thin tail with a tufted black tip. They weigh 170 - 300 grams in adult weight and have a body length of 25-31 cm.

Origin Degus originate from Chile and you can find them anywhere in the coastal plains to the Andes Mountains. In the wild they live in groups of up to 100 in complex burrows which have nests and food stores.

Life span average 6-7 years in captivity

Compatability Housing degus in same sex pairs or groups can be a good option to avoid unwanted breeding. Similarly a group consisting of a neutered male and several females can also be compatible

Handling Start handling your degu when they are still young if at all possible.

Degus are most active during the day and won't appreciate being handled when sleepy. Wait until they are eating or playing before handling.

Spend time near the cage and use your voice so they become accustomed to you.

Don't offer treats through the cage bars as this can provoke biting of fingers in the future. Once your degu is taking treats from close to your hand, place the treat on your hand.

When the degu is standing on your hand to take the treat, work up to scooping up your degu for gentle handling. Keep them cupped in one hand with another over their back to prevent them jumping.

Health checks Degus need a daily dust bath to keep their fur in tip top condition. Choose a dust bath that's large enough for your degus to roll in, Fill it about 4-6cm deep with bathing sand. Limit their bath time to 10 minutes or they might start using their bath as a toilet! Long dust baths can also cause eye problems. Check your degus every day and visit your vet if you notice anything unusual.

Common diseases These include overgrown teeth, vitamin A deficiency, liver disease, diabetes, tail loss, heat stroke, pneumonia and other respiratory infections

Diet and Water Compared to some other rodents, degus in the wild consume large amounts of fibre. Degus should have constant access to good quality hay. Hay is much more important than commercial degu nuggets and should constitute the majority of the degus diet. A small measured portion of degu nuggets and some leafy vegetables should also be part of their daily diet. A water bottle is the best way to provide your degu with water. Glass bottles are recommended because they cannot be chewed, but a plastic water bottle can be used if it is hung in a way that the degu cannot chew on it.

Housing Degus need a metal chew proof cage. One degu will need at least 24x18x24", as degus are sociable the size of the enclosure must be suited to the quantity of degus being kept. The cage you choose must have multiple shelves for climbing.

Substrate Hay, shredded paper, recycled wood pulp or cardboard litter are suitable bedding types. Any bedding used should be dust-free. Don't use shredded newspaper because the ink can be toxic for small pets.

General husbandry fresh food and water every day. Health check your degu every day looking at their behaviour and physical appearance. Spot clean every day and full clean every 3-4 days.

Breeding Breeding degus can be difficult. Baby degus are large and numerous (3-8 pups to a litter), which can often lead to birthing complications. The gestation period is 90 days, and it often difficult to tell that a female is pregnant until the last month.

Russell McRae