Degus As A Pet.

Description:

These sociable rodents originate in Chile and are closely related to guinea-pigs and rabbits. 

They are active during the day and like to be kept in a busy part of the house with lots to see and do, including tunnelling opportunities, if possible.

They need to be kept in groups otherwise they become very anxious.

Although they enjoy human interaction, they don’t like to be handled, so don’t really make good pets for younger children.

Length: 25-31cm (including 12-15cm tail)

Weight: 170-300g

Lifespan: 5-9 years

Indoor or Outdoor: Indoor (up to 20°C)

Essential Equipment:

Indoor cages suitable for Degus, with different levels to allow your pets to climb and explore

Feeding bowl

Water bottle

Bedding or substrate material to fill the bottom of the cage. Do not use Cedar-based substrate as this is poisonous to Degu

Dust bath and sand

Degu food

25cm exercise wheel

Wooden items to chew

Tunnels and dens for sleeping

Nesting materials

Toys

Top tips for adopting degus:

Before buying your degu, have the cage and equipment ready (see list above).

Degus enjoy human interaction so try to place the cage in a busy part of your home and make sure that it is away from radiators (Degus can overheat at temperatures above 20°C).

Degus like company, so it’s best to buy them in single-sex pairs or groups.

Degus can get stressed if they are left alone, but can get equally upset if overcrowded, You should make sure that any cage you buy for your degus has enough space for them all to move around freely, with room for exercise.

Always adopt from a reputable breeder, who will have spent time handling and socialising young degus from birth, or you can also check your local animal shelter.

Be very careful if you suspect that the breeder or retailer you are buying from keeps the degu in mixed-sex groups – you may be coming home with a pregnant female! Best to look elsewhere.

Arrange a time to look at the degu first, and select your own from those available.

Make sure you check the environment that the degu are being kept in to ensure that none of them look ill (key signs are ruffled fur, runny eyes or nose, or a dirty bottom), and that they are in clean and hygienic conditions.

Watch how the degu behave in the cage – they should be calm and alert.

Take a good look at to check that they are healthy before agreeing to buy: 

They should be neither fat nor skinny with no swellings,eyes and nose should be clear with no discharge and they should be breathing easily.

The rear end should be clean, as should their coat, which should also be shiny, with no bare patches.

Teeth should be well-aligned and yellow (not white as this indicates a vitamin deficiency).

Settling in at home:

All animals find moving house stressful and they will need time to adjust to their new surroundings.

Put your degu into the cage with all of the essentials like bedding, food and water, and allow them to settle in over a couple of days, undisturbed.

To allow your degu to get used to you, start quietly talking to them when you pass the cage, and putting your hand into the cage to feed them treats.

Take this stage slowly, so that they learn that you are not a threat.

Eventually they will come to your hand for treats, and then you can think about letting them out of their cage for exercise.

Remember that Degu are not necessarily for cuddling. They may eventually start to climb over you and let themselves be stroked, but this takes time and careful handling.

Essential care:

It’s important to make sure your Degus receive the right nutrition.

Degus cannot digest carbohydrate or sugar, which makes them susceptible to diabetes.

Feed your degu special degu food, or a mix of guinea-pig pellets and chinchilla pellets (without molasses), plus fresh hay and water every day.

Provide a dust bath for your degus and offer it to them every couple of days, rather than leaving it in the cage. This is their natural, instinctive way to clean their fur.

Clean your degus’ cage every week by removing and replacing bedding and litter and cleaning any platforms, bowls, water bottles and toys.