This is a tiny, burrowing mouse from Chile that makes an excellent pet. If you’ve never considered (or ever heard of) a degu as a pet, you should think about adding one to your list. They dwell in groups of up to 100 in the wild, similar to prairie dogs. These social, energetic rodents are among the few that are diurnal, which increases their attractiveness as pets.
Expected Lifespan: 6-8 years
As Pet/ In Captivity
Legality
Some areas consider degus to be potentially invasive animals and prohibit them from being kept as pets. They are banned to own in a number of states around the United States. Check with your local city and state restrictions before making a purchase. A permit or a health certificate may be required in some regions.
Things to Think About
A degu might be the ideal pet for your family if you can give it the extra space it requires, you’re prepared to think about adopting more than one so yours has company (they’re quite cheap), and you have the patience to train it to behave well.
Temperament and Behavior
Degus, like hedgehogs and other wild rodents, are easily domesticated when handled from a young age. They thrive in same-sex pairings with other degus and are very friendly. Degus are playful and attentive. They can become violent and neurotic if they do not get enough social engagement and exercise.
WARNING
Do not pick up a degu by the tail. In an emergency, these rats can shed their tails due to a built-in anti-predator mechanism. This is frequently very painful for your pet, and the tail will never grow back.
Eat and drink
Degus have a diet that is high in roughage and low in carbs. A proper degu diet consists of a combination of high-quality chinchilla or guinea pig pellets and a rodent block. Make nutrient-rich grass available at all times, such as Timothy hay or alfalfa. Every day, serve fresh vegetables such as sweet potato (peeled and uncooked), carrots, leafy greens (spinach, dandelion leaves, parsley), and green beans.
Avoid feeding cruciferous vegetables to your degu, such as cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, and kale. These vegetables are too much for their systems. Fruit should not be fed since its sugar level is too high.
You can provide sunflower seeds, peanuts, and entire nuts in the shell as occasional treats (sparingly, due to high-fat content).
Water: Your degu requires clean, fresh water at all times. As a water bowl, choose a sturdy ceramic dish or a water bottle with a metal tube that includes a chew guard.
House of a Degu
Degus must live in a massive cage. The ideal cage size should be 24 inches by 18 inches by 24 inches. enough room for two degus. The better, the bigger it is. Ferret or chinchilla cages with different levels are appropriate. Aggressive chewers, degus. Make sure the enclosure is built of metal or wire since they can chew through wood and plastic. A nesting box in a degu cage should replicate the tunnels they create in the wild. It should be possible to use a 6-by-8-inch wooden box with a level roof.
Exercise
Degus like using an exercise wheel that they won’t bite apart as well as running about their cages. They prefer devices called saucer discs that spin beneath them yet look like exercise wheels. In addition to ropes, tunnels, and branches that they can climb on or through, degus like scaling bridges that can be built into their cages.
Purchasing
Degus reproduce a lot. Domestic-bred degus are typically available for purchase from breeders and pet retailers. They range in price from $25 to $100. You can also give it a try at saving a degu.
The Benefits and Drawbacks of Having a Degu as a Pet
Degus are affectionate and easy to take care of; they don’t need to be groomed, get along with other animals, and enjoy being around people. On the other hand, they need to be fed constantly, they chew on everything, and they need to be with another degu because they need a lot more care than most household pets do.
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