Pet Info Packets :: Degus

Introduction and Appearance:

The degu is a fairly small mammal found in Chile. They are brown and can be comparable to both squirrels and gerbils. The Latin name for a degu is Octodon Degus, because of the worn enamel surface of its teeth which forms a pattern in the shape of a figure eight. In Chile, they live in large colonies and are considered an agricultural pest.

It is still debated whether or not degus are actually rodents. I will update this caresheet if scientists decide where to put them.

We originally brought degus to Europe and America for use in labs because they are small, easy to keep, and can't digest sugar (because of this, they were used in diabetes research). It was only until recently that we began keeping them as pets. Still, they are not very popular yet and are considered exotics.

Degus make great pets because they are small, easy to keep, intelligent, and friendly. When properly cared for they can live to 10 years (although the average is 6 or 7)!

Behavior:

Degus are very social and therefore should not be housed alone. A single degu often becomes depressed and aggressive. Degus housed alone are usually unhealthy and live shorter lives.

Degus are energetic, athletic, and love to run and play. They enjoy climbing and jumping and need lots of toys to keep them busy. They also need something to chew on (such as flavored wooden chews seen in pet stores) because their teeth grow constantly throughout their lives and they must keep them worn down.

Degus communicate both vocally and through body language. Here is a list of things your degu might do and what they mean:

Hair-raising- The degu is alarmed and feels threatened. Usually this is only a behavior that new degus show.

Tail wagging- Alert or aroused. You see this behavior in mating.

Tail rump display- A defensive or submissive posture when facing an aggressive rival. Also used in courtship.

Hops, jumping, running, and body twisting- Playful behaviors indicating a happy degu, especially in young degus.

Grooming each other- Degus groom each other as a friendly gesture. It means the degus like each other. Sometimes your degu may even try to groom you!

Huddling and snuggling- Degus that are bonded with huddle together. It gives them a sense of security. You'll often find that in groups all the degus will sleep together in one huge pile.

Dust bathing- Degus take dust baths to stay clean as well as to stay socially acceptable by having the same scent as the other degus.

Scent marking- Degus do this to mark territory.

"Boxing", Shoving- This means the degus are "arguing". Although it's an aggressive behavior you shouldn't worry too much unless you see bloodshed.

Tooth chatter- The degu is uneasy or annoyed.

Squeaks- A nervous behavior... may also be used if annoyed. Also, if a degu becomes frightened they might start squeaking for several minutes. It may also be used if another degu grooms them too roughly.

Growl- An aggressive behavior, the degu feels threatened.

Squeal- The degu is in pain or extremely upset.

Chirping- How degus communicate with each other. Also used during courtship.

Chuckle- A call to young and may be used during grooming.

"Chuck-Wee"- A greeting call. Your degu may greet you using this call.

Clucking- Social call used by young degus. Also used when young degus are being groomed.

Gurgle- How a baby degu communicates to its parents and littermates.

Whimpers- Social call and a way for degus to keep track of everyone by whimpering back and forth.

Isolation cry- A call young degus will use when separated from their littermates.

Post-copulatory squeaks- After breeding, male degus will make a squeaking sound similar to a warning squeak repeatedly for about 5-15 minutes.

Handling:

A tame degu can be scooped up into your hands. Be sure to keep your cupped slightly so the degu doesn't jump off. For more skittish degus you can use a jar to transfer your degu. You can lure it in with treats or some chinchilla bath dust (I sprinkle some in and they can't resist!) or push it in gently. Just remember never to grab a degu by the tail because the tail can come off and not only will the degu be in much pain but the tail will NOT grow back.

Never hold a degu roughly or against its will. It may end up biting or scratching and you will probably break its trust. Degus are very smart and have excellent memories and will remember bad handling.

I've found that degus (especially new ones) don't like feeling restraining and I don't think it's a good idea to try to hold them for more then a couple minutes. It's better to let them come to you (treats are always a good bribe). Tame degus will usually happily sit in your hand, sleep in your hoodie, or perch on your shoulder.

Housing:

A cage is better then a tank for a degu because it allows air to circulate better and degus love to climb around on the bars. A multi-level cage is best. If you must use an aquarium, then make sure it is very large (at least 29 gallons) and make sure there are plenty of toys and things to climb on. Be sure to use a secure screened lid because degus can jump very high and are escape artists.

The cage should have many toys to keep the degus busy (mine like bird toys, cardboard tubes, branches, flavored chews, and bird ladders). They also need something to keep their teeth worn down---wooden blocks seen in petstores work well. Pumice stones are also good for keeping their teeth worn down and they are supposed to help keep the nails short, too. Degus love to play and need plenty of room to jump, climb, and run. You should have two food dishes (degus often fight over food) and the dishes should be ceramic or made of some other chew-proof material.

You will also need a water bottle (either a glass one or one that hangs from the outside of the cage... they will chew through plastic ones), a nest box (the large wooden ones work well), a running wheel (not a plastic one because they will chew it up... however, don't get one with spaces between wires or their tail might get caught), and nesting material (shredded napkins and paper can be used for this purpose). Not all degus will nest but I feel it's good to offer it to a new degu just in case.

For bedding/litter you can use Aspen shavings or paper-based bedding (such as "CareFresh"). Just be sure not to use Pine or Cedar wood chips because these have been known to cause respiratory problems. They should also have plenty of timothy hay to munch on (NOT alfalfa as it has too much calcium). You can use a hayrack to hold the hay but it's perfectly fine to put it on the floor of the cage (though you'll have to change it more often).

Feeding:

If available, you can feed a food made just for degus. Be wary, though, and check the ingredients. If it contains sunflower seeds, corn, and/or sugar I wouldn't buy it. There are two good degu foods available in the United States... Brisky's Diet and Sun Seed Sunscription Vita Degu Formula. The latter is pretty new and can be hard to find but is by far the best food on the market right now. If you can't get a degu food where you live you can feed guinea pig pellets (many people mix in some chinchilla pellets for variety). Make sure that the foods don't have sugar, too much fat, fruit, or molasses. I used to feed a mix of "Hagen" guinea pig pellets and "Charlie's" chinchilla mix (but I picked out the raisins and corn... I used the corn as a treat and fed the raisins to my rabbits). When selecting a food try to aim for a timothy-based one instead of one containing lots of alfalfa. Lacating females should have free choice of food.

Also, you must feed fresh vegetables daily. Don't feed too many that are high in calcium (this includes collard greens, mustard greens, dandelion greens, spinach, turnip greens, and alfalfa grass). Good veggies to feed are broccoli (not too much), romaine lettuce, celery, parsley, carrot greens, escarole, zucchini, chicory, and cucumbers. You can also include carrots and sweet potatoes (cooked only and don't feed the skin) in the diet but don't feed them more than once or twice a week... they are a good hand-fed treat. Although some people will say to feed fruits, I personally don't because of the sugar content. Better to be safe then sorry.

As treats, you can feed sunflower seeds, corn, walnuts (don't feed these first three treats too often as they contain a lot of fat), dried carrot slices, and sugar-free cereals. You should never feed your degu sugary or fatty foods, caffeine, chocolate, or alcohol.

Also remember to always provide your degu with fresh water and unlimited timothy hay.

Cleaning and Grooming:

A cage with a pair of degus must be cleaned out once a week. If your degus are messy then you may have to do it more then that. Once a month you should also scrub the cage and wash the dishes and toys. If you littertrain your degus then you should clean out the litterbox at least every other day and change the bedding once a month.

Remember to change the water every other day and clean the waterbottle daily as degus are prone to mouth diseases.

Degus groom themselves but you will still need to give them dust baths. You can buy special Chinchilla Dust at the petstore. Pour some of the dust into a container and place the 'bath' into the cage. Your degus will take a bath instinctively. Don't leave it in longer then ten minutes unless you don't mind your degus using it as a toilet. They need a dust bath at LEAST once a week, though they can have one every day. Dust baths are essential to keep a degu's fur healthy. Some people leave the dust in constantly and change the dust every day. Because the degus will use it like a litterbox, it makes the cage easier to clean.

Some degus will need their nails clipped occasionally; your vet can show you how to do this. You can use nail clippers used for dogs or cats. Just clip the very tip of the nail so that you don't risk clipping the quick. Degus who don't have anything to gnaw on may also need their teeth clipped by a vet.

Taming:

Taming degus is fairly easy because they are quite fearless and very inquisitive. For the first few days, talk to your degu gently and offer it small treats. Once it is used to you then you can leave your hand in the cage with a treat in it. The degu should hop on and eat the treat. Do this for a while until the degu is fine with sitting still in your hand. Then, try lifting your hand a bit and then putting it back down. When the degu is ok with your hand moving you can slowly try moving your hand out of the cage.

Another technique is sitting in a bathtub and allowing your degu(s) to run around and climb on you. They should be able to get used to you this way. Degus are very food-motivated and treats are a great way to socialize degus. I've also heard of wearing an old shirt for a few hours and then placing it in the cage so the degus learn your scent.

Training:

You cannot train a degu like you would a dog or a cat but they can learn to be littertrained, ride on your shoulder, and recognize their name.

Teaching a degu it's name: Teaching a degu its name is simple. Whenever addressing your degu be sure to use the given name (avoid using a lot of nicknames). When you call it and it comes over, praise it and maybe give it a small treat. It will come when called in no time.

Littertraining: A lot of people leave in a dust bath constantly for the degus and they use it as a litterbox. You can also buy litterboxes made for small animals and place them in the area your degu goes to the bathroom (they usually pick a corner). I would put hay in the litterboxes to attract them and praise your degu when it eliminates in the right place. Any stray droppings should be placed in the litterbox. Your degu should catch on eventually though keep in mind some degus will never be housebroken.

Teaching a degu to ride on your shoulder: This is a harder lesson to teach and many degus will never learn it. When your degu trusts you enough to climb on your hand, lure it up your arm with a treat. Once it will walk up your arm, lead it to your shoulder and give it the treat. While it's eating the treat, praise and pet it (if your degu likes being pet). If the degu snatches the treat and runs off then you're going to have to hold the treat while it eats. Do this several times over the next week. When the degu starts to get off your shoulder, gently place it back on your shoulder and when it sits still, give it a treat. Many degus will catch on and quickly climb up to your shoulder. Remember to praise it and give it treats when it sits still. Next, get used to the degu performing this trick while you're walking and soon your degu will enjoy riding atop your shoulder. Keep in mind that you should still only do this in a degu-proof room because a degu may fall or suddenly jump off.

Exercise and Playtime:

Your degu will enjoy playing outside of its cage in a degu-proof room. Be sure that electrical wires, plants, sharp objects, and other potential dangers are out of reach. Keep in mind degus can squeeze into small spaces, jump very high and far, and climb. A good place to let your degu play is in the bathtub or in an exercise pen. NEVER leave your degu alone unsupervised and remember that degus are curious and will probably walk right up to a dog, cat, or vacuum.

You can create a fun play area for your degu. You can include things to climb on, places to hide, and a dustbath. Degus should be let out at least five days a week for one or two hours. The smaller the cage, the more often they should have playtime. Sometimes I just leave the cage door open while I'm in the room and let them come out at their leisure. If having two degus out at once is intimidating, then it's ok to let one out at a time (I've done this before!).

Breeding:

Before you decide to breed, there are some things you should consider. Why do you want to breed? If you want more degus, then adopt homeless ones (believe it or not, there are degus in shelters). A male and female degu will produce A LOT of babies and you can't separate after one litter because they will be bonded and both aid in raising the babies. Neutering degus is expensive and it's hard to find a vet willing to do such an operation. If you are looking for a profit, then you shouldn't breed because if anything, breeding degus will more then likely cost you more money then you will make. If you plan to breed, you must select healthy degus from reputable breeders and the degus can't be related.

First, you of course need to know how to tell the difference between a male and female degu. Here is an illustration:

The degu at the top is a male and the bottom is a female. Female degus have a post-partum estrus, meaning they can mate directly after giving birth (but this should be avoided as back-to-back pregnancies are very stressful for the female). Degus are usually sexually mature between 9 and 14 months of age, but I have heard of degus being mature at 6 months and some may not mature until 21 months. At 8 or 9 weeks old, female babies may become pregnant with their father in some cases. This should be avoided by removing females at this age. The gestation period for a degu is roughly 90 days. The babies are born with their eyes open and fully furred and the average litter size is 5 babies but they can have up to 10. It is very rare that degus will only have 1 baby, and often it won't survive.

Because I have never bred degus, I don't have much information on breeding. Here is a good link: http://www.btinternet.com/~p.long/degutopia/degubreed.htm

Honestly, there isn't too much info online about breeding degus so the best thing to do would be to speak to a degu breeder.

Diseases:

Degus are pretty hardy creatures but be prepared for a possible trip to the exotics vet. Here is a list of some common problems degus suffer and what you should do:

Diabetes: Degus become diabetic by eating too much sugar. A diabetic degu will usually not last very long (though I've heard of degus living with diabetes for years). To prevent this from happening, don't feed your degu sugary foods. A degu that is drinking and/or urinating more then usual may be diabetic. Sometimes they will also get cataracts.

Liver Problems: Degus get liver problems from a bad diet or eating too many fatty foods.

Mouth Diseases: Degus are very prone to mouth diseases. When this happens, their teeth will usually turn white which means the degu will probably die soon. To prevent this, change your degus water and wash the waterbottle often. I've heard that vitamin C helps but this isn't proven.

Parasites: Degus can get fleas, mites, and ticks. You may want to check them over if they are scratching a lot. If your degu seems to be in pain when you touch its ear or if the ears smell bad, it may have an ear infection as a result of mite infestation. Degus can get parasites from hay, bedding, and other animals. You can get medication for this from your vet.

Wounds: Degus may get injuries sometimes, usually from fighting other degus. The wound should heal on its own unless it is large (in which case a vet should be seen). If you spot infection (putting a little Neosporin on the wound can help prevent this) or if the wound doesn't heal after a week you should call your vet.

Broken leg: A broken leg may result from a bad jump or similar situation. If a broken leg occurs one should call their vet and see if pain medication is recommended. Keep the degu in a smaller, one level cage with little to climb on and try to keep it calm and quiet while it heals.

Diarrhea: Usually occurs when you feed too many fresh veggies. Don't feed your degu any fresh fruits or vegetables for a while and it should go away. This also could be a sign of another illness so definitely keep a close eye on your pet. If the degu won't eat, shows any other symptoms, or doesn't recover, contact your vet.

Constipation: Cause is unknown but may have to do with a bad diet. When a degu is constipated it won't poop and appears depressed and uncomfortable. I've never had this problem but I've heard of massaging the degu's belly with olive oil and if your degu doesn't improve within a couple of hours then make sure to take your degu to the vet IMMEDIATELY.

Genetic Diseases: As a result of inbreeding, degus may get cataracts. This is incurable, but feeding the degu a good diet may help.

Tumors: If you notice a tumor on your degu, get it to an exotics vet.

Colds: If your degu can't clear its nose and is having trouble breathing, then get antibiotics from your vet or your degu may develop pneumonia.

Vets:

Before getting your degu, you are going to want to find a good vet. Degu vets can be hard to come by and keep in mind that it might be a long drive to get to one. Remember, just because it's an exotics vet does NOT mean that they have experience with degus.

Conclusion:

I hope you have found this caresheet helpful and remember to always consider adoption first!

---

---