Degus are highly social and intelligent small animals that require specific attention and an appropriate environment to thrive. Providing them with daily interaction, mental stimulation, and a carefully balanced, low-sugar diet is essential for their health and happiness. Prospective owners should be prepared to meet these unique needs, including suitable housing, enriching activities, and regular veterinary check-ups.
Originating from Chile, degus, often referred to as common degus or trumpet-tailed rats, are burrowing rodents resembling a hybrid of a gerbil and a chinchilla. Typically weighing between 6 and 10 ounces, they possess soft brown fur, prominent ears, and a long tail with a tufted tip. Their average lifespan ranges from 5 to 9 years, with many living even longer in captivity. In their natural habitat, these creatures live in complex social structures, engaging in burrowing, foraging, and communal activities, underscoring their need for social interaction and mental stimulation when kept as pets.
Given their active nature, providing a stimulating environment is paramount for degus. A solid exercise wheel, ideally 10 to 12 inches in diameter, is crucial for physical activity and entertainment. Additionally, incorporating elements for climbing, burrowing, and chewing helps satisfy their natural instincts. This includes hide boxes, wooden chew toys, tunnels, climbing branches, ramps, and dig boxes. To maintain their coat health, regular dust baths with chinchilla dust, performed outside their main enclosure twice a week, are also beneficial. Owners should also create a safe, supervised play area outside the cage, ensuring it's free from hazards like electrical cords and toxic plants.
Degu enclosures must be secure and spacious. For a pair of degus, a minimum cage size of approximately 28 inches in length, 18 inches in width, and 28 inches in height, featuring multiple levels, is recommended. The enclosure's bars should be metal to prevent chewing and spaced no more than half an inch apart to prevent escapes. Solid, cushioned flooring and shelves are vital to prevent foot injuries and conditions like bumblefoot. Paper-based bedding is ideal, and cedar wood chips, wood shavings, or cat litter should be avoided due to potential respiratory issues. Plastic cages and accessories are also unsuitable, as degus can easily chew through them.
The degu's diet is critical for preventing common health problems such as diabetes and obesity. As herbivores, their captive diet should consist primarily of high-quality, low-sugar degu pellets. If specific degu pellets are unavailable, a temporary mix of guinea pig and chinchilla pellets can be used. Daily servings of 1–2 tablespoons of pellets, supplemented with unlimited access to grass hay like timothy, orchard, or meadow hay, form the foundation of their diet. Hay is crucial for fiber intake, promoting a healthy digestive tract, and helping to wear down their continuously growing teeth. Alfalfa hay can be given sparingly to young degus but should be limited for adults due to its higher calorie content. Sugary and starchy foods, including fruits, peas, corn, and potatoes, must be avoided entirely due to degus' predisposition to diabetes. Fresh, clean water should always be available, preferably in both a bottle and a bowl, with daily cleaning. Small quantities of safe vegetables, such as romaine lettuce, dandelion greens, bell peppers, and green or red leaf lettuce, can be offered a few times a week as treats, but excess amounts can cause digestive upset.
Degus are susceptible to certain health issues, including cataracts, diabetes, obesity, and dental disease. Regular veterinary care is essential. A check-up with an exotic veterinarian (or a vet experienced with exotic pets) is recommended shortly after adoption, annually for routine care, and whenever the animal appears unwell. Prompt veterinary attention is necessary if a degu exhibits reduced appetite, weight loss, labored breathing, diarrhea, difficulty chewing, lethargy, or signs of trauma. It is also important to remember that degus have a defense mechanism where they can shed the skin and tip of their tail if grabbed, which can lead to infection. Therefore, owners should never handle a degu by its tail.
Overall, degus can be wonderful companions for those prepared to meet their specialized needs. Their intelligent and social nature makes them interactive pets, though individual degus may vary in their comfort with being held. They rarely bite or scratch unless stressed or mishandled, emphasizing the importance of proper socialization and gentle handling. Due to their delicate bodies and specific care requirements, degus are generally better suited for adults or older, responsible children with parental supervision.