Octodon degus
Degu
Degus are sociable, sunlight-loving rodents from Chile that need daytime activity, dust baths and a very low-sugar diet. Their intelligence makes them rewarding but demanding pets.
OctodontidaeLifespan 5–8 years, occasionally longerCare complexity 3/5Not a beginner animal
At a glance
- Scientific name
- Octodon degus
- Family
- Octodontidae
- Origin
- Central Chile
- Lifespan
- 5–8 years, occasionally longer
- Adult size
- 12–20 cm body length, plus a long tail
- Weight
- 170–300 g
- Temperament
- Highly social, diurnal and intelligent
- Activity level
- High, active mostly during the day unlike many rodents
- Social needs
- Very high; must be kept in same-sex groups of two or more
- Intelligence
- Excellent problem-solvers; use varied vocalisations and recognise individuals
- Noise
- Chirps and calls through the day, generally not disruptive
Housing and environment
- Housing
- Large multi-level cage at least 100 x 60 x 100 cm with metal bars, not plastic
- Space requirement
- As much horizontal and vertical space as possible for climbing and jumping
- Temperature
- 18–22°C; sensitive to heat and humidity
- Humidity
- Low; prone to diabetes-like illness if diet and environment are wrong
- Exercise
- Large solid-surface wheel, climbing branches and digging boxes
- Grooming
- Requires a daily dust bath to keep its dense coat in condition
Diet and feeding
Grass hay as the staple plus a low-sugar guinea-pig-style pellet; sugar and fruit must be strictly limited
Behaviour and compatibility
Chirping communication, dust bathing, digging and daytime foraging
- With children
- Best observed rather than heavily handled; can nip if startled
- With other animals
- Keep only with other degus
- Training difficulty
- Moderate; responds to consistent, gentle handling and food rewards
Health
- Diabetes-like illness from sugary diets
- Dental overgrowth
- Cataracts
- Tail degloving if grabbed
Needs a vet experienced with unusual small mammals; diet-related illness is common and preventable
Special care requirements
Sugar, including most fruit, must be avoided entirely to prevent diabetes-like disease