Degus

Degus make lovely pets. Unlike many small animals they are awake during the day and will come running over to see you. They are very friendly and soon become tame and will come and ‘talk’ to you and scrounge titbits (low carbohydrate, low sugar only, of course).
The Degu is a very sociable animal, living in groups in the wild, so they can get quite lonely and depressed on their own. It‘s best, if possible, to keep at least two animals.
Which Degu will you choose?
If you have the room and time for them, why not adopt some of the degus that are sitting in rescue centres around the country looking for new homes rather than buying from a breeder.
Bringing your Degu home
Make sure that you have everything ready before you collect your Degu, so that you can put it into its new home as soon as you arrive and it can spend the first 24 hours getting used to the new environment.
What to feed your Degu
Degus need feeding twice a day, every day (in the morning and in the evening). A good quality, heavy, earthenware bowl keeps food dry and clean and prevents the degu from tipping the food. Bowls must be cleaned after every use.
Drinking Bottle
It is vital that you ensure there is fresh drinking water available at all times. The best way to provide fresh drinking water is to use a gravity-fed water bottle, attached to the front of the hutch. Use one of the large ballpoint bottles to prevent dripping and ensure a constant supply is available. Water bowls are not really suitable as they are easily tipped over and can get contaminated.
Housing
You need to provide plenty of room for your Degus to eat, sleep and run around. Ideally Degus should be kept in pairs or groups and you must make sure that there is room for all of them.
Bedding Material
There are many types of bedding available but the best are the natural products made from paper, wood or straw.
It is vital that you ensure there is fresh drinking water available at all times.
Dust Bath
Degus need regular dustbaths in order to keep their fur free from naturally secreted oil. Degus should be allowed access to a dustbath at least twice a week – chinchilla bathing sand is ideal. Remember to change the dust/sand in the bath every week or so to maintain its effectiveness.
Exercise
It is extremely important that your Degu has the opportunity to exercise every day. Degus need lots of exercise to keep them well and should be provided with a large solid wheel that does not have spokes, which can catch feet and tails.
Handling your Degu
To ensure that your Degu becomes tame and affectionate it is important that you handle it frequently and correctly. Picking up a Degu incorrectly could lead to it being permanently frightened and may lead to it becoming aggressive.
Common Illnesses
Diabetes mellitus & cataracts – Degus can develop diabetes mellitus spontaneously due to pancreatic disease. This can be caused by certain viruses, or a high blood sugar level as a result of eating sugar rich food. Within 4 weeks of the onset of diabetes, cataracts can occur. The pupils of the eyes change colour to a milky grey and the degu will inevitably become blind. Congenital cataracts can also occur spontaneously in young degus.
If you need to know more
For more detailed information about Degus, you can contact us and we will get back to you with our experts’ advice. However if you have any concerns about the health and wellbeing of your degu, you should seek veterinary advice immediately.
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