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Degu Care Page by Daisy MeadowsBasic Information Degus were brought to the US from their home of Chile. They are related to chinchillas and guinea pigs. They are very social animals, and must be kept in pairs or colonies. An adult degu is about 6-8 inches in length, plus tail. Weight is about 1/2 of a pound. Lifespan is about 6-8 years.Housing Degus are very active animals, making it necessary to have a reasonable size space for them. I recommend nothing smaller than a 20 gallon aquarium for a single pair. Degus are avid chewers, so make sure that the cage is made of either metal or glass. Avoid wooden or plastic cages at all costs. Degus are also prone to escape attempts, so make sure that their cages are well secured; aquariums need a securely locking top. A large sized wheel is very important for the entertainment of your degus. Some will spend hours playing on it. I also recommend a nest house of some form. Wooden boxes do triple duty as a hiding place, lookout tower, and chew toy. Degus need chewing options to keep their teeth worn. Feeding The very most important thing to remember on degu feeding, is NO SUGAR! Degus are not able to process sugar effectively, and it can cause serious health problems. A well balanced diet should include free choice Degu Pellets (if degu pellets are not available in your area, a half/half mix of Cavy Pellets and Chinchilla Pellets can be substituted) and plenty of fresh water. In addition to the pellet mixture, I use lab blocks, sugar free breakfast cereals (think cheerios, shredded wheat), organic pastas, and low fat seeds (pumpkin seeds are well liked). Other important parts of the diet include timothy hay and fresh vegetables and greens. The frequency of these foods is debated, but I personally give fresh vegetables (sweet potato very important, carrots, broccoli, cauliflower, and -small- amounts of cucumber are also enjoyed) every other day, hay is available most of the time, and fresh greens (spinach, dandelion greens, and grasses) are available in small amounts on the days without vegetables. When feeding wild greens, be very cautious to pick from areas where there are no pesticides. Breeding Gestation seems to be about 90 days. At the end of gestation, a litter of 3-6 is born. These babies will be on the go within a couple of hours of birth. THey are born fully furred, and with eyes open. They begin to sample solid adult foods within 1-2 days. Weaning occurs at around 5 weeks. Leave both parents together to raise the babies, dad can be quite helpful about keeping the babies entertained. The parents will likely rebreed within hours of the birth. General Health Many health problems can be avoided by being cautious to avoid sugars. If sugars are fed, the degus can become diabetic, and suffer from diabetic related illnesses, such as cataracts, weight loss, kidney damage, blindness, and loss of circulation. Other than sugar related problems, the most prevalent health problem is overgrowth of teeth. |
Degus Meadows
