Do degus make good pets?

Small, cute and fluffy. Sounds like a great choice for a pet, right? Degus are small, social and vocal little rodents. They are a member of the Octodontidae family; they’re closely related to the more commonly known Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas. They have long, very soft coats that are grey-brown tinged, and a long, thin tail with a tufted, black tip. Let’s investigate if these chatty little rodents make a good pet for you. 

How long do they live?

Degus typically live for 6-7 years in captivity, so this is your first point of call when thinking about a degu – are you really invested in 6+ years of care? Not only that but you will need to care for multiple pets!

How long do they live?

Degus are incredibly social creatures, so be prepared that if you take on one degu, you will certainly need more. In the wild they live in small, close groups of up to 5-10 that together make up colonies of up to 100 members! This is why it is strongly recommended to never own a single Degu by itself. As with other animals such as rabbits that have been shown to be happier and healthier in pairs, degus will simply not get enough from human interaction. Our body language and communication are never going to match that of its own species. A pair of Degus or a small group will be enough for them to lead happy, social lives.

Okay, so I need multiple and that’s okay. What next?

Once you have decided you can look after two or more degus, it’s also important to remember that you should only have Degus of the same sex within one cage, for obvious reasons; otherwise you may end up with many accidental matings and being overrun with offspring!

Home for your degu

So, you think you can deal with 6+ years and multiple pets. Can you manage their accommodation too? 

Degus needs both vertical spaces to climb AND lots of digging opportunities to mimic their natural environment. Therefore, their houses need:

• To be secure, to avoid any escapes
• To be protected, as prey species they will want a covered top to prevent stress
• Lots of climbing and enrichment to mimic branches and shrubs they would climb in the wild
• Digging and bedding, degus need a deep layer of bedding material so they can dig and burrow

Enrichment

Enrichment is really important to keep these active and busy rodents healthy, both physically and mentally. A dust bath is one thing that they should have occasional access to. The dust bath should be a shallow, heavy bowl filled with suitable sand. You can get chinchilla sand from many pet stores or online now. The bowl should be big enough for them to roll around in and the dust should be around 4cm deep. However, some organisations like the RSPCA recommend they should only have access to these two or three times a week for about 20 minutes.

Toys are also really important additions to your degus’ enclosure, and these can be changed around to keep things interesting. Safe wooden, rope, and cardboard toys can all be considered; while avoiding any toys made from plastic and any wood that may be toxic, such as cedar. As well as toys, the addition of an exercise wheel and tunnels can help to keep your degus busy.

Health

You may find that an exotic vet is best placed to care for your degu if they experience one of several common disorders. Degus can suffer from a range of issues such as dental disease, ocular disease and urinary and gastrointestinal disease. Of course, as with any pets, when asking do they make ‘good’ pets, we should also ask ourselves if we will make ‘good’ owners. Part of that is knowing that we need to be financially prepared for our pet. (Or multiple pets as the case may be with your new degu pair). Some general practice (GP) veterinary teams may have team members confident in handling and treating exotic species, but you can’t bank on that.

So, remember that you need to be registered at an exotic vet practice and one of the best things you can do before getting a degu is ring them up and ask their advice. What is the general cost of care? What is the cost of a consultation? Is there any preventative health care you need to account for? And what common health issues do this species see?

Once you have this information you will be able to financially prepare for your new guests. Remember that although they may be small, their veterinary costs might not be lower just because they are tiny in stature; due to their metabolic needs, complex nature and potentially the need for an exotic veterinary team, their veterinary costs may be not any different to any other animal.

How much interaction do you expect?

Many people get rabbits thinking they are cuddly and easily handed children’s or ‘starter’ pets, only to find that they don’t like being picked up and they hop and thump away from you when you try. The same is said for many small animals that are prey species, when owners have unrealistic expectations of the animal. Degus may like human interaction, but like most small pets, they mostly don’t enjoy being handled so you may need to manage your family’s expectations and find other ways to enjoy your degu. If you want an animal that you are constantly handling, degus might not be the pet for you. However, as with rabbits who can become friendly and responsive when properly treated, degus can also be a joy to own if you value watching, learning and providing great quality care to your pets.

With the right diet, good care and companionship and fantastic husbandry these pets can certainly be really fulfilling. I would strongly advise lots of time and research before deciding to take on these charismatic little critters into your home to ensure you are fully prepared for all they will bring.