Can I Take Care Of A Degu?

Are you familiar with the regulation in your state about owning a degu?

Can you afford to care for at least a pair of degus?

Can you provide a large enclosure for a degu?

Can you provide a diet high in roughage and low in carbohydrates?

Do you have an exotics veterinarian that specializes in rodents?

Some places consider degus as a potentially invasive species and forbid owning them as a pet. In the U.S., they are illegal to own in California, Utah, Georgia, Connecticut, and Alaska. Before committing to buying one, check with city and state regulations where you live. Some places may require a permit or health certificate.

Degus are social animals and they don't do well alone. They do best housed in same-sex pairs with other degus. If they do not get sufficient social interaction and exercise, they can become aggressive and neurotic.

Degus need a large cage. A minimum cage size of 24 inches by 18 inches by 24 inches should house two degus comfortably. The larger, the better. Multilevel cages built for ferrets or chinchillas are ideal. The surfaces should be solid and not wire slats. A degu enclosure should have a nesting box to replicate the burrows they dig in the wild. A 6- by 8-inch wooden box with a flat roof to sit on should work.

Degus eat a diet high in roughage and low in carbohydrates. Thus, the basis of a proper degu diet is a combination of high-quality chinchilla or guinea pig pellets and a rodent block. They should also eat fresh vegetables like sweet potato (peeled, uncooked), carrots, leafy greens (spinach, dandelion leaves, parsley), and green beans every day.

You can take care of a degu as a pet!

Degus are generally healthy, but they can be susceptible to conditions like diabetes, bumblefoot, mouth and dental disease, skin conditions, respiratory illness. All these conditions require a check-up by an exotics veterinarian.