Intro:

     I've only recently gotten into degus, and I am so happy I did! They're such fun little guys, and have a much longer life span that typical "pocket pets." These guys average 6-10 years old! They do require a bit more particular care though, so they may not be fit for all households. Below I will go into more detail about their care!

Housing:

     Degus require completely chew proof cages. They love to chew and destroy, so any plastic or wood based cages will be easy for them to escape from. I will link a few options below. Degus do need quite a bit of space, so their options are a bit more limited.

- Frisco Cage - $170 - fits 2-4 degus
- Single Critter Nation Cage - $188 - fits 2-4 degus
- 2 Level Mansion - $214 - 2-4 degus
- Prevue Cage - $255 - fits 2-4 degus
- Double Critter Nation Cage - $310 - fits 2-8 degus
- 4 Level Mansion - $365 - fits 2-8 degus
- Borneo Cage - $505 - fits 2-8 degus

Diet:

     Degus need a pretty bland diet. I feed 50/50 Oxbow Chinchilla and Oxbow Guinea Pig food, as well as fresh Timothy hay daily. This was recommended to me by a few other breeders. I recommend either the 50/50 I use or one of these brands: 
- Sunseed Degu pellets
- Exotic Nutrition pellets (may squabble over oats)
- Science Select Degu pellets
     Sugar needs to be avoided though. They're super prone to diabetes, so anything they're fed needs to be sugar free. For treats, I give old fashioned oats, occasional carrots (maybe once a week), or fresh picked dandelions/dandelion leaves. If you do not have an untreated area to pick your own, there are options to buy dried flowers/leaves online. The oats are a fantastic option to teach trust. That's how I got mine to learn my hands were safe!

Enrichment:

     As mentioned above, degus love to chew and destroy! Most of their enrichment items (hides, chews, toys, etc.) should be wood based so they can chew to their hearts content! Most chinchilla and bird products are what I use for mine. You can also add in a wheel. Chinspin makes a metal wheel for about $120, which is a higher priced item. I don't have one yet, but there is an off brand one on chewy that I think is a bit cheaper but still all metal.
     They also need a dust bath provided every other week. I just add mine into the cage over night, then remove it the next morning. The dust I use is diatomaceous earth, which repels mites and lice too, so it's a good preventative for those in addition to the dust bath. Sand based baths are good as well, so they're not too dusty for them. 

Personality/Handling:

     Degus do have to bond with their people and don't typically start out super curious and attention seeking like ratties or well bred mice. I will be socializing my degu babies lots and lots so they are familiar with people. My younger sisters frequently come over, so I'll get to see how they reach to a stranger and someone not as matured. My adult degus let me pick them up, but prefer being pet and talked to more than being handled. I don't work with them daily though, and know of some degu owners that do and have more cuddly goos. They are typically frightened by strangers, and will let out warning calls. Sometimes, it's like hiccups to them, and they're not able to stop for a while. Otherwise, they're really silent. A lot of people that have had rats and degus compare degus to female rats as far as personality goes. More active and energetic than laid back and snuggly.
     When handling degus, it's very important to keep in mind that their tails are super sensitive and deglove easily. They cannot be "tailed" like a rat or mouse can even in emergency situations. It'll pull the skin clean off. My cat got two of my degus' tails when poking through the cage, but they thankfully healed up well on their own. The best methods I've learned to handle is to either scoop with both hands, or to allow them to climb into a bonding pouch and carry them that way. That method works best with littles one wanting to handle them too!

Social Needs:

     Degus are extremely social animals and must be adopted in pairs or more. Like with rats, I do recommend a trio, but a pair does work well too. However, any cage mates must be introduced early on. Once they reach adult age, any new degus added could be seen as a threat to their developed colony, and could be killed. Intros with adults can be done. I have not attempted this myself, so I cannot give any first hand advise. I would recommend joining Degu USA to reach out for advise on how to complete that process successfully. 

Odor/Allergies:

     Unlike rats and mice, degus have almost no odor! This is great for people with more sensitive noses. The most I smell of them is their Timothy hay.
     With that being said, some people do have allergic reactions to these guys due to them needing dust baths and Timothy hay. Be sure to keep that in mind when considering these little ones for companions!