Degu Care Guide

Degus are small, vocal rodents from northern and central Chile. Two things set them apart from most pet rodents: they are awake during the day, and they handle sugar so badly that they are prone to type 2 diabetes. Degus suit owners who want to watch a busy, chattering group by day and who will stick to a plain, hay-based diet for the animal’s whole life.

Care requirements

Need	What to provide
Enclosure	Large, well-ventilated wire cage with a solid roof, solid floor, deep bedding for digging, and platforms and branches for climbing. Not a glass tank (RSPCA)
Temperature	No higher than 68°F (20°C). Keep the cage in a cool spot away from radiators (RSPCA)
Humidity	Normal, dry indoor air. Good airflow matters more than any number (RSPCA)
Lighting	Diurnal: light through the day, dark at night, switching at roughly the same times daily (RSPCA)
Diet	Unlimited grass hay as most of the diet, plus a small measured daily portion of molasses-free degu nuggets and leafy greens. No fruit (RSPCA)
Lifespan	Typically 6–7 years in captivity; 5–8 years in laboratory colonies (RSPCA; Animal Diversity Web)
Social needs	Never alone. Keep same-sex pairs or groups, or one neutered male with females (RSPCA)
Legal notes	No common restrictions; check local rules.

Sugar and diabetes

The RSPCA says degus are prone to type 2 diabetes and need a diet low in sugar and fat. Animal Diversity Web notes that degus’ intolerance of sugars is one reason they are used in diabetes research. The practical rules are strict:

• Hay is the diet. Good-quality grass hay should be available at all times and make up most of what a degu eats. The RSPCA calls it “much more important” than nuggets. Hay also wears down teeth that grow constantly.
• Nuggets in a small, measured amount. Use degu nuggets. If you can’t get them, guinea pig or chinchilla nuggets will do, but only those without molasses. Chinchilla mixes with dried fruit are out, and so are rabbit, hamster and gerbil foods (RSPCA).
• Greens, not fruit. Give leafy vegetables. The RSPCA advises against fruit, and says sugary vegetables such as carrot, sweet potato, beetroot and parsnip should be only very small, occasional treats.
• Read treat labels. Many commercial rodent treats contain honey, molasses, seeds bound with syrup or dried fruit.

Degus also need to eat some of their own droppings to get essential nutrients, so don’t be alarmed when you see it (RSPCA). Water should come from a bottle you check daily for leaks and blockages.

Cool, airy housing (and why not a tank)

Degus overheat easily. The RSPCA sets an upper limit of 68°F (20°C) and suggests placing the cage in a cool part of the house, away from radiators and other heat sources. In many homes that rules out sunny rooms and summer conservatories. If you see a degu lying still and flat on its stomach, the RSPCA says it may be overheating and you should call your vet straight away.

Glass aquariums and vivariums look tidy and hold bedding in, but the RSPCA warns that degus kept in them can suffer respiratory problems because air doesn’t circulate. A tall wire cage with a deep base tray is the usual compromise. Look for:

• A solid roof. Birds of prey are degus’ main predators, so movement overhead frightens them (RSPCA).
• A solid floor with deep bedding. Hay, shredded paper and tissue, or non-toxic wood shavings, deep enough to dig and burrow in (RSPCA). Wild degus dig large shared burrow systems (Animal Diversity Web).
• Height. Branches of safe wood such as apple, pear or beech, and platforms at different levels (RSPCA).
• Chew-proof materials. Degus chew constantly. Plastic shelves, houses and toys get gnawed and swallowed.
• Waist height. The RSPCA says a cage on a table or shelf at waist height helps degus feel secure.

A daytime rodent that digs

Degus are mainly active during the day, especially in the morning and evening (Animal Diversity Web). The RSPCA advises a room that is light during the day and dark at night, with lights going on and off at about the same times each day. That makes them a good match for people who are home in the daytime. A degu kept in a dark spare room, or under bright lights late into the evening, has its routine disrupted.

They need a lot to do. Give a solid-surface wheel, tunnels, wooden and cardboard toys, and a dust bath. Unlike chinchillas, degus shouldn’t have dust all the time. The RSPCA suggests a heavy, shallow bowl of chinchilla sand about 1.5 in (4 cm) deep, offered two or three times a week for about 20 minutes. In the wild, dust bathing is also social: groups mark shared dust wallows with scent (Animal Diversity Web).

Gotchas

• Keeping a single degu. The RSPCA says degus can become depressed alone, even with plenty of human attention. Wild groups typically have one or two males and two to five related females (Animal Diversity Web).
• Feeding “healthy” fruit and carrots. Food that is fine for a rabbit can push a degu towards diabetes. Keep sugary vegetables to tiny pieces, occasionally.
• Grabbing the tail. Degus must never be picked up by the tail (RSPCA). Let them climb onto your hand instead.
• A sunny windowsill or a glass tank. Both set them up for heatstroke or breathing problems (RSPCA).
• Two males and a female. Even neutered males may fight when females are present. Never keep more than one male in a mixed group (RSPCA).

Avoid

• Fruit, dried fruit, honey, molasses and sugary commercial treats (RSPCA)
• Rabbit, hamster and gerbil foods, and chinchilla mixes with dried fruit (RSPCA)
• Glass aquariums and vivariums (RSPCA)
• Cedar and other toxic woods; plastic toys (RSPCA)
• Temperatures above 68°F (20°C), radiators and direct sun (RSPCA)
• Cats, dogs, ferrets and birds of prey within sight, sound or smell of the cage (RSPCA)

Signs to see a vet

Check your degus every day and talk to a vet if their eating, drinking or toileting habits change (RSPCA). Specific red flags for degus:

• White teeth. Healthy degu teeth are yellow-orange; white teeth can mean poor health (RSPCA).
• Lying flat and still in warm weather. Possible overheating; call a vet straight away (RSPCA).
• Fewer droppings or no interest in hay. Degus depend on a constant flow of fibre, so a change in eating or droppings needs a prompt check (RSPCA).