How to Care for a Pet Degu
Though it has not become as popular as a pet as its cousins the chinchilla and guinea pig, the degu is fast catching up to them. With its social, playful manners and cute demeanor, opening your home to a pet degu can be a rewarding experience, as long as you care for them properly.
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Instructions
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House it appropriately. Degus grow up to 7 inches long in the body with another 5 or 6 inches in tail length. Because of its size, it requires a large cage with enough floor space where it can stretch, run about, dig if they feel like it and play. Commercial built cages for rabbits or ferrets that have multiple levels, ramps and even swings that are ideal, as this will give it plenty of places to stay busy. The cage should be made of metal because, like many rodents, a degu loves to chew and could quickly chew its way free from a plastic or even wooden enclosure. The bottom of the cage should have a layer of bedding material, though wood shavings are not a good idea for small animals. A nesting box is also neccessary for the comfort of a degu, as having a place to hide and sleep will make it much more comfortable emotionally.
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Keep it clean. A degu is similar to a chinchilla in that it must "bathe" itself in dust to keep its skin and fur healthy. Make sure to provide them with a few inches of chinchilla dust several times a week, which can be found at most pet stores, so it can clean itself.
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Give it things to chew on. Don't ever give a degu plastic toys or food dishes, as it can chew the items into dangerous plastic splinters or ingest pieces that could be toxic. But because it loves to chew and will do it happily for hours, you must make sure something is always available. Wooden chew sticks and toys are a good idea, and available at pet stores in the small animal section.
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Feed it properly. Degus have a low tolerance for sugary foods and there are several things, such as potato skins and certain roots, that make them very sick if eaten. A degu needs a diet high in fiber, which most chinchilla and guinea pig feed offers. A constant supply of Timothy Hay is important, and some raw vegetables such as carrots and green beans can be given sparingly. Clean, fresh water needs to be available at all times as well.
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Socialize them. Like many other rodents, degus are social animals that need to be around others of their own kind. If that isn't possible, your degu needs regular attention from its human "family." It is best to start handling it when it is still young so it gets used to being around people. If your degu does not have someone to interact with most of the time, whether it is another degu or a human being, it could become antisocial, nervous and even aggressive.
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Monitor its health. Degus are prone to diabetes and vitamin deficiencies, so it is important to keep an eye on the diet. Your degu can become depressed and anxious if left alone too much, so keeping an eye on its emotional well-being is just as important as keeping on eye on its physical well-being. Pay attention to your degu’s normal behaviors and routines, so if it breaks from them (a sign it may be ill) you will be aware of it right away.
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Tips & Warnings
The digestive system of the degu is not made to process glucose, so sugary foods can make it very sick. Be sure to read all food bag labels before feeding anything to your degu, as something that looks like it is just plant material could contain sugar you aren’t aware of.
