Octodon degus is generally considered endemic to west central chile, where it inhabits the lower slopes of the andes. Degus daygoo are small rodents native to chile, found in the semiarid. If your degu is suddenly drinking a lot of water, contact your veterinarian. The degu is a small caviomorph rodent that is endemic to the chilean matorral ecoregion of central chile. But degus need company and lots of it if they are to thrive. Wrap him up in the towel, with one paw exposed at a time.
They are friendly, curious creatures and can make excellent pets. From health and nutrition, to supplies and toys, youll learn everything you need to know to care for these small, friendly mammals. I have lots of information on degus as well as pictures, the degu mailing list and much more. Degu information reprinted and edited what is a degu. Degus breed like mad, so breeders and pet stores sometimes have plenty of domesticated degus for sale, but you have to look carefully as they are not a commonly stocked rodent. Degus, also known as brushtailed or trumpettailed rats, are natives of central chilean open scrubland where they are routinely exposed to droughts. The animal may be kept as a pocket pet, except there are prohibitions on their ownership in some territories. The sonographic examinations at two pregnant deguweibchen showed that a positive sonographic diagnosis even on day 20 of gestation with low fetal number and pronounced sound cancellation did not rise through the intestinal tract, although the formation of the amniotic cavity at degus to this period on day 1214 of gestation takes place and thus had to be sonographically representable also. Degus will groom themselves with their paws, and a dust bath should be provided. Degus are being explored as a wildtype rodent model for the neurodegenerative processes associated with alzheimers disease as aged but not young animals have been shown to develop neuropathological signs of alzheimers disease including the presence of amyloid aggregates in multiple regions of the brain and acetylcholinesteraserich neurons in the cerebral cortex inestrosa et al. Wild degus feed on grasses, seeds, cactus fruits, tubers, and local crops.
Degu breeding guide help and advice for looking after your. The degus are a group of octodontid rodents in the octodontidae family, but historically referred to the common degu o. Read our pet care advice on degus and chipmunks by clicking on the care sheets below. Degu, genus octodon, one of four species of ratlike south american rodents found primarily on the lower western slopes of the andes mountains. In the wild they live in elaborate burrows amongst the rocks and brush of the west andean slopes. Despite people having kept them as pets for some time, a lot people still have never even heard of degus or even if they have, know little about them. They are a rodent that is related to chinchillas and guinea pigs. Avoid fresh fruit and other sugarrich foods such as corn, peas, and potatoes. You should not allow your pet to fall pregnant more than once a year as this results in a lot of unnecessary stress on your degu and results in very early death, please remember your pet is a living creature first and always should be considered as a way of making money last. With degus being unable to metabolize sugar, diabetes is a concern. We are happy that you have decided to adopt a degu. Inspired designs on tshirts, posters, stickers, home decor, and more by independent artists and designers from around the world. Information on the supplies necessary to care for your pet. Clean cage completely once a week by replacing dirty bedding and scrubbing down the cage with warm, soapy water.
Pregnant women, children under the age of 5, senior citizens and people with weakened immune systems should contact their physician before purchasing or caring for small animals and should consider not having a small animal as a pet. The degu octodon degus is a rodent native the western foothills of the andes mountains in. Animal mammal degu information, facts, pictures and puzzles image information for kids degu information for kids an animals natural living place is called its habitat. Allow petplace to help you understand what degus are, their needs and wants, and the benefits of owning a degu.
Research tive information regarding husbandry, nutrition and behaviour is focused. Degu care sheet pet depot pet food, pet supplies, pet. Although some have argued that its range may extend north into peru, this is not well supported. If youre new to degus, you may be wondering what the big deal is. The degu has a very interesting and specific diet compared to many of the other small mammals we often associate with pet keeping. To keep a degu, make sure they have the right environment. However, the list of some diseases in pet degus has been diaz and others. Degus are available for adoption from rescue facilities where they end up often when frustrated or disappointed owners, who loved the novelty of having a pet degu but who were ignorant about the care these animals require, leave them. How to care for gerbils get tips on how to care for your gerbil. Pdf diseases in pet degus a retrospective study in 300 animals. This rodent is native to a matorral ecoregion in chile.
Degus love human interaction but they dont really enjoy being handled a lot so theyre not ideal for young children. Since their importation into the us in 1964, degus have become a popular subject of research in the areas of diabetes, cataracts, and circadian behavior. Always wash your hands after handling your degu or its housing to help maintain sanitary conditions. The arl strictly enforces this policy under the terms of the adoption contract. Scientifically known as octodon degus, degus are furry little bundles of joy that are becoming more and more popular in the domestic pet world. Oct 10, 2017 degus also are sold in pet stores in states in which these pets are legal to keep. To develop that trust, always pick up a degu correctly. The animal rescue league adopts degus to be family pets.
More information on amusing your degus on the environment enrichment page. The captive diet should consist of rodent chow low in sugar devoid of cane molasses such as guinea pig or chinchilla pellets supplemented with green vegetables, and freechoice grass hay. With all of these supplies in reach, you need the degu. The degu octodon degus is a small caviomorph rodent that is native to chile. Degu products small pets pet experts based in ireland. To be healthy and happy, degus should be kept as pets in pairs or groups. Degus in the wild degu kept in captivity is 68 years, with 9 years being the maximum expected age. Some of a skunks personality traits, such as being stubborn and headstrong, can make it a challenge to live with. The world is filled with fascinating creatures of all kinds, in numbers so vast that most of us will never begin to become familiar with even a fraction of them. Degus also are sold in pet stores in states in which these pets are legal to keep. This can be prevented, however, by offering them degu specific food and not giving foods high in sugar.
Picking up a degu incorrectly frightens the animal, and can dislocate a rib. The common degu looks very much like an oversized gerbil, with brown fur, thinskinned, rounded ears, and a bit of a roman nose. These larger rodents hail from south america and, in captivity, can live up to eight years if they are cared for correctly. While this may be true, the degu is more closely related to the rabbit and is cousin to the chinchilla. Yard signs free delivery possible on eligible purchases. Degus are charming pets and love being handled by their owners and, whilst they are relatively easy to look after.
It is the most prolific mammal in chile, where it is considered an agricultural pest. The average lifespan of a degu kept in captivity is 68 years, with 9 years being the maximum expected age. Everything you need to know about caring for a degu. Some rodents that are kept as pets are classified as nondomestic animals and meeting their specific needs can be very difficult. For more really good information on degus, check out. Very similar to chinchillas, degus make fantastic pets. One of the coolest degu facts is that they make great pets. They cover a wide range of topics, from training a puppy to caring for an older cat. All orders are custom made and most ship worldwide within 24 hours. With the tail included, the degu measures to 17 inches in length and. Of course all of us who have degus dont need to ask. At the smithsonians zoo, the degus eat a low protein pellet, leafy greens and root vegetables such as sweet potatoes and carrots. Taking care of your degu the degu octodon degus is native to the western foothills of the andes.
Degus quickly learn to hold still and welcome this process. If your degu puts on weight, cut out all treats and, if you have. Other members are also called degus, but they are distinguished by additional names. All too often, it turns out the family just doesnt have time to really take care of one pet, let alone take on a second degu so their first can have some company, so the lonely solo degu ends up at the local shelter instead. Under no circumstances should degus be used for food for other animals. Manual restraint of exotic companion mammals is a challenging but necessary part of veterinary practice. The tummy has a cream color and they have lighter circles. Degu diet the diet should consist of rodent chow low in sugar devoid of cane molasses. The common degu is a caviomorph in the rodent family that resembles a large gerbil, but is actually more closely related to chinchillas. The average litter size of a degu is five but it can be any number from one to eight. This website is for people who are considering getting degus as a pet, or already got it.
Let me show you a type of a small caviomorph rodent on facts about degus. It is common in the international pet trade, however, and is often used in laboratory studies outside of its native range. In short, a degu is a small mammal native to chile. View enhanced pdf access article on wiley online library html view download pdf for offline viewing. All information is based on an embarrassing amount of reading combined with my own experience. Degu care the degu is native to central and northern chile, where. Overweight degus have a higher risk of developing liver issues. Degus octodon degus are naturally found in the andes mountains. They are classified as mammals related to guinea pigs and chinchillas, but many people now believe that they are in actuality closer in relation to rabbits. Degu adoption is a wonderful way to provide a degu a second chance and caring environment. However, now and then a new animal will begin to gain familiarity among the general population. Most pets arrive at shelters because the owner had to move, could no longer afford the pet, had a death in the family, or simply gave up the responsibly of being a care taker for a degu. Caring for your degus petland canada pet supplies, pet. Since their importation into the us in 1964, degus have become a popular subject of research in the areas of.
In the wild, they inhabit the mountainous regions of chile, peru, bolivia and argentina. A degu pronounced daygoo is a small rodent with tweed brown colored hair. To understand why your pet degu eats what he does we can start with understanding what they eat in the wild. A close relative of the chinchilla, the degu is a gentle little rodent native to the rocky outcrops of the chilean lowland. Individuals interested acquiring a pet degu should contact a veterinarian comfortable with degu care before they purchase or adopt the pet so that they can learn about what having a degu entails before they bring one home.
Degus make the best pets simply because they fulfill all the ideal pet criteria, and more. Avian and exotic animal clinic, faculty of veterinary medicine, university of veterinary and pharmaceutical sciences, brno, czech republic. So please keep checking back to burrow through the latest information. Degu graze on grasses, foliage and seeds, and store food in their burrows during the winter. If you do not wish to receive these communications, please tick this box. There is limited information available about degu teeth problems, but information on chinchillas is relevant. Bumblefoot is common in degus, like other pets when kept on wirebottom.
If youre looking for a large, impressive lizard to keep as a pet, and one that is fairly mellow in most cases there are always exceptions, of course, including the previously mentioned golden tegu, then i highly recommend you consider a tegu. Whichever route you choose, ask questions regarding the upbringing of your new pet and observe it before. The degu is native to central and northern chile, where they live in large groups. For more information on degus and other small mammals check out our online. The degu is a small caviomorph rodent that is endemic to the chilean matorral ecoregion of central chile degu pet updated their profile picture. The weaning age is around five to six weeks and the breeding life of a degu is six years. Degus are fun, sociable animals that love to keep active. Individuals interested acquiring a pet degu should contact a veterinarian comfortable with degu care before they purchase or adopt the pet so that they can learn about what having a. My goal is not to tell you what to do, but to provide a good base information to give you the opportunity to make. The name degu on its own indicates either the entire genus octodon or, more commonly, just the common degu. A pet should always be for life, not a passing phase or a shortterm project. It is sometimes referred to as the brushtailed rat although not closely related to the rat family and is also called the common degu, to distinguish it from the other members of the genus octodon. You need a bottle of kwikstop, which is used to immediately stop bleeding, in the event that you accidentally cut down into the quick of the nail.
This page was originally developed to give out at a pet show and is online on my site. Adopting an unwanted degu is a better option, however. The scientific name of the degu is octodon degus and they are also called the brushtailed rat. As a pet, the animal is larger than a golden hamster but smaller than a fancy rat. Before adopting a degu you should think about the future, if for any reason you cannot honour a commitment this long you should reconsider adopting them. It is one of the most common mammals of central chile at elevations up to 1,200 metres 3,900 feet, where it prefers open grassy areas near shrubs.
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