There are many small animals on people’s radars these days when it comes to finding the right pet for your home. They are quickly becoming a very popular choice for people that do not have the space to own a dog or cat. One such pet is the Octodon Degu, or Degu for short. This very social and adventurous creature is very similar to the chinchilla and ranges from 5-7 inches with another 6 inches of tail. This rounds the Degu out to about a foot in total length. This is a great pet for those that would like to have an animal live a healthy life span as the Degu can live up to 10 years. Typically the Degu will enjoy an n active 8-year life, and there will never be a dull moment when a Degu is concerned.
Degus are considered extremely active and curious animals, they will always explore should they be given the space to and will seldom be found sleeping during the daytime hours as Degus are diurnal. If you handle your Degu at a very young age and very often, the Degu will become very tame and easy to trust. If you do not socialize or interact with your Degu however, you will find that it will become very neurotic and aggressive. This is due to their extremely social nature. If you have been thinking about purchasing a Degu you may want to consider buying more than one as this will help with the Degu development due to their active and social lifestyles. Degus need an ample amount of exercise and should be kept active while awake so they do not become bored or lazy.
Having a lot for the Degu to explore while they are awake and alert is a very good idea, while in the wild Degus will construct vast tunnel systems in their colony much like prairie dogs. By having newspaper strips and cotton batting scattered within their home, you will encourage their digging and burrowing nature that is a major part of their make up. Aside from digging and burrowing, Degus are avid chewers and will indeed find means of escape should you opt for a wooden cage to house them in. a wire cage will be the best method of keeping them where they belong. The cage should ideally be of the larger variety, as they will need room to play, this would especially be the case if you have more than one Degu residing in the same environment. The minimum recommended cage size should be 24 inches long x 18 inches deep x 24 inches tall. This will adequately house two active Degus and you will not see size constrictions.
When choosing a cage for your Degu, or more than one, it would be best that you have a solid floor to the cage and not a wired one. This is because Degus are prone to foot problems, they can easily get their feet caught in a wired floor and could really hurt themselves. Not unlike any other smaller animal make sure that you do not use cedar or pine chips as a form of bedding as the oils in the wood can impose skin irritation and repertory tract problems. Using paper pellets or shredded newspaper works best. Some people elect to use a form of cotton batting like the type that couches are stuffed with. This will ensure that they will be comfortable and healthy. You will need to change this on a regular basis again for health reasons. A very good idea would be a nest box for your Degu and it will simply fit right into a cage that is large enough. The nesting box is very important for the Degu as it offers them a safe haven should they not wish to be disturbed. This gives the animal a sense of security and will allow the Degu to be social under its own terms and not feel forced or pressured.
Degus are in many ways like chinchillas where a dust bath is concerned. They will need to have a dust bath 2-3 times a week and this can be done at their own leisure provided you place a shallow bowl in their cage with sand or a store bought chinchilla bath dust.
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