What kind of animal is a degus?
The Degus are a group of octodontid rodents in the Octodontidae family, but historically referred to the common degu ( O. degus ). O. gliroides, the mountain degu, found in the foothills of the Andes in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile.
Can degus eat meat?
Since degus are herbivores, they have no need to eat meat or insects. They might attack a bug that wanders into their cage, but they might not be interested in eating it. Cooked meat is off-limits and won’t be good for them to digest. They cannot eat cooked eggs of any kind, but they can chew the eggshell in small quantities.
How long do degus feed their young?
In the wild, male degus may spend as much time feeding and huddling with the young as females do. Pups begin to eat solid food at about two weeks of age, and venture out of the burrow at three weeks.
How long do degus live?
They usually live 3 - 4 years in the wild and 5 - 8 years in captivity. Degus mainly occur in the west central Chile, where they live in "matorral" habitat - a mediterranean-type semi-arid shrubland, located on the lower western slopes of the Andes.
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Is a degu a herbivore?
Common degus are strictly herbivorous, in the wild feeding on grasses and browsing the leaves of shrubs, though they will also take seeds. Throughout much of the year forage is dried and so common degus are specially adapted to a very high fibre intake, and this varies between food types and environmental conditions.
Is a degu an omnivore?
The degu belongs to the order of rodents and the suborder of hystricomorphs, which explains why it is herbivorous and not omnivorous like rats, mice, hamsters and gerbils, which belong to the suborder of myomorphs. It is a very docile small mammal with an average lifespan of up to 10 years.
What do pet degus eat?
Degus eat a diet high in roughage and low in carbohydrates. Thus, the basis of a proper degu diet is a combination of high-quality chinchilla or guinea pig pellets and a rodent block. Make nutrient-rich grass, like Timothy hay or alfalfa, available at all times.
Can degus eat rat food?
Thus, pet degus should not be fed sugary treats but should be offered commercially available rodent pellets or blocks (those made for rats are generally fine) along with leafy greens, such as dark lettuces and dandelion greens, plus vegetables, such as sweet potatoes, cucumber, bell peppers, and carrots, and unlimited ...
Are degus smelly?
So, do Degus smell? They do, but while noticeable, their smell is innocuous, and they smell far less than other rodents such as Hamsters. Like with all animals that are kept in cages, any foul odors often depend on the cleanliness of the cage.
Do degus like to be held?
Degus do like to socialize with their owners. However, degus do not like to be held or cuddled. Allow your degu to come to you, and limit the amount of time you spend holding it.
Do degus eat meat?
Degus are naturally found in northern and central Chile. They are herbivores, or vegetarians, which means that degu food should never contain any meat. In the wild, they primarily eat fibrous vegetation that is naturally found in the Chilean mountains and plains.
What can degus not eat?
What should I avoid feeding my degus?Food containing molasses.Rabbit food (often contains wrong nutrients and sometimes has ingredients toxic to degus)Fruit (the occasional bit of apple is OK but anything else should be avoided)Sweet potato skins.Hamster and gerbil foods (too high in protein for degus)More items...
Do degus bite?
Yes, degus can bite each other. Most degus will bite each other when they live in cramped quarters with other degus since they become territorial.
Can degus eat cucumber?
Certain vegetables, like broccoli, brussels sprouts, cabbage and celery, can be fed once or twice a week. Others, like apples, carrots, cucumber, peas or sweet potato, should be fed more rarely (for example, once a month) as they can be high in sugar or carbohydrates.
Can degus eat watermelon?
Only feed fresh or unsweetened frozen watermelon to your dog. Do not feed them watermelon that is canned, sugared or packed in syrup. The sugar content is too high, and these foods might have added preservatives and sweeteners like xylitol which can be deadly to dogs.
Are degus smart?
Degus are highly social, intelligent rodents native to the highlands of Chile.
What can degus not eat?
What should I avoid feeding my degus?Food containing molasses.Rabbit food (often contains wrong nutrients and sometimes has ingredients toxic to degus)Fruit (the occasional bit of apple is OK but anything else should be avoided)Sweet potato skins.Hamster and gerbil foods (too high in protein for degus)More items...
Can degus have egg?
Naturally high in beneficial fibre and rich in vitamins – including Vitamin C for healthy skin, coat and gums, Vitamin A to maintain healthy eyesight and Vitamin E to maintain a healthy immune system – an egg cup-size portion daily (per degu) will provide all the nutrients they need.
Can degus eat guinea pig food?
It is highly recommended that your degus are fed on a good-quality guinea pig food or a degu-specific feed as these contain all the vitamins, minerals and other nutrients your degus need, without containing any harmful substances.
Are degus like rats?
Very similar to rats. With a body the size of a rat's and a tail the length of a gerbil's, degus (also called brush-tailed rats) look kind of like oversized gerbils. Intelligent like their rat cousins, degus are very social and full of personality.
How does a degus escape predators?
This animal has a rather unique way of escaping predators: if its tail is caught, degus spins until its skin breaks away, allowing the animal to flee. During the winter, these rodents store food. Old individuals of this species have been known to consume meat. Degus possess keen senses of smell, sight and hearing.
Why are degus important?
Due to selective browsing, degus play an important role in the ecosystem of their range. They are known to reduce the fiber content of their diet by consuming shrubs that are relatively less fibrous and thorny. They often drive away conspecifics in order to increase their feeding area. On the other hand, due to consuming and damaging cultivated prickly pear cactus, wheat, vineyards and orchards, degus are considered a pest species in some part of their range. In other parts of their range, these animals are a key prey species for local predators.
What are the diurnal animals that live together?
Degus are semi-fossorial, digging huge burrow systems, where they live together with Bennett's chinchilla rats. Feeding occurs above the surface, although they tend to descend to the low branches of shrubs to find food. Degus enjoy wallowing in dust.
How old are degus when they are adult?
Weaning occurs within 4 - 5 weeks, while sexual maturity is reached at 12 - 16 weeks old. They attain adult size at 6 months old. As a general rule, young degus remain in single-sex groups until around 9 months of age, and only after that they begin breeding.
How many male degus are there?
Habits and Lifestyle. Degus are social animals, forming small groups of 1 - 2 males and 2 - 5 females, which are typically related. Females of a group practice allomothering, rearing offspring of one another. Each group has its own territory, where it lives during most of the year.
What do degus eat?
As herbivorous animals, degus mainly consume leaves, bark, forbs as well as seeds of various shrubs.
How long do degus live?
In addition, degus are very vocal animals. They usually live 3 - 4 years in the wild and 5 - 8 years in captivity. Di.
What and how do degus drink?
Bowl: If you have a colony of degus, they will appreciate a drinking bowl as long as this is in a part of their cage they are not scampering around or through. This will make their water dirty and get them wet, which is always bad. It can be elevated so they have to climb up onto a slightly raised platform to get to this water source.
What do degus eat in the wild?
Wild degus consume everything plant-based in nature. This includes roots, grass, hay, and a variety of flowers and their stems. They will spend most of their waking hours foraging for items that are native to where they live.
How long can a degu live without food?
One of the most amazing features about the wild degu is that they can live up to 3 weeks without eating. But in captivity, you better not attempt this. The maximum amount of time you can go without feeding them is a day or two. This is still unadvised just for their safety but if they access plenty of hay and water, they will be fine. It’s always best to have someone feed your degu if you go on a trip for the weekend.
How old do baby degus start eating?
Baby degus start eating regular food at just 4 weeks old. You can give them seeds and nuts so they get used to chewing regularly and introduce the dry pellets too. As they get older, make sure they have a variety of fresh veggies. They will eat less than half a tablespoon per feeding at least 3 times a day.
How much food do degus eat?
A fully grown degu will eat a total of 10 grams of food, pellets, seeds, and vegetables. This will amount to 1-2 tablespoons of various bits of food you prepare for each feeding. Since they need to eat twice a day, the 10 grams is split into 5 grams per serving.
What to feed a degu?
Then spread this onto a Weetabix cracker. Give this as a healthy meal your degu will enjoy devouring.
Do degus chew bark?
In the wild degus enjoy chewing bark but your degu will certainly enjoy the following woods:
What do degus eat?
Degus are herbivores and what they most like to eat is alfalfa, lucerne, grass pellets and veggies. They also love fruits but make sure you chop them into small pieces because if not, then your degu can choke on it.
What does "social interaction" mean for degus?
They enjoy social interaction, which means getting along with other degus or pets in the house.
What to know when choosing degus as pets?
Finally, what you must remember about choosing degus as pets is that they are very active and when you decide to buy a pair what do they.
What do we call burrowing rodents?
Degus are what we call burrowing rodents. What does it mean?
How long do degus live?
Degus are what we call short-lived rodents, and their life span is about three years.
Where do degus live?
Degu is a name given to a group of rodents that are native to the Andes mountains.
Why are squid high maintenance?
They are high maintenance creatures because it takes a lot of time and patience if you want them to be healthy and happy.
How are octodon degus different from other octodons?
Octodon degus can be distinguished from the two other members of the genus Octodon by slight differences in dental morphology. It is also smaller than its relatives and its tail is said to be more noticeably tufted.
What animals prey on Octodon degus?
Octodon degus is subject to predation by larger mammals such as culpeo foxes ( Lycalopex culpaeus ), and from the air by raptors such as barn owls ( Tyto alba ), short-eared owls ( Asio flammeus ), and black-chested buzzard eagles ( Geranoaetus melanoleucus ). Degus use vigilance and cover to avoid predators.
What is the social behavior of degus?
Dustbathing is an important social behavior among degus. Groups repeatedly mark favorite wallows with urine and anal gland secretions. This may help the group identify each other by scent as well as delineating territorial boundaries. Degus are mainly diurnal, and are most active during the morning and evening.
How many pups does a degus have?
The gestation period is 90 days, and litter size is typically 4-6 pups. The young are precocial.
What do degus eat?
Degus are generalist herbivores. They feed on the leaves, bark, and seeds of shrubs and forbs. Among their favorite foods are the bark of Cestrum palqui and Mimosa cavenia, leaves and bark of Proustia cuneifolia, Atriplex repunda, and Acacia caven, annuals such as Erodium cicutarum when in season, green grasses, and thistle seeds. Degus choose food items that reduce fiber and increase nitrogen and moisture in the diet, and thus prefer young leaves and avoid woodier shrubs. Degus rely on microbial fermentation in their enlarged cecum (they are "hindgut fermenters") to digest their food. They reingest a large percentage of their feces, usually during the night. This allows them to maximize their digestion. Degus store food in the winter, and it has been reported that they occasionally eat meat in old age. ( Gutierrez and Bozinovic, 1998; Kenagy, et al., 1999; Veloso and Kenagy, 2005; Woods and Boraker, 1975)
How high can a degus be?
Degus appear to be limited to elevations below 1200 meters, both by the distribution of their habitat and by their intolerance of low oxygen partial pressure. Degus are well able to inhabit lands influenced by cattle grazing, and are agricultural pests in some areas. ( Contreras, et al., 1987; Fulk, 1976)
Why are degus used in research?
Degus are frequently kept as pets, and are used extensively in laboratory research. Because they are largely diurnal, they are useful in research on circadian rhythms, and their intolerance of sugars makes them ideal models for diabetes research. ( Lee, 2004)
What is a degu?
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Jump to navigation Jump to search. The Degus are a group of octodontid rodents in the Octodontidae family , but historically referred to the common degu ( O. degus ). Degus are placed in 2 genera: Genus Octodon. O. bridgesi, Bridges's degu, found in Argentina and Chile.
Where is the Pacific degu found?
O. pacificus, the Mocha Island degu or Pacific degu, a recently discovered species found exclusively on Mocha Island, Chile. Genus Octodontomys. O. gliroides, the mountain degu, found in the foothills of the Andes in Argentina, Bolivia and Chile. Topics referred to by the same term. This disambiguation page lists articles associated with ...
Where are bridgesi found?
O. bridgesi, Bridges's degu, found in Argentina and Chile. O. degus, the common degu, historically referred to as just "degu", found in central Chile. O. lunatus, the moon-toothed degu, a nocturnal animal found in central Chile.
