<p>THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW ABOUT KEEPING DEGUS</p><p>Introduction Recently a number of less familiar rodents have been offered for sale as pets. Among these are degus. Little is written about their care in captivity and these animals are still, in many respects, wild. The best way to keep them in captivity is to mirror, as much as possible, the wild environment. In this Handout we will review the natural behaviour and habitat requirements of degus and try and relate this to how best to maintain them in captivity.</p><p>What animals are Degus related to and where do they live naturally? Degus are reasonably closely related to chinchillas and, like those animals, normally live in South America, particularly in Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. Different species inhabit areas from coastal plains through foothills to the Andes mountains up to elevations of 3,500 metres and more. This tells us that they can adapt to a considerable range of environments. They live in burrows or in rock crevices. They eat plant matter, often ranging from grass through fruit and seeds to fresh droppings of cattle and horses in the dry season. Degus have been known as agricultural pests raiding orchards and vineyards as they enjoy fruit.</p><p>Do Degus live in family groups and how long do they live? Degus live in small groups with a strong social organisation and family bond. They breed reasonably prolifically with the female requiring the presence of a male to come into heat. The young are born, as with guinea pigs, fully furred, in the case of degus after about 90 days gestation. Degus are very tolerant towards each other in captivity and a group of strangers may be left together without fear of fighting. Degus have been known to live up to 7 years in captivity, making them one of the longest living captive rodents.</p><p>What problems am I likely to encounter with Degus? There are two specific problems to note with this species. One is that during handling the animal can attempt to wriggle free and, if the handler only retains a hold on the tail, the degu spins around leaving the handler holding only the skin. The degu then bites off the exposed vertebrae and the wound heals, leaving a shortened tail.</p><p>A second problem is that degus are very prone to developing diabetes and, if they do, this often leads to a mature diabetic cataract. This is probably related to the high levels of a specific enzyme within the lens but the propensity to diabetes is not readily explained. An animal blinded in this fashion does not seem to have a particular problem and can negotiate its way around well and eat quite acceptably. </p><p>Ark Veterinary Centre</p>