How to Care for Degus: Housing, Diet, Companionship and Health

By Dr Duncan Houston

Degus are not large hamsters or miniature chinchillas.

They are intelligent, highly social, daytime-active herbivorous rodents that need companionship, substantial space, a fibre-rich diet and daily opportunities to dig, climb, forage and chew. They can make fascinating companions, but they are not low-maintenance cage pets and many do not enjoy being routinely picked up.

Most preventable degu health problems begin with a small number of husbandry errors: solitary housing, an inadequate cage, excessive sugar, insufficient hay, inappropriate handling or waiting too long when eating changes. Degus commonly live around five to eight years in captivity, so bringing them home is a significant commitment. (Frontiers)

Quick Answer

Degus should normally live indoors with at least one compatible degu in a spacious metal enclosure with solid flooring, a large solid exercise wheel, hides, tunnels, digging opportunities and a supervised dust bath.

Their diet should be based on unlimited grass hay with a measured amount of plain, low-sugar degu-appropriate pellets and small amounts of suitable leafy forage. Fruit, dried fruit, honey, molasses, sweetened treats and colourful seed mixes should be avoided. Any reduction in eating, drooling, facial swelling, breathing difficulty, tail injury or sudden weight loss requires prompt veterinary attention. (PubMed Central (PMC))

Degu Care at a Glance

Need	Practical recommendation
Companionship	A compatible pair or bonded group
Typical lifespan	Approximately five to eight years
Activity pattern	Mainly active during daylight hours
Housing	Large, secure, well-ventilated metal enclosure
Starting cage size	At least about 90 × 60 × 120 cm for a pair, with larger housing preferred
Bar spacing	Approximately 12 mm or less for adults, narrower for juveniles
Flooring	Solid, dry and non-slip, never exposed wire
Room temperature	Ideally around 18–22°C
Heat danger	Avoid direct sun and temperatures approaching or exceeding 30°C
Main diet	Unlimited grass hay
Pellets	Plain, low-sugar degu-appropriate pellets in a measured portion
Exercise wheel	Solid running surface, approximately 35 cm diameter
Dust bath	Around two or three supervised sessions weekly
Handling	Voluntary interaction, cupping or tunnel transfer, never by the tail
Veterinary care	Baseline examination, then at least annual reviews
Most common clinical concern	Acquired dental disease

These figures are practical welfare starting points rather than evidence that a cage becomes ideal at one exact centimetre. More usable floor space, more enrichment and duplicated resources are needed as group size increases. (Blue Cross)

Are Degus the Right Pet for You?

Degus are rewarding for people who enjoy observing social behaviour, training small animals and creating complex enrichment.

They may be less suitable for households wanting a cuddly pet that can be passed around regularly. Many degus enjoy taking food from the hand, investigating their owner and climbing onto a seated person, but dislike being lifted or restrained.

Before bringing degus home, consider whether you can provide:

• At least two compatible animals

• A large indoor enclosure

• A consistently cool room

• Daily cleaning and health checks

• A safe exercise area

• Ongoing replacement of heavily chewed furnishings

• Access to an exotics veterinarian

• Funds for dental imaging and treatment if required

• Care for five to eight years or longer

Degus are usually active during the day, which makes their behaviour easier to enjoy than that of many nocturnal rodents. They are also vocal and communicate using a varied range of squeaks, chirps and calls. (RSPCA)

Are Degus Suitable for Children?

A responsible adult should remain in charge of all husbandry and veterinary decisions.

Degus are fast, easily startled and physically delicate. They may bite when frightened, and incorrect restraint can cause a serious tail degloving injury. Young children should interact while seated on the floor and under close supervision rather than carrying a degu around the home.

Do Degus Need To Live With Other Degus?

Yes. Degus are strongly social animals and should normally live with at least one compatible member of their own species.

Wild degus build communal burrows, forage together, groom one another and sleep in close contact. Long-term solitary housing removes behaviours that human contact cannot replace. Routine social isolation is therefore a welfare concern rather than merely a lifestyle preference. (Blue Cross)

Suitable arrangements may include:

• A bonded pair of females

• A compatible same-sex male pair

• A stable same-sex group

• A neutered male with one or more compatible females

Mixed-sex groups must be managed to prevent accidental breeding. Ask an experienced veterinarian or rescue to confirm the sex of each animal because mistakes are easily made in young degus.

Can Male Degus Live Together?

Many male pairs or groups live successfully, particularly when they are siblings or were bonded while young.

Conflict becomes more likely when:

• The enclosure is too small

• One resource is being guarded

• Unneutered females are housed nearby

• A new adult male is introduced abruptly

• One degu becomes painful or unwell

• The group reaches social or sexual maturity

• Familiar scent is removed during a complete cage clean

Provide several hides, more than one food location, multiple water sources and enough room for one degu to leave another without becoming trapped. (Frontiers)

How Should New Degus Be Introduced?

Never place an unfamiliar degu directly into an established cage.

A safer introduction usually involves:

1. Separate secure enclosures placed near one another.

2. Enough distance that neither animal can bite through the bars.

3. Gradual exchange of clean nesting material or selected furnishings.

4. Observation for relaxed interest rather than constant threat displays.

5. Short meetings in genuinely neutral territory.

6. Slowly increasing supervised meeting time.

7. Moving them into a thoroughly rearranged enclosure only after meetings are consistently calm.

8. Providing duplicate resources once they live together.

Some chasing, vocalisation and dominance behaviour may occur, but sustained biting, ball fighting, blood, repeated cornering or one degu being prevented from eating means they should be separated immediately. (Blue Cross)

What if One Degu Dies?

The survivor should receive a veterinary examination, particularly when the cause of death is uncertain.

Do not rush an unfamiliar replacement into the enclosure the next day. Once infectious disease has been considered and the surviving degu is stable, begin a gradual introduction with a compatible animal. Human interaction can provide temporary support, but it is not a complete long-term substitute for degu companionship.

How Big Should a Degu Cage Be?

A practical starting minimum for a pair is approximately 90 cm long by 60 cm deep by 120 cm high of usable internal space.

This should be treated as a minimum starting point, not an aspirational target. Larger is better, particularly for active adults and groups of three or more. Height allows climbing, but vertical shelves do not replace sufficient floor space for running and social avoidance. (Blue Cross)

The enclosure should allow every degu to:

• Run and change direction

• Stand upright comfortably

• Climb without overcrowding

• Dig

• Use the wheel without interference

• Reach food and water

• Rest away from companions

• Hide at the same time

• Move between temperature and activity zones

What Material Should the Cage Be Made From?

Use a strong metal enclosure.

Degus can quickly destroy plastic bases, shelves, clips and accessories. Solid glass tanks and aquariums are also poor primary housing because ventilation is limited and humidity, heat and ammonia can build up.

A secure metal cage should have:

• Strong welds and locks

• No exposed plastic edge within chewing distance

• Bar spacing around 12 mm or less for adults

• Narrower spacing for juveniles

• No gaps around doors or feeder ports

• Solid covered levels

• Protection from dangerous falls

• A sufficiently deep base or separate digging box

Degus are persistent gnawers and can exploit surprisingly small weaknesses. Check the enclosure frequently rather than assuming that a cage remains escape-proof because it was secure when purchased. (Frontiers)

What Flooring Is Safe?

The main floor and every shelf should be solid.

Exposed wire or mesh concentrates pressure on the feet and increases the risk of pododermatitis, trapped toes and fractures. Wire wheels create the same problem.

Suitable surfaces may include:

• A solid metal tray covered with bedding

• Untreated hardwood shelves

• Secure ceramic tile resting areas

• Chew-resistant solid platforms

• Deep dust-extracted paper bedding

• Kiln-dried aspen or another non-aromatic safe substrate

• Hay or straw within nesting areas

Avoid:

• Exposed wire

• Exposed foam

• Plastic shelves

• Frayed fleece

• Loose fabric loops

• Aromatic cedar

• Resinous softwood shavings

• Dusty sawdust

• Damp bedding

• Materials being actively swallowed

Foam covered with fleece is not a reliable solution. Once a degu chews through the fabric, the foam becomes an obstruction hazard.

How Deep Should the Bedding Be?

Provide as much safe digging depth as the enclosure design allows.

If the cage base cannot hold deep bedding, add a substantial digging box filled with an appropriate low-dust substrate. Degus should be able to move, excavate and rearrange the material rather than merely scratch at a thin decorative layer.

A digging box may contain a suitable mixture of:

• Dust-extracted paper bedding

• Shredded plain paper

• Safe organic soil

• Appropriate sand

• Hay

Remove it if the contents become wet, mouldy or heavily contaminated.

How Many Hides Do Degus Need?

Provide at least one hide per degu, plus an additional option where possible.

Hides should:

• Have more than one exit

• Be stable

• Be large enough for shared resting

• Include an option for an individual to retreat alone

• Have no trapping points

• Be made from safe, chewable or chew-resistant material

A single hide with one entrance can become a resource that one degu guards.

What Temperature Is Safe for Degus?

Degus generally do well in a cool, well-ventilated indoor room around 18–22°C.

Do not position the enclosure:

• In direct sunlight

• Beside a radiator

• Above heating vents

• Inside a poorly ventilated conservatory

• In a hot garage or shed

• Where air-conditioning blows directly onto them

• Against a window that heats during the day

Temperatures approaching or exceeding 30°C are dangerous, particularly when ventilation is poor. Permanent outdoor housing is not recommended because of heat, cold, predators, escape and rapid environmental fluctuations. (Blue Cross)

How Can You Keep Degus Cool?

During warm weather:

• Move the enclosure into the coolest safe room.

• Use air-conditioning where available.

• Provide ceramic tiles or stone resting slabs.

• Offer wrapped frozen water bottles nearby.

• Maintain airflow without directing a strong draught at the animals.

• Check water bottle function several times daily.

• Reduce unnecessary handling.

• Never leave degus in a hot vehicle.

Do not immerse an overheated degu in ice water. Sudden or aggressive cooling can cause additional stress.

What Are the Signs of Heatstroke?

Warning signs include:

• Rapid or laboured breathing

• Open-mouth breathing

• Weakness

• Lying flat and poorly responsive

• Loss of balance

• Very warm ears or body

• Collapse

• Seizure-like activity

Move the degu to a cooler environment and seek emergency veterinary care immediately. Open-mouth breathing in a degu is never a normal way of coping at home.

How Should a Degu Cage Be Cleaned?

Spot-clean every day.

Remove:

• Wet bedding

• Spoiled fresh food

• Mouldy hay

• Urine-soaked nesting material

• Contaminated dust-bath material

• Unsafe damaged toys

• Hidden food beginning to rot

There is no single full-cleaning calendar suitable for every enclosure. Clean the enclosure thoroughly before bedding becomes damp, smelly or contaminated, but avoid stripping every familiar scent unnecessarily.

When performing a full clean:

1. Move the degus into a secure carrier or playpen.

2. Remove and inspect all furnishings.

3. Wash the enclosure with a pet-safe product.

4. Rinse away residues.

5. Dry it completely.

6. Replace damaged equipment.

7. Add clean bedding.

8. Return a small amount of dry, unsoiled familiar nesting material.

Never preserve wet or contaminated bedding merely for scent. The purpose is to maintain some familiarity without maintaining bacteria, ammonia or mould. Retaining clean familiar material can reduce stress and conflict after cage changes. (Blue Cross)

What Enrichment Do Degus Need?

Enrichment should support normal behaviour rather than simply fill the enclosure with colourful objects.

Degus need opportunities for:

• Running

• Climbing

• Digging

• Tunnelling

• Foraging

• Gnawing

• Shredding

• Social interaction

• Problem-solving

• Choosing when to hide

A suitable enclosure should contain a mixture of permanent familiar structures and rotating activities. Changing everything at once can be stressful, so keep some stable hides, routes and resting areas.

What Kind of Exercise Wheel Is Safe?

Provide a large, solid-surface wheel approximately 35 cm in diameter.

The wheel should have:

• A continuous running surface

• No wire mesh

• No open spokes

• No central crossbar that can trap a tail

• Enough width for a natural running position

• Stable attachment

• No sharp edges

A wheel is useful exercise but does not compensate for an undersized cage. (Blue Cross)

Tunnels and Hides

Useful options include:

• Clay pipes

• Cork tunnels

• Large cardboard tubes

• Untreated wooden tunnels

• Secure multi-exit boxes

• Platforms connected by ramps

• Bridges that cannot trap toes

Tube diameter must allow the largest degu to turn or reverse safely.

Digging and Foraging

Encourage foraging by:

• Scattering part of the pellet ration

• Hiding hay in several locations

• Placing pellets inside plain cardboard

• Using safe paper parcels

• Creating shallow forage trays

• Suspending safe leafy forage at a reachable height

Use the normal daily diet rather than adding sugary calories for enrichment.

What Can Degus Chew?

Suitable choices may include:

• Untreated apple branches

• Willow

• Pear

• Beech

• Ash

• Other positively identified, pesticide-free safe hardwood

• Plain cardboard

• Hay-based chews

• Untreated wooden houses

Avoid:

• Painted or varnished wood

• Pressure-treated timber

• Resinous softwoods

• Plastic toys that are being swallowed

• Rawhide

• Salt or mineral blocks marketed for tooth wear

• String that is fraying

• Fabric that is being ingested

Chewing is important enrichment, but wooden toys do not protect a degu from all dental disease. Cheek-tooth problems can develop despite abundant chew toys.

How Often Do Degus Need a Dust Bath?

Offer an appropriate small-mammal bathing sand or dust around two or three times per week for approximately 20 to 30 minutes.

Remove the bath afterwards so that it does not become a permanent toilet or accumulate moisture. Replace the material when soiled.

Reduce or temporarily stop dust bathing and seek veterinary advice if you notice:

• Red or squinting eyes

• Nasal irritation

• Persistent sneezing

• Skin wounds

• Excessive scratching

• Respiratory signs

Bathing material should be designed for small mammals. Builder’s sand, beach sand and scented products are not suitable. (Blue Cross)

Do Degus Need Time Outside the Cage?

A secure degu-proofed play area provides valuable exploration and training.

Before release:

• Close doors and windows.

• Block gaps behind furniture and appliances.

• Protect all electrical cables.

• Remove toxic plants.

• Remove foam, rubber and soft plastic.

• Keep dogs and cats out.

• Provide hides and a route back to a carrier.

• Supervise continuously.

A playpen or secured room is safer than an exercise ball. The degu should be able to choose where to move and when to rest.

What Should Degus Eat?

Degus are herbivores adapted to fibrous plant material and very little concentrated sugar.

Their natural diet consists mainly of grasses, leaves, stems and other low-energy plant material. They can process carbohydrates, but their metabolism is poorly suited to the sugary, energy-dense foods commonly sold as small-pet treats. Saying they cannot digest any carbohydrate is inaccurate. The practical issue is avoiding concentrated sugar and excessive starch. (PubMed Central (PMC))

1. Unlimited Grass Hay

Grass hay should make up most of the diet and remain available at all times.

Suitable choices include:

• Timothy hay

• Meadow hay

• Orchard grass

• Other clean grass hays

Hay supports:

• Normal gastrointestinal movement

• Prolonged chewing

• Cheek-tooth wear

• Foraging behaviour

• Healthy body weight

Replace hay that is damp, mouldy or heavily contaminated.

Adult degus generally need grass hay rather than alfalfa as their routine staple. Requirements may differ for growing, pregnant or medically compromised animals, so these groups need veterinary nutritional advice.

2. Measured Pellets

Use a plain, uniform pellet designed for degus or a carefully selected low-sugar caviomorph or chinchilla pellet.

The ingredient list should not contain:

• Molasses

• Honey

• Dried fruit

• Colourful cereal pieces

• Sweetened flakes

• Yoghurt drops

• Large amounts of seeds

• Added sugar

A practical starting point for many adults is approximately one tablespoon of pellets per degu daily, adjusted according to:

• Body weight

• Body condition

• Age

• Reproductive status

• Activity

• Pellet energy density

• Veterinary advice

Not every guinea pig, rabbit or chinchilla product is automatically suitable. Formulations vary significantly, so check the label rather than choosing by the picture on the bag. (Blue Cross)

3. Leafy Forage and Vegetables

Small portions may include:

• Dandelion leaves

• Fresh grass from a pesticide-free area

• Chicory

• Selected leafy herbs

• Suitable low-sugar leafy vegetables

• Safe dried forage

Introduce new foods slowly and one at a time. Large sudden portions of fresh food may cause digestive upset.

4. Foods To Avoid

Avoid routine feeding of:

• Fruit

• Dried fruit

• Raisins

• Banana

• Grapes

• Sweetcorn

• Honey

• Molasses

• Yoghurt drops

• Breakfast cereal

• Biscuits

• Bread

• Sweet commercial rodent treats

• Sugary chew sticks

• Large amounts of carrot or sweet root vegetables

Nuts and sunflower seeds are calorie-dense and should only be used, if at all, as tiny occasional training rewards.

What About Water?

Provide fresh water continuously.

A securely attached bottle is usually the most practical option because bedding quickly contaminates open bowls. Check the drinking mechanism every day by tapping the ball and confirming flow.

A heavy bowl may be offered in addition if the degus use it without repeatedly filling it with bedding, but it must remain clean and stable.

Why Is Dental Care So Important?

Both the incisors and cheek teeth of degus grow continuously.

Hay and fibrous chewing are essential, but acquired dental disease can still occur and may involve abnormal cheek-tooth wear, crown elongation, apical elongation, malocclusion, fractures, enamel abnormalities or dental masses. (Royal Veterinary College)

In a retrospective study of 300 veterinary patients, dental disease was recorded in 60% of the degus presented, with a higher frequency among older animals. A separate rescue-population study found dental disorders in 34.7% of 225 degus and identified cheek-tooth malocclusion as a major negative prognostic finding. These were selected clinical and rescue populations, not proof that every pet degu has a 60% lifetime risk, but they demonstrate how important dental surveillance is. (PubMed)

Signs of Dental Disease

Watch for:

• Eating more slowly

• Refusing hay while still taking soft food

• Picking food up and dropping it

• Drooling

• Wet fur beneath the chin

• Smaller or fewer droppings

• Weight loss

• Weepy eyes

• Nasal discharge

• Facial swelling

• Bad breath

• Uneven incisors

• Incisors growing at an angle

• Sudden whitening or discolouration of the incisors

• Noisy or laboured breathing

Cheek-tooth apices may elongate before obvious crown abnormalities appear. This means an awake glance at the front teeth cannot rule out dental disease. Skull radiographs or CT may be required when signs persist. (PubMed)

Do Chew Toys Prevent Dental Disease?

No.

Chew toys are useful enrichment and support normal incisor use. They cannot correct:

• Cheek-tooth malocclusion

• Apical elongation

• Genetic jaw abnormalities

• Previous fractures

• Dental infection

• Elodontoma formation

• Metabolic bone abnormalities

A degu that stops eating hay needs an examination, not a harder wooden block.

How Should Degus Be Handled?

The safest interaction is voluntary.

Begin by:

1. Sitting beside the enclosure.

2. Allowing the degus to approach.

3. Offering part of the normal pellet ration from your hand.

4. Rewarding calm investigation.

5. Training them to enter a tunnel or carrier.

6. Progressing to brief touching only when relaxed.

Approach from the side rather than reaching suddenly from above. A descending hand can resemble an aerial predator.

When lifting is necessary:

• Cup both hands around the body.

• Support the chest and hindquarters.

• Hold the degu close to a low surface.

• Keep the session brief.

• Return the degu before struggling escalates.

Tunnel transfer is often safer and less stressful than chasing and grabbing. (Frontiers)

Never Pick a Degu Up by the Tail

The skin and fur can separate from the underlying tail in a degloving injury.

This may occur when:

• Someone grabs the tail

• The tail becomes trapped

• Another degu bites it

• The animal falls while the tail is restrained

• A door or wheel mechanism catches it

A degloved tail may expose tissue and bone and can become infected. Do not cut, pull or bandage it tightly at home. Control active bleeding with gentle pressure and contact an exotics veterinarian the same day. (Blue Cross)

Is Towel Restraint Safe?

A towel can help with brief necessary veterinary restraint when used correctly.

Routine “burrito” wrapping should not be scheduled as daily handling or enrichment. It removes choice and may increase fear, struggling and overheating. Training voluntary entry into a carrier, tunnel or weighing container is a better long-term strategy.

What Are the Most Common Health Problems in Degus?

Dental Disease

Dental disease is the dominant clinical concern and may cause eating changes, weight loss, drooling, facial swelling, eye discharge and even breathing difficulty. Early imaging provides more options than waiting for severe incisor deformity. (PubMed)

Diabetes and Cataracts

Degus have unusual carbohydrate metabolism and are susceptible to hyperglycaemia and diabetes, particularly when fed inappropriate sugary or energy-dense diets.

Possible signs include:

• Increased drinking

• Increased urination

• Weight change

• Reduced activity

• Cataracts

• Progressive visual impairment

Not every cataract means diabetes. Cataracts also become more common with age, so a cloudy eye should prompt an examination and blood glucose assessment rather than an automatic diagnosis. (Frontiers)

Fur Chewing and Skin Disease

Alopecia caused by fur chewing was one of the most frequently recorded problems in the 300-degu retrospective study.

Possible contributors include:

• Social tension

• Excessive grooming by a companion

• Inadequate enrichment

• Pain

• Parasites

• Fungal disease

• Other dermatological illness

Patchy hair loss should be examined rather than dismissed as boredom. (PubMed)

Fighting Injuries

Bites may appear small while creating deeper tissue injury or infection.

Seek veterinary advice for:

• Broken skin

• Swelling

• Lameness

• Pain

• A foul smell

• Pus

• Reduced eating

• A wound near the eye, chest, abdomen or genital area

Separate fighting animals safely. Do not place your bare hand between degus locked in a serious fight.

Respiratory Signs

Sneezing or discharge may result from:

• Dusty bedding

• Poor ventilation

• Infection

• Dental-root disease

• Nasal obstruction

• Heat stress

• A mass

Open-mouth breathing, marked abdominal breathing or blue-grey tissues is an emergency. Severe dental apical elongation can obstruct the nasal passages, so respiratory signs should not automatically be treated as a simple infection. (Academia)

Reproductive Problems

Females may develop dystocia or postpartum disease, while males can develop penile or preputial injuries. Breeding should not be undertaken casually because complications can become rapidly life-threatening. (OA Monitor Ireland)

How Should You Monitor Degu Health?

Every Day

Check:

• Whether each degu is eating hay

• Pellet intake

• Water bottle function

• Number and appearance of droppings

• Normal daytime activity

• Breathing

• Eyes and nose

• Social interaction

• Evidence of fighting

• Tail condition

Observe individuals rather than assuming the group is eating normally because the food disappears.

Every Week

Record each degu’s weight separately.

Also inspect:

• Incisor alignment and colour

• Chin and chest for saliva

• Feet

• Nails

• Coat

• Tail

• Any lumps

• Wheel and cage safety

• Hidden food stores

Weight loss may reveal dental or systemic disease before the degu looks visibly thin.

Veterinary Examinations

Arrange a baseline examination after adoption and at least annual reviews with an exotics veterinarian.

Older degus, those with previous dental disease and animals showing subtle weight changes may benefit from more frequent examinations and dental imaging.

How Worried Should You Be?

Lower Risk

The degus:

• Live in a compatible group

• Eat hay normally

• Maintain stable weights

• Produce normal droppings

• Remain active

• Have clear eyes

• Breathe quietly

• Have no wounds

Action: Continue daily monitoring and routine veterinary care.

Moderate Concern

A degu has:

• Mild but persistent weight loss

• Reduced hay intake

• A small area of fur loss

• New social tension

• Mild eye discharge

• A damaged tooth

• A slight change in droppings

• Increased drinking

Action: Arrange an exotics veterinary appointment within the next few days. Do not wait for complete food refusal.

High Concern

A degu has:

• Stopped eating hay

• Markedly reduced overall appetite

• Drooling

• Facial swelling

• Fewer or no droppings

• Persistent diarrhoea

• A bite wound

• Tail degloving

• Significant lameness

• Rapid weight loss

• Increasing respiratory effort

Action: Seek same-day veterinary care.

Critical

A degu has:

• Open-mouth breathing

• Collapse

• Minimal responsiveness

• Seizures

• Severe bleeding

• Inability to stand

• A swollen, painful abdomen

• Severe heat exposure

• A major traumatic injury

• Complete food refusal with weakness

Action: Attend an emergency exotics service immediately.

When Is This an Emergency?

Seek immediate veterinary care if your degu develops:

• Open-mouth or markedly laboured breathing

• Collapse

• Severe weakness

• Seizures

• Uncontrolled bleeding

• A badly degloved tail

• A deep bite or crush injury

• Inability to stand

• Severe abdominal enlargement

• Rapid deterioration after heat exposure

• Complete inability to eat or swallow

• Food or fluid coming from the nose

• A painful, bulging or injured eye

Small rodents can deteriorate quickly. A degu that has stopped eating should not be monitored until the next day simply because there is still food in the shared cage.

What To Do Right Now

Use this checklist to improve an existing setup:

1. Confirm companionship. Plan for a compatible pair or group rather than routine solitary housing.

2. Measure the enclosure. Aim for at least about 90 × 60 × 120 cm for a pair, with more room wherever possible.

3. Check every gap. Replace cages with bar spacing wider than is safely appropriate.

4. Cover all wire floors and shelves.

5. Remove exposed plastic, foam and frayed fabric.

6. Install a solid wheel of approximately 35 cm diameter.

7. Add several hides and duplicate food and water resources.

8. Provide unlimited fresh grass hay.

9. Remove fruit, molasses, honey and sweetened treats.

10. Review the pellet ingredient list.

11. Add a digging box, tunnels and safe hardwood.

12. Train the degus to enter a carrier or tunnel voluntarily.

13. Buy an accurate digital scale.

14. Register with an exotics veterinarian before an emergency occurs.

Common Degu Care Mistakes

Keeping One Degu Alone

Human attention does not replace degu-to-degu grooming, communication and shared resting.

Buying a Tall but Narrow Cage

Height is valuable, but degus also need meaningful horizontal floor space and room to avoid one another.

Using 2 cm Bar Spacing as a Default

This may allow escape or head entrapment, particularly in smaller adults or juveniles. Around 12 mm or less is a safer adult target.

Using Wire Floors or Wheels

These increase the risk of foot injuries and trapped limbs.

Feeding Fruit Because It Is “Natural”

Fruit is concentrated sugar and is unnecessary for degu health.

Assuming Any Chinchilla or Guinea Pig Food Is Suitable

Commercial formulations vary. Some contain molasses, dried fruit, seeds or nutrient concentrations inappropriate for degus.

Believing Chew Toys Prevent All Dental Disease

Chew toys do not prevent cheek-tooth malocclusion, apical elongation or dental masses.

Picking a Degu Up by the Tail

This can cause a major degloving injury.

Repeatedly Forcing Handling

A degu that stops struggling may be frightened, not relaxed. Voluntary carrier and tunnel training are safer.

Removing Every Familiar Scent During Cleaning

Complete scent stripping can increase anxiety and group conflict. Retain only clean familiar nesting material.

Waiting for a Degu To Look Very Sick

Weight loss, altered chewing and reduced hay intake are earlier and more useful warning signs.

A Practical Daily Routine

Morning

• Confirm that every degu is active and responsive.

• Check hay intake and droppings.

• Test the water bottle.

• Replace wet bedding.

• Remove spoiled food.

• Refresh hay.

• Provide the measured pellet ration through scattering or foraging.

During the Day

• Maintain access to the wheel, tunnels and hides.

• Offer a digging or shredding activity.

• Spend calm time near the enclosure.

• Practise voluntary hand, tunnel or carrier training.

• Allow supervised exercise in a secured room or playpen.

Evening

• Recheck appetite and water.

• Count and assess droppings.

• Inspect for fighting injuries.

• Remove fresh food that may spoil.

• Confirm room temperature remains safe overnight.

Two or Three Times Weekly

• Offer a supervised dust bath.

• Inspect wheel and cage furnishings for dangerous chewing.

• Rotate selected enrichment without changing the entire layout.

Weekly

• Weigh each degu.

• Examine the front teeth, eyes, chin, feet and tail.

• Check all locks, bars and joins.

• Deep-clean soiled sections while preserving some clean familiar scent.

• Review whether every group member is eating and using resources normally.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can degus live alone?

Routine solitary housing is not appropriate. Degus are highly social and should normally live with at least one compatible degu. Temporary separation may be necessary because of illness, quarantine or dangerous aggression.

Can degus eat fruit?

Fruit is unnecessary and should generally be avoided because of its sugar content. Use hay, low-sugar forage and part of the normal pellet ration for treats and training.

Can degus eat chinchilla pellets?

Some plain, low-sugar chinchilla pellets may be suitable, but not every product is appropriate. Avoid formulas containing molasses, dried fruit, coloured cereal pieces or large quantities of seeds. Degu-specific pellets are preferable where a reputable product is available.

How often do degus need a dust bath?

Around two or three supervised sessions per week for approximately 20 to 30 minutes is a reasonable starting routine. Remove the bath when the session ends and replace contaminated material.

Do degus enjoy being held?

Many enjoy interacting with people but do not enjoy being picked up or carried. Sitting on the floor, hand-feeding part of the normal diet and training voluntary carrier entry generally builds a better relationship than repeated restraint.

Final Thoughts

Good degu care is built around the species’ biology, not around what fits conveniently into a small-pet cage.

The most important principles are:

1. Degus need compatible degu companionship.

2. They need a large metal enclosure with both height and usable floor space.

3. Every walking and running surface should be solid.

4. The room must remain cool and well ventilated.

5. Unlimited grass hay is the dietary foundation.

6. Sugary foods and sweetened treats should be avoided.

7. Dental disease can develop despite abundant chew toys.

8. Handling should be voluntary whenever possible.

9. The tail must never be used for restraint.

10. Daily appetite checks and weekly weight records identify illness early.

11. A reduction in hay intake is clinically important.

12. Breathing difficulty, collapse, severe injury or complete food refusal requires urgent care.

A thriving degu should be busy, social, curious and able to choose between running, digging, chewing, hiding, foraging and resting. The best enclosure is not the one with the most accessories. It is the one that gives every degu enough space, resources and control to perform normal behaviour safely.

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ASK A VET™ can help you review enclosure photographs, cage measurements, diet labels, body-weight trends and changes in eating or behaviour while you arrange care with a degu-experienced veterinarian. A degu with breathing difficulty, collapse, severe bleeding, tail degloving or complete food refusal still requires immediate hands-on veterinary treatment.