Animalscaretips
- Can you introduce a new degu?
- Can degus be housed together?
- How do you pair a degu?
- Is it normal for degus to fight?
- What to do if Degu dies?
- Can male and female degus live together?
- What size cage does a degu need?
- What do degus like eating?
- Is it legal to own a Degu?
- Why do degus sleep on top of each other?
- What does it mean when a Degu wags its tail?
- Are boy or girl degus better?
- Are degus good pets?
- Are degus social?
Can you introduce a new degu?
By far the easiest way to introduce companions to a single degu is by introducing newly weaned degu pups, no older than 8 weeks old. The reason why this is the case is related to the communal nesting habits of degus in the wild.
Can degus be housed together?
Degus are very sociable and in the wild they live in colonies of up to 100 animals! They are best kept in single-sex pairs or groups of up to 6 as they love to play together and snuggle up to one another, and can become very depressed if kept on their own.
How do you pair a degu?
Keep both degus in a separate cage near each other or keep them in a cage with a divider halfway. Your degus should be able to see and smell each other. Also keep food, water, toys and exercise wheels in both cages so they won't fight over this.
Is it normal for degus to fight?
If your degus have suddenly started fighting more, and it's between November-April, then the cause is going to be breeding season hormones. Note that it is very common for degus to fight the worst during their first breeding season after puberty, and subsequent breeding seasons are usually much calmer!
What to do if Degu dies?
If you need to, visit the place your degu was buried. Send Degutopia a picture of your degu in happier times for the memorial page. Make sure any remaining degu(s) are coping with the absence and not showing signs of depression. Move the cage 'furniture' around to distract any remaining degu(s).
Can male and female degus live together?
Degus are very social animals who love the companionship of other degus. In the wild, they live in communal groups, working together to protect their territory from other communities. ... Ideally, degus should be housed in same-sex pairs, or a castrated male can live with one or more females.
What size cage does a degu need?
Degus need a large cage. A minimum cage size of 24 inches by 18 inches by 24 inches should house two degus comfortably. The larger, the better. Multilevel cages built for ferrets or chinchillas are ideal.
What do degus like eating?
Degus should have constant access to good quality hay. Hay is much more important than commercial degu nuggets and should constitute the majority of the degus diet. A small measured portion of degu nuggets and some leafy vegetables should also be part of their daily diet.
Is it legal to own a Degu?
Legality in the United States
There are only a handfull of states that have regulations that prohibit ownership and keeping degus as pets. These states are California, Utah, Georgia, Conneticut, and Alaska.
Why do degus sleep on top of each other?
Unlike some rodents, like the guinea pig, degus will usually snuggle up with other degus to sleep. They do close their eyes to sleep but will still be alert for potential danger. Since they have short sleep cycles they will be awake in no time.
What does it mean when a Degu wags its tail?
Tail Wagging
A degu will tail wag due to hormones — a female might wag/flick her tail to let a male know that she is in breeding mode — and degus also might tail wag or stomp the tail on the ground as a way of posturing/showmanship.
Are boy or girl degus better?
Conclusion. So to wrap up if male or female degus are better it ultimately comes down to their individual personalities. Because both of them can become aggressive at different times depending on the situation. But they can also show the same amount of affection towards each other and their owners as well.
Are degus good pets?
Degus are very intelligent and highly sociable animals that love to play and explore. They have a friendly nature and are outgoing little rodents. They make fantastic pets, but need a lot of care and aren't an animal you should choose on a whim.
Are degus social?
Degus are small, social and vocal rodents. They have long silky coats that are grey-brown tinged, and a long, thin tail with a tufted, black tip. Typically degus can live for 6-7 years in captivity.
