Degu Diet
Degus are sugar intolerant and are prone to diabetes. A commercial hamster/gerbil mix is therefore unsuitable and extra care needs to be taken to restrict sugar and avoid sugary treats.
Water
Water should be offered in a bottle and constantly available. Glass bottles are best for degu, to avoid them damaging the plastic bottle. It is also good to use a metal clasp to attach the bottle. Your cage should be out of direct sunlight, but if you notice green algae in the bottles this must be cleaned with a bottle brush and you will need to reconsider where your cage is located.
Main Diet
A base mix of Chinchilla pellets (not mix as this may contain sugary dried fruits) together with a decent guinea pig mix is recommended.
Hay
Hay provides essential roughage in a degu's diet. This needs to be a good quality, such as Timothy Hay to provide enough fibre. Degu need constant access to hay, which can be supplied through a wooden or metal hay rack or scattered around the cage. You can mix alfalfa hay in as an extra treat but keep amounts low as this has high protein and calcium which could put strain on kidneys.
Fresh Food
Avoid fresh fruit due to the sugar content but some vegetables are okay in small amounts, such as broccoli, carrot, green beans, lettuce and peas. Offer small amounts and vary the types of veg offered to reduce the risk of bloat. Basil, Mint and Parsley are some of the safe herbs for degu.
Treats
Sunflower seeds and pumpkin seeds, whole hazel or brazil nuts are good treats but must be offered in very small amounts due to the high fat and protein contents. Dried herb mixes sold in pet shops are often popular. If untreated with pesticides, fresh dandelions from your garden is a lovely treat for your pet.
Other good treats include rolled porridge oats, flaked corn/mazie and flaked peas and dried rosehips.
Overview of Degu
Degus are also known as the common degu, or occasionally as the brush-tailed rat; They have an average lifespan of 6-8 years. Degus are larger than Mongolian Gerbils, typically measuring from 25-31cm with a weight of around 170-300g. The majority of Degus in captivity retain their natural agouti colour, although a blue variant does exist.
Degus are an extremely active, social rodent. In the wild they would live in large colonies so should be kept with company in captivity. A lonely pet Degu has a much lower life expectancy, and quality, than a Degu kept with company. Introducing adult Degus can be very tricky and is best done outside of their natural breeding season (early winter-late spring each year) when they are likely to be less territorial. However this is not recommended if you also have any girls where they can be smelt, as the male degu may fight when the girl comes into season. A neutered male degu can be introduced more easily to a female/females than to another male.
They are naturally diurnal which makes them an easier pet to interact with. They are generally friendly, and very intelligent.
Degus gained prominence in the UK pet trade around 2007, which resulted in a large rescue effort. The long lifespan, complicated diet, large cage requirements and high activity level make them unsuitable as a pet for a very young child or someone unprepared.
Degus and Chinchillas can co-habit, although degus should be provided with a separate area but connected area that they can retreat to if needed. This should only be attempted by a keeper experienced with rodents and would never substitute for company of their own kind.