Species · Herbivore grazer
Degu
Octodon degus
The sociable, sunbathing rodent that can’t have sugar — a diabetes-prone colony animal that’s long-lived and underdocumented.
Difficulty: IntermediatePrintable care sheet →
Degus are the sociable, sunbathing, chatty little rodents that break the nocturnal mould — they’re diurnal, so you actually see them living their lives. They’re also underdocumented and quietly demanding: they’re highly prone to diabetes and simply can’t have sugar, they live in colonies, and they overheat easily. This is the honest guide — what’s normal, what’s urgent, and what the pet shop got wrong.
Care at a glance
| Adult size | A sturdy brown rodent, a bit larger than a big gerbil, with a long tail ending in a tuft — built low and quick, and famous for the healthy orange colour of its front teeth. |
|---|---|
| Lifespan | On average 6–8 years, and some reach nine — long-lived for a small rodent, so a real multi-year commitment. |
| Enclosure | A large, tall, multi-level cage — the bigger the better — with plenty of room to run, jump, climb, chew, dig and dust-bathe. It must be metal: degus chew straight through plastic and wood. Multi-level ferret or chinchilla cages can work, as long as the bar gaps are narrow enough that a degu can’t squeeze through or get its head stuck. Give a solid base with a deep layer of bedding to dig, plus hay-filled nest boxes to sleep in. |
| Companionship | Degus are social colony animals and should never be kept alone — keep them with at least one other degu. They live in small groups in the wild and rely on that company for their wellbeing. |
| Temperature | Keep them cool: the enclosure should be no warmer than about 20°C. Put it in a cool part of the house, away from radiators and other heat sources. A degu lying still and flat on its stomach may be overheating — treat that as urgent and speak to a vet. |
| Bedding & substrate | A solid cage base with a deep layer of bedding — hay, shredded paper, paper tissue, or non-toxic wood shavings — so they can dig and burrow, plus hay-stuffed nest boxes. Avoid dusty bedding, which (with poor ventilation) can cause respiratory problems. |
| Enrichment & exercise | Degus are energetic and need outlets: a large, solid exercise wheel and tunnels, plenty of safe things to climb and chew, room to dig — and a dust bath. Offer a shallow, heavy bowl of chinchilla sand about 4 cm deep for them to roll in, but only two or three times a week for around 20 minutes each time (constant access isn’t good for them). |
| Grooming & upkeep | Degus keep their coats in condition with dust baths (chinchilla sand, a few times a week) rather than water. Their incisors and cheek teeth grow continuously and are worn down by hay — healthy degu front teeth are orange, so check weekly that the teeth are the right colour, length and shape. Never pick up or restrain a degu by its tail: it can shed part of the tail as a defence, which is painful and usually needs veterinary treatment. |
| Diet | The critical rule is no sugar. Degus are highly prone to type 2 diabetes and can’t handle sugar or rich carbohydrates. Give unlimited good-quality hay as the majority of the diet — it matters more than anything else and wears down their ever-growing teeth — plus about 1–2 tablespoons (≈10 g) of degu nuggets a day. If you can’t get degu-specific nuggets, guinea-pig or chinchilla nuggets are acceptable only if they contain no molasses (and no dried fruit); rabbit, hamster and gerbil foods are not suitable. Skip fruit entirely (too sugary), and give only tiny occasional pieces of higher-sugar vegetables like carrot, sweet potato, beetroot or parsnip. Provide fresh water at all times. |
| Supplements | None needed — and the priority is the opposite of supplementing: keeping sugar out. Avoid sugary commercial treats, which are a common hidden cause of diabetes in degus. |
🤎 Did you know? — Degu fun facts
Little true delights about the degu — each one checked against a named source, no pet-shop myths.
- Degus are day-active rodents that can see ultraviolet light — and their fresh urine reflects in the UV range.Animal Diversity Web
- A degu’s insulin is so unusual that even a little extra sugar can tip it into diabetes — which is exactly why degus must never have sweet treats.Ardiles et al., PMC (peer-reviewed)
- Degus are real chatterboxes, using a rich set of calls — alarms, mating songs, and special sounds between parents and pups.Animal Diversity Web
What it's like to live with a Degu
Degus are a joy precisely because they’re diurnal — they’re awake and busy when you are, sunbathing, chattering to their group, digging and dust-bathing. They’re intelligent and become tame with patience, taking treats from your hand. But their care revolves around two constants you can never relax on: absolutely no sugar (to prevent diabetes and the cataracts that follow), and keeping them cool. Because they hide illness and live in a group, a daily look at eyes, teeth and appetite is the habit that keeps them well.
Your first month together
The settling-in period, in order — so you know what's normal and when not to worry.
- Set up a large metal, multi-level cage in a cool spot (no warmer than ~20°C) before they arrive.
- Start a strict sugar-free, hay-first diet from day one, and provide a dust bath a few times a week.
- Handle gently and patiently to tame them — and never pick them up by the tail.
- Learn their normal, and check teeth weekly (they should be orange) and eyes (watch for cloudiness).
- Find an exotic vet experienced with degus; diabetes and dental disease are the conditions to catch early.
Through the year, and as they grow
Heat is a year-round danger — keep the room no warmer than about 20°C in every season, and be especially vigilant in summer. There’s no sugary-treat “season”: the no-sugar rule never relaxes.
The pet store gets these wrong
Common myths, kindly corrected — no shame for having believed them.
- Degus can’t have sugar — no fruit, no sugary treats, nothing with molasses. Sugar causes diabetes and cataracts.
- Not just any rodent food will do — degus need degu (or no-molasses guinea-pig/chinchilla) nuggets; rabbit, hamster and gerbil foods aren’t suitable.
- They’re diurnal, not nocturnal — active by day, which most rodents aren’t.
- They can’t live alone — degus are colony animals and need degu company.
- A plastic or wooden cage won’t last — degus chew through both, so the cage must be metal.
- Never pick a degu up by the tail — it can shed part of its tail.
Before you buy
- Can you commit to a strict no-sugar diet (no fruit, no sugary treats) for the animal’s whole life?
- Can you keep their room cool (no warmer than ~20°C), including in summer?
- Will you keep at least two — never a single degu?
- Can you provide a large, tall, metal cage plus a dust bath a few times a week?
- Do you have an exotic vet experienced with degus, and is it legal to keep one where you live (they’re restricted in some places)?
- Are you ready for a 6–8 year commitment?
See a vet if…
We can't diagnose from afar — but these are the signs to stop watching and get a professional:
- Cloudy eyes (cataracts), excessive drinking or urinating, or unexplained weight gain — signs of diabetes; see a vet
- Drooling, a swollen face, discharge from one or both eyes, or a change in tooth colour — dental disease (healthy degu teeth are orange)
- Lying flat and still in warm conditions — possible overheating; treat as urgent
- Not eating or passing no droppings — a stalled gut is an emergency
- A dropped, degloved or injured tail — see a vet promptly, as it often needs treatment to prevent infection
- Diarrhoea or soft droppings
Never
- Never feed a degu sugar — no fruit, no sugary treats, nothing containing molasses.
- Never let their room get warmer than about 20°C.
- Never keep a degu alone.
- Never house them in a plastic or wooden cage (they chew out), or one with wide bar gaps.
- Never pick up or restrain a degu by the tail.
- Never feed rabbit, hamster or gerbil food, or chinchilla mixes containing dried fruit.
Common degu questions
How hard are Degus to keep — are they good for beginners?
Intermediate. Sociable, curious and, unusually, active by day — but with one make-or-break rule: no sugar, ever. Degus are highly prone to diabetes and can’t process sugar or many carbohydrates, so their diet is stricter than almost any other small pet’s. Add that they’re a colony animal, need to be kept cool, and can live 6–8 years, and they’re a real commitment.
What do Degus eat?
The critical rule is no sugar. Degus are highly prone to type 2 diabetes and can’t handle sugar or rich carbohydrates. Give unlimited good-quality hay as the majority of the diet — it matters more than anything else and wears down their ever-growing teeth — plus about 1–2 tablespoons (≈10 g) of degu nuggets a day. If you can’t get degu-specific nuggets, guinea-pig or chinchilla nuggets are acceptable only if they contain no molasses (and no dried fruit); rabbit, hamster and gerbil foods are not suitable. Skip fruit entirely (too sugary), and give only tiny occasional pieces of higher-sugar vegetables like carrot, sweet potato, beetroot or parsnip. Provide fresh water at all times.
How big an enclosure do Degus need?
A large, tall, multi-level cage — the bigger the better — with plenty of room to run, jump, climb, chew, dig and dust-bathe. It must be metal: degus chew straight through plastic and wood. Multi-level ferret or chinchilla cages can work, as long as the bar gaps are narrow enough that a degu can’t squeeze through or get its head stuck. Give a solid base with a deep layer of bedding to dig, plus hay-filled nest boxes to sleep in.
Do Degus need a companion, or can they live alone?
Degus are social colony animals and should never be kept alone — keep them with at least one other degu. They live in small groups in the wild and rely on that company for their wellbeing.
What temperature do Degus need?
Keep them cool: the enclosure should be no warmer than about 20°C. Put it in a cool part of the house, away from radiators and other heat sources. A degu lying still and flat on its stomach may be overheating — treat that as urgent and speak to a vet.
What bedding and substrate do Degus need?
A solid cage base with a deep layer of bedding — hay, shredded paper, paper tissue, or non-toxic wood shavings — so they can dig and burrow, plus hay-stuffed nest boxes. Avoid dusty bedding, which (with poor ventilation) can cause respiratory problems.
What enrichment and exercise do Degus need?
Degus are energetic and need outlets: a large, solid exercise wheel and tunnels, plenty of safe things to climb and chew, room to dig — and a dust bath. Offer a shallow, heavy bowl of chinchilla sand about 4 cm deep for them to roll in, but only two or three times a week for around 20 minutes each time (constant access isn’t good for them).
What grooming and upkeep do Degus need?
Degus keep their coats in condition with dust baths (chinchilla sand, a few times a week) rather than water. Their incisors and cheek teeth grow continuously and are worn down by hay — healthy degu front teeth are orange, so check weekly that the teeth are the right colour, length and shape. Never pick up or restrain a degu by its tail: it can shed part of the tail as a defence, which is painful and usually needs veterinary treatment.
What supplements do Degus need?
None needed — and the priority is the opposite of supplementing: keeping sugar out. Avoid sugary commercial treats, which are a common hidden cause of diabetes in degus.
How big do Degus get?
A sturdy brown rodent, a bit larger than a big gerbil, with a long tail ending in a tuft — built low and quick, and famous for the healthy orange colour of its front teeth.
How long do Degus live?
On average 6–8 years, and some reach nine — long-lived for a small rodent, so a real multi-year commitment.
What are the signs Degus are sick or need a vet?
See a small-animal or exotics vet if you notice: Cloudy eyes (cataracts), excessive drinking or urinating, or unexplained weight gain — signs of diabetes; see a vet; Drooling, a swollen face, discharge from one or both eyes, or a change in tooth colour — dental disease (healthy degu teeth are orange); Lying flat and still in warm conditions — possible overheating; treat as urgent; Not eating or passing no droppings — a stalled gut is an emergency; A dropped, degloved or injured tail — see a vet promptly, as it often needs treatment to prevent infection; Diarrhoea or soft droppings.
Free tools for your degu
Sources & further reading
This guide was written and fact-checked against these authorities. It's kind, general guidance — not a diagnosis or a substitute for an exotics vet:
- RSPCA — Creating a good home for degus — large cage, deep bedding, dust bath 2–3×/week, keep below 20°C, overheating sign
- RSPCA — What to feed degus — hay-first, ≈10 g nuggets/day, no molasses, diabetes-prone, avoid sugary fruit/veg
- RSPCA — Degu company — social colony animals, keep with other degus
- PDSA — Degus as pets — lifespan 6–8 yr, diurnal, metal tall cage, diabetes/cataracts, dental disease, tail slip, never lift by tail
Written and fact-checked by The Hayfold Team against veterinarian-authored sources — if your pet shows a red-flag sign above, see an exotics/small-animal vet promptly.