Degu.........wat 2 expect?

Question

r degus good pets ? an animal i can cuddle with....a nice small and furry animal that is highly social and will be very rewarding in my life. Or maybe a chinchilla, a big fat cute fluffball. I LOVE THEM BOTH. Chinchillas r said they dont like to be cuddled up but that really depends on how they were raised. But I dont care.........I can change dat wit some patience and time. Chichillas can be expensive but I got money. They both luv a good dust bath !!!!!

I look on the internet finding info after info after info on degus. Now I know alot about them. What would I expect out of a degu ? Do they make nice pets ? I can decide............ A Degu or a Chinchilla.. Degus always remind me of a gerbil mixed with a chinchilla. LOL

Were can I find 1 ?? Can I find them at a local Petsmart or Petco ???

Answer 1

First of all, make sure both animals are legal in your area.  The main factor in keeping either of these critters, is the temperature of their home.  Because they both come from Chile, they cannot tolerate heat and must be kept in air conditioning to survive.  They are related so I think they are both nice pets that really like to chew.  A metal or hard plastic multi level cage is a must.

http://www.erodent.co.uk/DeguRescue.htm

Look for a degu or chin rescue in your local area or a breeder if one is close.  I like to see pets purchased from reputable breeders over pet shops because they can give you background information on the lineage and will give free expert advice if you ask.  A gentle mother and father is usually a good indicator that the babies will be gentle and loving as well so a breeder can help you pick the pet that best fits your personality.

Answer 2

I think it's great you did research about goos before you go ahead and say you want one. Kudos! They are not like hamsters or rats or gerbils or whatever else uninformed people think. The biggest thing being they are diabetic. It makes me absolutely angry that some people are practically giving them nothing but sugar all day, every day. It's sad, really.

Well, to answer your question, they make absolutely WONDERFUL pets. I have 12 little buggers right now, and not a day goes by that I'm happy to have such little sweeties. 8 girls and 4 boys.

I have never owned a chinchilla, but from what I've heard/read is that they are just as great as degus are. And it's so true, degus practically are a gerbil/chinchilla mix. xD Get all puffy and look like a chinnie, yet have the body...'form' of a gerbil. Adorable.

Mine are very friendly and affectionate and snuggly (for the most part) and intelligent. Most of mine were handled since birth, very accepting of humans, except my original boy and girl, but those two are just the same. Only two of my degus are not as 'friendly' as the others. But that's just their personality.

Degus are just...great. I can't describe how excellent they are. They love to chew everything. And I mean /everything/. So be extra careful when you let them be next to or run around near.They really LOVE hammocks and perches. I often find all 8 of my girls in one giant pile on one of those larger-sized perches for chinchillas that are in every petstore. xD It's crazy, really.

Mine talk a lot, too. 'Squeek'ing, 'meep'ing, 'weep'ing, chirping, squabbling, etc. A whole bunch of noises. I have a dog, a big 'ole one, flat-coated lab, and whenever they hear him coming up the stairs they scream and hide in a corner. x3 Whenever I take one out and put them next to the dog, they aren't afraid. They'll walk all over him and sit on him. I don't understand why.. *shrugs*  And, they don't care for the cats. Just a big fuzzy blob to them. xD

I can't really think of much that you could expect from them. Besides from the chewing and squeeking. Their claws also can get pretty long, especially if they don't wear them down on lava rock and such. Behavior-wise, it would all depend on their personality, really. Mine rarely ever bite. One little girl gives me dirty looks sometimes, but that may just be my imagination. x3 Or maybe she is planning my demise. I really don't know. She's so cute though. But she doesn't like they I snuggle with her like I do with the others. She's all 'high and mighty' when it comes to me and her.

As for where you can find them, even if they were at Petsmart or PetCo (I don't think they are allowed to sell them unless they have a special permit. Ever since the prairie dog era), I would NEVER buy them there. Nothing good would come out of it. Chances are they would be sickly and fed a poor diet and most likely won't make it past 4 years. If that.

I would look around on places like Craig's List and online sites similar to 'Pet Finder',  the newspaper and such for people who need to rehome their goos, shelters for people who may have given them up, and also check if there are any breeders for them.

Also, in big cities (as far as I know, at least. Example being Chicago and surrounding cities/towns have them in several stores) some petstores may have them. Usually no one knows what in the world a degu is in the suburbs and such. As for my town, the only people who know what a degu is, is the people who know me. xD They aren't very commonly known animals, and I suppose that's good and bad in different ways.

Good luck!

-Jessica

P.S. Here are some sites I highly recommend you could check out. You most likely have come across them (in that case, GOOD! You really have done great research). ^-^

http://degus.com/babydegus.html

http://www.degutopia.co.uk/

http://www.degurock.moonfruit.com/

http://www.paw-talk.net/forums/f12/  (Forum discussion, which has various 'what to feed' threads and other fun stuff) x3