The Degu: The Cutest Rodent Ever

I think that amongst the little rodent a degu is the best, because it likes to be cuddled a lot!

What is a Degu?

The Degu (Octodon degus) is a small caviomorph rodent that is native to Chile. It is sometimes referred to as the Brush-Tailed Rat (although not closely related to the rat family) and is also called the Common Degu, to distinguish it from the other members of the genus Octodon. Other members are also called degus, but they are distinguished by additional names.

Degus have become popular as pets, though until very recently they were seldom found in pet shops. Their advantages over traditional small pets are their diurnal habits, bubbly personalities, the haired tail (as compared to rats and mice) and their lifetime: they are said to live up to 13 years under ideal circumstances (though a poor gene pool/genetic background often reduces a pet degu's lifespan significantly). The average lifespan of a degu in captivity is said to be around 5-8 years of age. One disadvantage of the degu as a pet is that they gnaw much more than most other common rodent pets, especially through plastic-bottomed cages typically found in pet stores. Untame degus, as with most small animals, can be prone to biting, but their intelligence makes them easy to tame. Degus often 'groom' their human owners, by a gentle nibbling action, but they can give a defensive bite if they feel threatened.