What are Degus like?

[doctoroctadon]

Hi! Until the beginning of this year I had a Rat (Pi) who was my dearest friend. I ended up very attached to him

I've been thinking of getting another Rat but have just found out about Degus.

I would like to know... What are Degus like? What is their temperament? Are they affectionate? I have read they are very sociable, does their sociableness extend to humans? Or are they fairly indifferent to us humans? Do they enjoy human company?
I met some in a pet shop the other day and they seemed pretty friendly but they also seemed like little scamps. It seemed they could be quite naughty. I quite like that (naughty animals) so-long as they are also nice and friendly when not being naughty. Do they like to cuddle? Will they settle and sleep on you? And are they intelligent?

Basically I want to know what their personalities are like in general.
So, what are your Degus like?

[debdegu]

wow that alot of question so going to ansewer them like this


I would like to know... What are Degus like? What is their temperament? Are they affectionate?

well from my own exprience with my two degus there very afferctioate to one another they like to be held by me and like to come to the bars to most degus are friendly and love attention ^-^

have read they are very sociable, does their sociableness extend to humans? Yes they can be very socible to humans once they get to to know you which takes a few weeks

I met some in a pet shop the other day and they seemed pretty friendly but they also seemed like little scamps. It seemed they could be quite naughty. I quite like that (naughty animals) so-long as they are also nice and friendly when not being naughty. Do they like to cuddle? Will they settle and sleep on you? And are they intelligent?

That they are little scamps my love to try get out the cage when I open the door even though it big cage ^-^ so nice nughty
as I said they like beeeign help but they try run about on your arms are try get out your hands after a few moment they dont stand still for long.
not sure if they sleep on your and there very intelligent I've tuaght mine how to come back to there balls if they run around the room ^-^ and can learn diffrent things

[ilikedegus]

doctoroctadon,

why don't you go and meet some at the RSPCA? ;-)

www.rspca-coventry.org.uk/animalsview.asp?id=817&type=Small

[iamlina]

Hi =]
I guess what they are like depends on how much time you spend with them and their own personalities. I have heard of Degus lying and sleeping on you but ours don't. Mine will happily sit in your hands while they have a treat though and will groom you. (I just have to learn them how to file my nails now ;]) They have also started to like tickles a bit more. They love climbing in my hair and 'chatting' to me =]

One of my chinchillas has slept on my feet while I fell asleep. That was cute, but I definitely don't think the degus would do this.

When I first wanted animals my choice was between a rat or degu. Although I still would like a rat in the future, I feel as though Degus were the right choice for me. Lots of hard work but worth it.

I suggest you look around and read some of the stories including the bad ones and the health problems etc. There are also quite a lot of videos on youtube.

The only thing I wish someone had told me was to make my own cage lol! It would have made things a lot easier!

Hope this helps!
x

[harpic01]

HI
I think my best decision was getting my pair of Degu's. They have brightened up our life no end. They can be very affecionate, mine have to be tickled in the morning through the cage, Chilli comes out every morning and spends 10 mins mummy time - in my sweat shirt or dressing gown - he goes to sleep in my sleeve and comes around the house on my shoulder especially in the kitchen just to be nosey.
They can nip but that stops when they reach adulthood (about a year i beleive) they are inquisitive, funny, playful little creatures but they can also be stubborn, talk back to you when you tell them off - and get the royal hump and sulk - oh i joke not - told Pepper off a few days ago for chewing my table leg and he keeps turning his back on me when i come up to the cage - child.
A lot of time is needed to make sure they are comfortable - they need as much "run time" as possible like an hour a day if poss but mine get loads at the weekend and treats, cardboard tubes to play with etc - doesnt have to be expensive, they love new things to play with so i rotate my toys for them
The only golden rule is make sure they are in a pair (the same sex) unless you want thousands of them - and enough room for them to have a bit of running space a home for night time and food and dust bowl.

[doctoroctadon]

Thanks for the replies. They do sound great. I just wasn't sure if they where perhaps moody and aggressive. It sounded as though there are allot of problems with them fighting each-other. But having read abit more about them it seems like they are just full of character. If I get some they will definitely have allot of time out the cage. I never used to shut Pi's cage, he had complete freedom in my flat. I built runs for him to get upto table tops, around the different surfaces, window ledges, etc. He would even come into my bedroom, jump up onto my bed and wake me, or settle down on my pillow and sleep. He was very sweet. Was a complete nightmare rat-proofing the flat but well worth it. He got all over the place. The main reason I let him do this is because rats are also very social and should be kept in pairs but Pi was on his own. Don't worry though, he and I where very close and I learnt about rat behaviour so I could mimic a rat and give him the company he needed. Snuffling around on all fours and all (i didn't scent mark stuff though ). We where very close. Oh Pi! I do miss him.

Anyway, this time I will get a couple of Degus so that they have each others company. I wont allow them a complete run of the house but I will build them a large space around their cage with runs and play areas so they have allot of room. And also many runs around the house for when I let them out. I'm not worried about them having enough play time though, and I'm sure I can befriend them soon enough.

Thanks for the link to the Covenrty RSPCA. I think I will have to pay them a visit. It's a great idea to rescue unfortunate pets. In the pics on the RSPCA's site the degus look a dark gray colour. Is that because they are young or are they a different colour to normal? I've only seen brown ones. Not that the colour matters.

Thanks again for all your comments. If anyone else has anything they'd like to tell me about their degu's temperament I would love to hear. I also found a great site: www.degutopia.co.uk/ which has loads of info on it. Anyone know of any other good sites? (i've only just started researching).

Cheers!

[starley1234]

My degus are very inquisitive and love to climb all over me. Cinnamon is more of the dominant one and is definatly more brave and curious than pepper. Pepper is very cheeky because she likes to give me a little nibble. It never hurts though. I hope you make the right decision on whether to get degus and ask if you ever need help!! Xx

[iamlina]

I think it's just because they are little =] Sounds like you have thought it through a bit more. I'd definitely do a lot of research. Why not also see if there is someone around where you live to have a look at them? I'd offer to show you around my zoo but it seems you're quite far away.

x

[smux]

They should be fine to run free around the house like your last pet, they'll usually behave and come when you call them if you've trained them well. I let mine out in my bedroom and they climb all around the place and sometimes over me when I'm at my computer (lying on my bed with my laptop next to me). They might be smarter than rats when it comes to escaping though, I dunno, and they will be more inclined to chew things definitely...I see lots of metal edgings in your future :-)

[doctoroctadon]

Aug 2, 2010 21:17:23 GMT iamlina said:

I think it's just because they are little =] Sounds like you have thought it through a bit more. I'd definitely do a lot of research. Why not also see if there is someone around where you live to have a look at them? I'd offer to show you around my zoo but it seems you're quite far away.

x

Ooo you have a zoo! How much is admission

I'm starting to look abit more seriously at them. I just needed to know if they are compatible with me in terms of temperament before I carried on.
I just read the "New Degu owner, need advice" sticky at the top of this forum and it answered my question right there (I know I should have read that first but, er, didn't). I do like the sound of Degus. They sound like cheeky monkeys! The more I read the better they seem.

Aug 2, 2010 22:16:15 GMT smux said:

T...I see lots of metal edgings in your future :-)

Lol, I think you may be right. Two of my doors have got holes in where Pi tried to chew through. And he wasn't even a chewer! Do you know of anyone else keeping Degus loose in the home?
If they are so rampant at chewing wood and plastic they may just eat the entire house. I'm stating to think of enclosing a Huge solid table I've got in wire mesh to make a pen for them, keep the cage in the pen permanently open (once they are settled/accustomed to the cage) and then let them out the pen twice a day (morning/evening) for play. I'm abit worried they could eat through my degu-proofing. Would they chew plug sockets and skirting boards?

[smux]

NightWishRaven doesn't keep his locked up 24/7, but I don't think he has them free all the time. They may not chew everything if you give them enough wood in their cage, but that's not a definite as they may find your skirting boards tastier than the stale wood they're used to in their cage. They will chew wires (regardless of if power's surging through them or not), plaster, wood, metal, even humans given a chance, and they'll make mincemeat of curtains and any clothes they get their hands on, although they don't always go for any of this. That said, there's a t-shirt I wear that they "like" and whenever they get a chance they give it a good chewing while I'm wearing it, and if I lean near the cage and they can get at it they will do and pull it in. Cover the cage with a cloth overnight and I guarantee by morning you'll find little areas pulled in and chewed. About the only thing that's degu-proof is metal, but even that is worn down over time, esp. soft metals like aluminium as Emz found out with her cage she made and the glass rails being made of aluminium :-)
They tend to give all sorts of things testing bites to see how they taste and feel, they're looking for something to grind their teeth down on, basically. Sufficient grindage in the cage should see to that for the most part :-)

I'd say keep them in the cage in the daytime (feel free to make extension cages for them) and let them out supervised. Mine like to come out in my bedroom for a few hours but as soon as they start gnawing wood I catch them and put them away.

You do have the "bitter apple" option if needed, where you put a bitter tasting solution on anything they shouldn't be nibbling...it might make the place smell but it'll work as they won't bite it twice.

[iamlina]

I wish I had a zoo! It's just what I call my house x

[malteser60]

Aug 4, 2010 0:24:45 GMT doctoroctadon said:

Do you know of anyone else keeping Degus loose in the home? If they are so rampant at chewing wood and plastic they may just eat the entire house.

Hehe, they have been called destructorats! They sure love to chew, and they feel that everything in the house is theirs! Cheeky little things.

In answer to your question, however, I give mine the run of most of the house, and eventually they'll have the run of the house probably. Just depends on the house. At the moment I close off the kitchen door (that also leads into the bathroom) and I will never give them access to the kitchen. I also close off the two bedroom doors upstairs, so they only have access to the stairs and the small landing at the top. I leave the cage door open and they can come in and out whenever they want, which is quite often actually. I've also trained/still training mine to come over when called. Ok, that's a bit ambitious, but whenever I get their treats box out they both come running over and clamber all over me to get their treats. I've also gotten mine used to being picked up, so that I can pop them into their cage easily whenever I need to put them away in the cage (if i'm going out for example). I must admit, mine have been easy to look after and train as they are naturally very inquisitive and lively, and when I let them out they just madly dash from one place to another sniffing things (i.e. they won't just run behind the sofa for example and hide there). They are very cute when they come running back to you every so often just to make sure you're still there. If I'm sitting at the computer table Nutmeg will sometimes come over and sit on my foot for a while, just having a looksy!

Up to about a week ago my degus didn't seem interested in chewing anything, only running about and climbing on things. However last week Cinnamon decided that she suddenly likes chewing cables, and managed to chew through my subwoofer/speakers cable, grrr....! So now i'm going to have to degu-proof all the cables! They haven't shown an interest in the curtains or anything else though... yet! We'll see.

I guess the main thing is to have a look around your house and see if there's anything that will be chewed or eaten by them, also they are fantastic escape artists, so check for holes in skirting boards, behind radiators, etc. I've had my two for only three months now and we've made good progress, and they are an absolute joy to have. Best decision ever made to get them ;D

[malteser60]

Oh, I also meant to say so sorry about your loss. Pi sounds like he was adorable!

[jogoo]

Hi there,

Have a look at Degutopia.co.uk - Chloe, who owns the site is very, very knowledgable on all things Goo.

Having never had rats I can't really compare them but what I will say is that if you spend lots of time with them they are very quick learners, have HUGE personalities, great sense of humours and yes if you bond with them then depending upon the personality of the individual Goo, they will cuddle in on you and go to sleep. I have 8 and one of my boys is an absolute sweetheart, I adore him and can't imagine life without him.

If you decide they are right for you, I am sure you won't regret it ;-)

[bjames]

hey doctor and what a cool thing it is to hear your thinking of getting degus! i got mine in december, purchased 4 from pets at home although i do wish i adopted some instead. It took me about a week to be able to identify one from another and then i named them they definately have personalities. I wouldnt say they were naughty, i would say mischievous, they do the complete opostite to what you tell them to do! haha unless you train them.

Its actually pretty easy to train them though, you gota put the work in here one of mine that i have trained www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q3gLXpDz4ho

Brave guy if your considering letting them run around freely. If you do, i would recommend you be very careful as they could end up hurting themselves or something. I let mine out but only undersupervision, they would probably by staring in the "great escape" otherwise haha

[Kins]

Aww that video is adorable bjames! Your little goo is so obviously loving jumping through that hoop which is lovely to see!

[bjames]

Haha thanks kins. I really want to try and make a mini obstacle course and train him to weave throuh mini cones! Haha I think he could do it. Hes the geek of the bunch!

[Kins]

He certainly is a clever little chap. Did you see deegupere's picture of his degu taking part in an agility competition at a show, he won a rosette too! Sounds like your goo would love to join him...

[bjames]

ohhh no i didnt how can i find that ?