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Degu
Octodon degus
Conservation status
Least Concern
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Rodentia Family: Octodontidae Genus: Octodon Species: O. degus
Binomial name
Octodon degus (Molina, 1782)

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. The name "degu" on its own, however, indicates either the genus Octodon or, more usually, O. degus. Degus are closely related to the chinchilla and guinea pig, also placed in infraorder Caviomorpha. Image File history File links Emblem-important. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 533 pixelsFull resolution (3072 × 2048 pixels, file size: 3. ... The conservation status of a species is an indicator of the likelihood of that species continuing to survive either in the present day or the future. ... Image File history File links Status_iucn2. ... Least Concern (LC) is an IUCN category assigned to extant species or lower taxa which have been evaluated but do not qualify for any other category. ... For other uses, see Scientific classification (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Animal (disambiguation). ... Typical Classes See below Chordates (phylum Chordata) are a group of animals that includes the vertebrates, together with several closely related invertebrates. ... Subclasses & Infraclasses Subclass †Allotheria* Subclass Prototheria Subclass Theria Infraclass †Trituberculata Infraclass Metatheria Infraclass Eutheria Mammals (class Mammalia) are warm-blooded, vertebrate animals characterized by the presence of sweat glands, including those that produce milk, and by the presence of: hair, three middle ear bones used in hearing, and a neocortex... Suborders Sciuromorpha Castorimorpha Myomorpha Anomaluromorpha Hystricomorpha Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing. ... Genera  Octodon  Octodontomys  Octomys  Spalacopus  Aconaemys  Pipanacoctomys  Salinoctomys  Tympanoctomys The Octodontidae are a family of South American rodents. ... Species Octodon bridgesi Octodon degus Octodon lunatus Octodon is a genus of octodontid rodents, of which the best-known member is the degu Molina 1782 of Chile. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Father Juan Ignacio Molina (June 24, 1740 - September 12, 1829) was a Chilean priest and naturalist. ... Species Erethizontidae Dasyproctidae Agoutidae †Eocardiidae Dinomyidae Caviidae Octodontidae Ctenomyidae Echimyidae Myocastoridae Capromyidae †Heptaxodontidae Chinchillidae †Neoepiblemidae Abrocomidae Caviomorpha is the name for the rodent infraorder or parvorder that unites all South American hystricognaths. ... Suborders Sciuromorpha Castorimorpha Myomorpha Anomaluromorpha Hystricomorpha Rodentia is an order of mammals also known as rodents, characterised by two continuously-growing incisors in the upper and lower jaws which must be kept short by gnawing. ... Species Octodon bridgesi Octodon degus Octodon lunatus Octodon is a genus of octodontid rodents, of which the best-known member is the degu Molina 1782 of Chile. ... For other uses, see Chinchilla (disambiguation). ... For other uses, see Guinea pig (disambiguation). ... Caviomorpha is an infraorder of hystricognath rodents. ...

Social behavior

Degus are highly social. They live in burrows, and, by digging communally, they are able to construct larger and more elaborate burrows than they could on their own. Degus digging together co-ordinate their activities, forming digging chains. Females living in the same group have been shown to spontaneously nest communally; they nurse one another's young. They spend a large amount of time on the surface, where they forage for food. When foraging, their ability to detect predators is increased in larger groups, and each animal needs to spend less time in vigilance. Degu exhibit a wide array of communication techniques. They have an elaborate vocal repertoire, and the young need to be able to hear their mother's calls if the emotional systems in their brains are to develop properly. They use their urine to scent mark, and experiments have shown that they react to one another's marks. Vigilance is the act of watching for something to happen, of watching for danger. ... This article is about the urine of animals generally. ...

Degus are seasonal breeders; the breeding season for wild degus begins in the Chilean winter, with pups born mid-late spring. It is also speculated that female degus are induced ovulators. Female degus are pregnant for approximately ninety days, having a relatively long gestation period compared to other rodents. Litters usually contain four to seven pups, but size can range from one or two up to fifteen young. Degu pups are born relatively precocial, fully furred and with eyes open, and their auditory and visual systems are functional at birth. In biology, precocial species are those that are relatively mature and mobile from the moment of birth or hatching. ... The auditory system is the sensory system for the sense of hearing. ... The visual system is the part of the nervous system which allows organisms to see. ...

Unlike other octodontids, degus are diurnal, and they have good vision. Their retinas include rod cells and two types of cone cell, one of which has its peak sensitivity in the ultraviolet region of the spectrum. Behavioral experiments have shown that degus are able to discriminate ultraviolet light from the wavelengths visible to humans. It is likely that this ultraviolet sensitivity has a social function, since both their ventral (stomach) fur and their urine are highly UV reflective. Genera  Octodon  Octodontomys  Octomys  Spalacopus  Aconaemys  Tympanoctomys The Octodontidae are a family of South American rodents. ... A diurnal animal (dÄ«-Å­rnÉ™l) is an animal that is active during the daytime and sleeps during the night. ... Human eye cross-sectional view. ... Rod cells, or rods, are photoreceptor cells in the retina of the eye that can function in less intense light than can the other type of photoreceptor, cone cells. ... Normalized responsivity spectra of human cone cells, S, M, and L types Cone cells, or cones, are photoreceptor cells in the retina of the eye which function best in relatively bright light. ... Note: Ultraviolet is also the name of a 1998 UK television miniseries about vampires. ... Legend γ = Gamma rays HX = Hard X-rays SX = Soft X-Rays EUV = Extreme ultraviolet NUV = Near ultraviolet Visible light NIR = Near infrared MIR = Moderate infrared FIR = Far infrared Radio waves EHF = Extremely high frequency (Microwaves) SHF = Super high frequency (Microwaves) UHF = Ultra high frequency VHF = Very high frequency HF = High... In zootomy, several terms are used to describe the location of organs and other structures in the body of bilateral animals. ... This article is about the urine of animals generally. ...

Diet

Degus are herbivores, feeding on grasses and browsing the leaves of shrubs, though they will also take seeds. Their feeding rate is constrained by the rate at which they can digest this relatively low quality food, and this varies between food types and environmental conditions, and like some other herbivores such as rabbits, they show coprophagy, chewing their own feces so as to extract more nutrition from them. This also serves to maintain healthy gut function during times when food is scarce. Although they are active by day, in high summer they do not leave their burrows in the middle of the day, and in hot conditions they forage as quickly as possible instead of maximising the quality of their food. They tend to forage in shaded areas, though this tendency is reduced in the absence of predators. In open areas they spend more time being vigilant, so their effectiveness as foragers is reduced. Degus have a significant impact on the vegetation in areas where they live, and as the only rodent foraging by day, their numbers influence the food supply available to the more numerous nocturnal rodents. However, numbers of all species of degu have been declining over recent decades, most likely due to human disturbance. A deer and two fawns feeding on some foliage A herbivore is often defined as any organism that eats only plants[1]. By that definition, many fungi, some bacteria, many animals, about 1% of flowering plants and some protists can be considered herbivores. ... For other uses, see Rabbit (disambiguation). ... Coprophagia is the consumption of feces. ... Horse feces Feces, faeces, or fæces (see spelling differences) is a waste product from an animals digestive tract expelled through the anus (or cloaca) during defecation. ... Foraging just means looking for food (or, metaphorically, anything else). ... This snapping turtle is trying to make a meal of a Canada goose, but the goose is too wary. ...

Degu after dust bath

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2304x1536, 514 KB) Photograph taken on 7 December 2004 Degu, domesticated pet sparkling from a dust bath File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (2304x1536, 514 KB) Photograph taken on 7 December 2004 Degu, domesticated pet sparkling from a dust bath File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ...

Role in human affairs

Degus are prone to diabetes due to their divergent insulin structure. For this reason they are used frequently for research in this field. The degu's popularity as a pet was influenced by this research, as animals were imported into various countries for research and study. This article is about the disease that features high blood sugar. ... Not to be confused with inulin. ...

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. This article is about animals kept for companionship. ...

Keeping Degus

Degus relate well to humans, but due to their highly social nature it is far better for their welfare to keep them in same-sex pairs or more. Two or more males may be kept together, provided they have been housed together from an early age. Keeping degus in pairs is very popular; degus bond strongly with other members of their 'group' and this is often extended to include humans who spend a lot of time around them. Degus should be kept in large roomy cages with lots of frequently changed straw and sawdust, for the animal to dig in. Hay should be provided freely as this helps to keep their digestive system healthy, and enables foraging behaviour. Plastic-bottomed cages will often be destroyed due to gnawing (although this can sometimes be avoided by supplying other materials for chewing) so housing degu in all-metal cages is required. Also, because of their gnawing nature, plastic toys and other objects must be kept out of a degu's reach, because some plastics contain components such as plasticizers that are toxic when ingested. Finally, the social nature of the degu can make them lonely, so humans keeping single specimens should take care to talk to their pet a lot, place the animal where it can take part in daily life of the household, and get them frequently out of the cage (degus like cuddling with humans, and can sit still and even sleep on laps if comfortable, but shouldn't be left running freely). The recent upsurge in interest in the degu as a pet has had both positive and negative results. The increase in popularity has created a deluge of degus being put up for adoption because of ignorant or unsuspecting owners unable to care for them properly. Of course, this has also increased awareness of the needs of degus as unique rodent companions. Plasticizers are additives that soften the materials (usually a plastic or a concrete mix) they are added to. ...

When keeping as a pet it is very important that their diet is strict; degus cannot be fed a sugary diet as they are prone to diabetes, and some woods can poison them. Captive degus can be fed twice a day with a 5g spoonful of either guinea pig mix/pellets or chinchilla pellets, or a mixture of both (care should be taken to check feeds do not contain molasses- a sugary substance). See external links below for a good formulated diet. Rabbit feed or pellets is not suitable for degus since it does not contain added vitamin C, which it is thought degu require, and often contains coccidiostats which are toxic to degus. Hay should be provided as needed due to the high fibre requirements of this species. Also degus enjoy gnawing on fresh broccoli, carrots, and the hard center core of romaine or other lettuce (except iceberg). Degus also enjoy tomatoes and cucumber peelings. When feeding produce be sure to thoroughly wash it off; and in addition scrub cucumber skins to remove any wax or other coatings. Romaine lettuce Romaine or Cos lettuce (often called simply Romaine or Cos) (Lactuca sativa L. var. ... For other uses, see Tomato (disambiguation). ... This article is about the fruit. ...

For some degus feeding them with separate food dishes is a good idea as they tend to squabble and fight over their food. As with most small animals, fresh drinking water should be provided daily in their water bowl or drinking bottle. It is worth noting that even if food dishes are empty it does not mean the degu ate everything; they like to bury the food and store it. If your degus are doing this it is a good indicator they are being over fed[1].

Degus have continuously growing incisor and molar teeth and therefore should be provided with plenty of materials to chew/gnaw. If degus cannot grind their teeth, they can grow too much and the animal would not be able to eat anything at all. Apple and hazel woods are non-toxic for degus and help them with tooth wear[2]. Occasionally, give them calcium blocks, which you can buy in pet shops and add to them in order to pass the necessary calcium, phosphor and iron (mainly nursing females need calcium) to the animals[3]. Incisors are the first kind of tooth in heterodont mammals. ... Molars are the rearmost and most complicated kind of tooth in most mammals. ...

Also, very much like their larger cousin the chinchilla, degus require regular dust baths to keep their coat free from oils and allow them to express related behaviors. You can use the same product as you would a chinchilla, most commonly the absorbent clay sepiolite. For other uses, see Chinchilla (disambiguation). ... Sepiolite is a clay mineral, a complex magnesium silicate, a typical formula for which is Mg4Si6O15(OH)2 . ...

Degus are diurnal by nature, although they express crepuscular patterns tending to be more active in the morning and evening. This relates to their wild activity patterns, where it is often too hot for them to forage during mid-day in their native habitat. However, degus are known to be able to invert their circadian rhythms and become nocturnal in certain situations (but this is easily reverted). Adult Firefly or Lightning Bug – a Crepuscular Beetle Photuris lucicrescens Crepuscular is a term used to describe animals that are primarily active during the twilight. ...

Some degu owners supplement their degus with calcium and/or vitamin C supplements in their drinking water[4]. However, it has not yet been conclusively proven that degus require dietary vitamin C, and such supplements are prone to deteriorate rapidly in suspension so the dose each degu receives is unknown. It is advised to consult your veterinarian about mineral supplements for your degu. Look up veterinarian in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

It must be noted that a degu should never be grabbed or lifted by their tail. Like some lizards, a degus tail can come off if grabbed. Unlike some lizards, it does not grow back and can permanently affect their balance.

Taxonomic issues

It has been suggested that the family Octodontidae, to which the degu belongs, should be reclassified into the order Lagomorpha (rabbits, hares and pikas). However recent studies in molecular systematics (e.g. Opazo, 2005) suggest that it is correctly placed among the caviomorph rodents. Genera  Octodon  Octodontomys  Octomys  Spalacopus  Aconaemys  Pipanacoctomys  Salinoctomys  Tympanoctomys The Octodontidae are a family of South American rodents. ... Families Leporidae Ochotonidae Prolagidae (extinct) The Lagomorphs, order Lagomorpha, are an order of mammals of which there are two families, Leporidae (hares and rabbits), and Ochotonidae (pikas). ... It has been suggested that molecular phylogeny be merged into this article or section. ... Species Erethizontidae Dasyproctidae Agoutidae †Eocardiidae Dinomyidae Caviidae Octodontidae Ctenomyidae Echimyidae Myocastoridae Capromyidae †Heptaxodontidae Chinchillidae †Neoepiblemidae Abrocomidae Caviomorpha is the name for the rodent infraorder or parvorder that unites all South American hystricognaths. ...

Gallery

Octodon degus in captivity Image File history File links Download high resolution version (1280x960, 292 KB) Degu Rudi is looking towards the camera Photographed by: Heike Speck Hellwig Uploaded by: Tim Avatar Bartel dual licensed File links The following pages link to this file: Degu ...

Two degus outside Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 535 pixelsFull resolution (1820 × 1218 pixels, file size: 293 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ...

Two Degus snuggling. The one lying down is pregnant. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 490 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (508 × 622 pixels, file size: 349 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) (All user names refer to en. ...

External links

• Degutopia - Fully referenced scientific degu information, registration and much more for owners and researchers.
• Degu Guide
• http://postdiluvian.org/~seven/degus.html
• Degu World - Popular degu website with lots of information, friendly forum and webcams.

References

• Baillie (1996). Octodon degu. 2006 IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. Retrieved on 12 May 2006.
• Bacigalupe, L. D., Rezende, E. L., Kenagy, G. J., & Bozinovic, F. (2003). Activity and space use by degu: a trade-off between thermal conditions and food availability? Journal of Mammalogy, 84, 311-318.
• Bozinovic, E., & Vasquez, R. A. (1999). Patch use in a diurnal rodent: handling and searching under thermoregulatory costs. Functional Ecology, 13, 602-610.
• Bozinovic, F., & Torres-Contreras, H. (1998). Does digestion rate affect diet selection? A study in Octodon degu, a generalist herbivorous rodent. Acta Theriologica, 43, 205-212.
• Chavez AE, Bozinovic F, Peichl L, Palacios AG.Retinal spectral sensitivity, fur coloration, and urine reflectance in the genus octodon (rodentia): implications for visual ecology. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 2003 May;44(5):2290-6.
• Ebensperger, L. A., & Bozinovic, F. (2000). Communal burrowing in the hystricognath rodent, Octodon degu: a benefit of sociality? Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology, 47, 365-369.
• Ebensperger, L. A., & Caiozzi, A. (2002). Male degu, Octodon degu, modify their dustbathing behavior in response to social familiarity of previous dustbathing marks. Revista Chilena De Historia Natural, 75, 157-163.
• Ebensperger, L. A., Veloso, C., & Wallem, P. K. (2002). Do female degu communally nest and nurse their pups? Journal of Ethology, 20, 143-146.
• Ebensperger, L. A., & Wallem, P. K. (2002). Grouping increases the ability of the social rodent, Octodon degu, to detect predators when using exposed microhabitats. Oikos, 98, 491-497.
• Gutierrez, J. R., Meserve, P. L., Herrera, S., Contreras, L. C., & Jaksic, F. M. (1997). Effects of small mammals and vertebrate predators on vegetation in the Chilean semiarid zone. Oecologia, 109, 398-406.
• Helmeke, C., Poeggel, G., & Braun, K. (2001). Differential emotional experience induces elevated spine densities on basal dendrites of pyramidal neurons in the anterior cingulate cortex of Octodon degu. Neuroscience, 104, 927-931.
• Jacobs, G. H., Calderone, J. B., Fenwick, J. A., Krogh, K., & Williams, G. A. (2003). Visual adaptations in a diurnal rodent, Octodon degu. Journal of Comparative Physiology A: Neuroethology Sensory Neural and Behavioral Physiology, 189, 347-361.
• Kenagy, G. J., Veloso, C., & Bozinovic, F. (1999). Daily rhythms of food intake and feces reingestion in the degu, an herbivorous Chilean rodent: optimizing digestion through coprophagy. Physiological and Biochemical Zoology, 72, 78-86.
• Lagos, V. O., Contreras, L. C., Meserve, P. L., Gutierrez, J. R., & Jaksic, F. M (1995). Effects of predation risk on space use by small mammals: a field experiment with a neotropical rodent. Oikos, 74, 259-264.
• Opazo, J. C. (2005). A molecular timescale for caviomorph rodents (Mammalia, Hystricognathi). Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, 37, 932-937.
• Ovtscharoff, W., & Braun, K. (2001). Maternal separation and social isolation modulate the postnatal development of synaptic composition in the infralimbic cortex of Octodon degu. Neuroscience, 104, 33-40.
• Vasquez, R. A., Ebensperger, L. A., & Bozinovic, F. (2002). The influence of habitat on travel speed, intermittent locomotion, and vigilance in a diurnal rodent. Behavioral Ecology, 13, 182-187.

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Octodon degu

• Yunger, J. A., Meserve, P. L., & Gutierrez, J. R. (2002). Small-mammal foraging behavior: mechanisms for coexistence and implication for population dynamics. Ecological Monographs, 72, 561-577.
• Ziabreva, I., Schnabel, R., Poeggel, G., & Braun, K. (2003). Mother's voice "buffers" separation-induced receptor changes in the prefrontal cortex of Octodon degu. Neuroscience, 119, 433-441.