An older degu explores an unfamiliar space more than a young one, a 2026 study shows
Published by Planète Pets · managing editor: Clément Lacaille · how our guides are written
We tend to picture an aging rodent as more cautious, less mobile, less curious about novelty. A study published in August 2026 on degus shows the opposite: older animals turned out to be more active, not less, when discovering an unfamiliar space. Our other enrichment ideas are gathered in the rodent toys and enrichment section.
Contents · 4 sections
An open-field test in laboratory degus
Bai, Liu, Seluanov and Gorbunova published a 2026 study in the journal Biology comparing the behaviour of young and old degus placed in an open-field test setup: an unfamiliar arena where the animal can move freely for a few minutes (see the study). Older degus showed more movement, more rearing on their hind legs (a vertical exploration behaviour), and moved more toward the centre of the arena — the most exposed zone, usually avoided by an anxious animal — than younger degus.
One detail tempers an overly positive reading: older degus also produced more droppings during the test, a classic marker of stress-related nervous system activation. The authors interpret the combined pattern as an age-related shift in how the animal responds to novelty, not simply a burst of extra energy.
What this means for enrichment at home
This study is a reason not to automatically scale back the novelty offered to an aging degu on the assumption it wants less: an older degu that rushes toward a new toy or a fresh cage layout is not necessarily showing less curiosity than a young one — sometimes more. In practice, this stays compatible with the right cage size already recommended for the species: keep rotating enrichment items rather than freezing the setup once the animal ages. At the same time, unusually frantic activity paired with more frequent droppings is worth treating as a stress signal to watch, not dismissed just because the animal looks "active".
The study's limits
The experiment used laboratory degus in a standardised, short-duration test apparatus, not pet animals observed day to day in their usual cage: direct transposition to a pet degu meeting a new toy remains a reasonable extrapolation, not a direct observation. The study also does not specify at what exact age this shift sets in for an individual.
Frequently asked questions
Is a more restless older degu facing novelty in better shape than a young one?
Not necessarily: the study links this increased activity to more signs of stress, not simply better fitness.
Should enrichment be scaled back for an aging degu?
No, nothing in this study suggests that: keep varying the setup, simply watching the animal's reaction. Find all our guides on the rodent hub.
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This guide is part of Planète Pets’s Rodents universe. Our advice is general in nature: for any health concern, your veterinarian remains the only reference.