🧰Accessories for a Degu: the right kit, zero traps
Degu : A glass water bottle with a metal spout, ceramic bowls, an enclosed sand bath and a hay rack. Initial setup around 200 to 400 euros for a pair.
In short: Around 12 to 20 cm without the tail and 170 to 300 g, a lifespan of 5 to 8 years, and a lively, vocal, very playful temperament. Lively, vocal and very playful, this Chilean degu is one of the few rodents active at your own hours. Its diabetes is well documented and serious: no fruit or sugar in its diet, and never a solitary life for this highly social rodent.
The Degu’s core kit
Start with the essentials: heavy ceramic for the bowl, a ball-valve bottle in reserve, untreated wooden houses in sufficient numbers (one per occupant, plus one) and a bath house with dedicated sand. Add hammocks and ropes: this climber will wear them out happily.
What gets chewed (and should be chewable)
Every accessory ends up in a Degu’s teeth: favour raw wood, ceramic, metal and unprinted cardboard, and ban soft plastics and painted items. Chew sticks (apple, hazel) are consumables to be replaced — proof they are doing their job. And keep the species’ own watch-point (diabetes (a marked predisposition)) in mind when picking bedding and nesting material.
A realistic budget
To set a Degu up seriously, count €100 to 200 — the 100 × 60 cm habitat taking the lion’s share — then €15 to 40 monthly in bedding, food and chews. The full Degu profile details the picks item by item.
Frequently asked questions
Which accessories should you avoid for a Degu?
Five rodent-aisle traps to leave in the shop: fluffy cotton, closed plastic tubes, meshed or undersized wheels, cedar shavings, scented accessories and litters.
What monthly budget for a Degu?
€15 to 40 a month depending on group size: bedding, food, hay where relevant and chew sticks to replace.
The guides that apply to you
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