🏠Housing a Degu: 100 × 60 cm and the full setup

Degu : A large multi-level metal cage of at least 100 x 60 x 100 cm for two, with hardwood or ceramic platforms and nest boxes. Deep bedding for digging and a temperate room below 25 degrees Celsius.

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.

100 × 60 cm of floor: the serious minimum

For a Degu (and it does not live alone), aim for 100 × 60 cm of uninterrupted floor space — shop cages almost always fall short. Then add height: solid levels, ladders and hammocks multiply this climber’s territory.

The standard layout

Dust-free bedding 5 to 10 cm deep, an accessible sand bath, one hideout per animal plus one, a nest of hay or ink-free paper (never fluffy cotton, which garrottes limbs), a ceramic bowl and a bottle checked daily.

Temperature and placement

A temperate room (18 to 24°C), no direct sun or draughts, away from speakers and the television. Placed in the living room, this diurnal animal enjoys your company at the right hours.

Frequently asked questions

What cage size for a Degu?

100 × 60 cm of floor space minimum, plus solid upper levels — pet-shop minimums sit below serious welfare recommendations.

Where should a Degu cage go?

In a temperate, calm room, ideally the living room.

The guides that apply to you

The rest of the Degu’s gear

Bedding & habitat for related breeds and species