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First-time ownership · Small pet

Learn hay and group care first

A beginner can keep degus by learning their food and group routine before expecting a hand-tame pet. Prepare compatible companions, constant hay, low-sugar food and an active cage. Once life feels steady, a degu is much more likely to choose calm contact with you.

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Rules vary by location; check local requirements and your housing rules before acquiring this animal.

Settle the menu before you ask for trust

Good hay needs to be available all the time, and the water bottle needs a daily check. RSPCA also recommends introducing any new food gradually, which gives a new owner a simple rule to start with.[1]

Keep the first days close to the food the group already knows. Sweet fruit or dried treats are a poor shortcut to friendship, because a degu diet needs to stay low in sugar.[1][2]

Prepare a cage the group can actually use

Iowa State suggests solid floors, a hide, a wheel, tubing and safe chewing materials. Degus are active rodents, and an empty cage gives them very little to do during the day.[2]

University of Montana includes hay, wooden chews, tunnels and enrichment in ordinary degu care. Set those pieces in place before the animals arrive instead of rushing to solve boredom afterward.[3]

Build trust with still hands

A degu can bite when it feels threatened or uncomfortable, and the University of Montana warns against pulling the tail. Sit low, offer a hand and support the body when the animal chooses to step on.[3]

Watch how the companions rest and eat together. You do not need to hold every degu every day; a calm group that can follow its own routine is already a strong beginner outcome.[2][1]

Two degus move around a closed tall metal-wire cage with a sand bath, running wheel and hide.

Set up the sand bath, wheel, hides and shared space first. That gives a beginner a steadier starting point.[2][1]

A fit for a beginner who builds the environment first

Trust comes from daily life, rather than a handling trick. Keep the hay, low-sugar food, companions and cage ready, and you have done the most important part of a beginner degu home.[1][2]

Finish the cage and food plan, then let the group meet you

Prepare companions, hay, chewing choices and a safe way to handle them. A well-settled home is the best welcome a beginner can give degus.[2][3]

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Common questions

Can I use fruit as a frequent degu treat?

Degus need a low-sugar diet with hay as the main food. Fruit and sweet foods do not belong in the everyday reward routine.[1]

Sources

Sources used in this article

  1. [2]Caring for your DeguIowa State University Lloyd Veterinary Medical Center
  2. [1]What To Feed a Pet DeguRSPCA
  3. [3]Degu Husbandry and CareUniversity of Montana Laboratory Animal Resources

Keep reading

Degu profileUnderstand daytime group life →Low-maintenance guideKeep food and cleaning jobs short →Start your matchChoose around learning time →