What are degues?

Answer 1

A degu is like a large gerbil or small chinchilla, usually brown and black in color. They are native to South America and are becoming more common as pets in the United States, Canada and in Europe. They have special dietary needs and are social animals and should always be kept in pairs or groups.

Degus are sometimes called Chilean Squirrels because of the way they sit and eat their food with their front paws (like squirrels.) It is sometimes referred to as the Brush-Tailed Rat (although not closely related to the rats) because of the way their body and tail is a similar shape as a rat but with a trumpeted busy tuft of fir at the end of their tail.

Degus are part of the Rodentia species classification order, aka they are scientifically defined as rodents. The name "degu" indicates either the genus Octodon or O. degus. Degus are closely related to the chinchilla and guinea pig since they are also placed in the parvorder Caviomorpha of the infraorder Hystricognathi.

Answer 2

A degus (plural:degu) is a small, friendly rodent native to Chile. It is about the same size as a gerbil.

For more information about degu, see the related link.