Mammals · Rodentia · Octodontidae

Degu

Octodon degus

Least Concern

The species is abundant and widely distributed; it faces no significant short-term risk. See full glossary

The degu is a hystricomorph rodent endemic to central Chile, related to the chinchillas and guinea pigs. It lives in colonies that dig communal tunnel systems and breed cooperatively: several females share a burrow and suckle the young indiscriminately. It is diurnal, highly vocal, with a repertoire of at least fifteen different calls, and feeds on grasses, seeds and bark. In recent decades it has spread both as a pet and as a laboratory animal.

Weight

170 g – 300 g

Size

25 cm – 31 cm

Lifespan

7 years

Diet

Herbivore

Feeds mainly on plants.

Activity

Diurnal

Active mainly during the day.

Social structure

Colony

Lives in large concentrations, often for breeding reasons.

Sighting difficulty

Easy

DesertMountainHerbivore Diurnal Colonial Desert Mountain Mammal

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Fun facts

GeneralHighly social and day-active; it cannot eat sugar, as it develops diabetes readily.
Its tail comes away if a predator grabs it, an autotomy that saves its life but that never grows back.
It is one of the few rodents that spontaneously develops diabetes, cataracts and amyloid protein deposits similar to those of Alzheimer's, which has made it a key model in biomedical research.

Life cycle & biology

Skeleton type: Vertebrate - internal bony skeleton (mammal)
Habitat & environment: Sclerophyll scrub and dry slopes of central Chile, from sea level to 1,200 m
Sexual maturity: 6 months
Gestation / incubation: 3 months
Litter / clutch size: 6
Lifespan in captivity: Up to 13 years in captivity, against an average of 1-2 years in the wild

Sources consulted: https://www.iucnredlist.org/ | https://animaldiversity.org/ | https://es.wikipedia.org/