Degu behaviour and body language explained

Degu behaviour: what is normal

A normal degu is busy, curious and noisy in daylight. PetMD says degus are most active from morning to early evening, and the RSPCA says they rest at night, so they need a room where the lights go off at a regular time. They spend the day digging, chewing, climbing, running and stashing food. Burgess calls chewing and digging their two favourite activities.

Degus are group animals. Burgess says wild degus can live in groups of up to 100, and the RSPCA notes they groom each other and sleep side by side. That is why every good source says they must have degu company. A lone degu, the RSPCA warns, can become depressed, and PetMD links loneliness to self-harming behaviour.

Some normal behaviours look odd the first time you see them:

• Eating droppings. Degus eat soft droppings straight from the bottom to get nutrients from fibre. The RSPCA and Burgess both say this is healthy.
• Hoarding. They stash food in nests and corners. Check stores regularly and remove fresh food before it goes off.
• Rolling in sand. A sand bath is how degus clean their coats, two or three times a week.
• Scent marking. Small spots of urine around the cage are normal marking, which Degutopia separates from true leaking.
• Standing tall. Up on the hind legs to look around, or, Burgess says, to ask you to let them out.
• Night running. Some degus use the wheel late. Degutopia suggests removing it at night if it becomes a habit.

Degu sounds and what they mean

Degus are one of the most talkative small pets. PDSA says they squeak and chirrup all day, and Burgess says they have more than a dozen sounds that young degus learn from their parents. Degutopia lists 15 calls. These are the ones you are most likely to hear at home.

Degutopia also lists a trill made by mothers with pups and two whistles made only by pups. If you hear warbling and chittering most of the day, your degus are content.

Degu body language

Degus talk with their bodies as much as their voices. Most of these signs come from Degutopia's guide to degu sounds. The last two are the fear signals that go with its alarm calls, and with the overhead movement Burgess says degus fear.

Signs of a stressed or unhappy degu

The RSPCA says a change in behaviour, or regular signs of stress or fear, can mean a degu is distressed, bored or in pain. Look out for these, and ask a vet or a clinical animal behaviourist if they keep happening.

• Hiding all day, even when the room is quiet
• Bald patches from fur-pulling, which Degutopia links to stress
• Sitting hunched with ruffled fur, which Degutopia says usually means illness
• Eating or drinking a lot more or a lot less than normal
• A once-friendly degu suddenly biting or running from you

Boredom is the easiest of these to fix. Our degu enrichment guide has ideas for digging, chewing and foraging. If the change comes with weight loss, dropped food or a change in droppings, read our degu health guide and see a vet.

Play or a real fight?

Degus in a group squabble, chase and box, and a lot of it is just sorting out who is in charge. A real fight is different. PDSA says to separate degus straight away if they rear up and chatter their teeth constantly, pull fur, bite, draw blood or roll together in a fighting ball.

Separated degus can often be reintroduced slowly on neutral ground. PDSA describes cages side by side for one to two weeks with daily scent swaps, then 15 to 30 minute meetings for about a week. If meetings keep ending in fights, PDSA says the pair is probably not compatible.

How to tame a degu

Degus tame well, but on their terms. PDSA and Chewy say most don't like being picked up, so the aim is a degu that comes to you, not one you can grab. Wood Green and Burgess suggest 10 to 20 minutes each evening sitting by the cage, talking quietly and offering treats, then letting the degu step onto your hand or arm when it's ready. Supreme says taming can take anything from two weeks to two months.

Never pick a degu up by its tail. PetMD explains the skin can come away, and Chewy says it does not grow back. Our full guide on how to tame, handle and bond with a degu takes it step by step.

Are degus friendly?

Yes, once they know you. PetMD calls them social, curious and intelligent, and Burgess says some degus love taking food from your hand and climbing over you during play time, while others never get keen. They are fast and easily startled by sudden noise, so PetMD and Burgess say they suit adults and older children better than young families. If you're still deciding, our page on degus as pets gives the honest pros and cons, and degu facts has more on how they live in the wild. The full routine is in our degu care guide.