Degu Lifespan | How Long Do Degus Live? (Wild & Pets)

The degu is a rodent that doesn’t have a short lifespan like other small rodents. In fact, the lifespan of degus is among the highest of pet rodents. When you’re interested in getting a degu or already have one, you’ll want to know how long a degu lives. A pet’s lifespan plays an important role when preparing for a pet. But how long does a degu live?

Degus in captivity have a longer lifespan than degus in the wild. In general, degus in captivity will live between 5 and 8 years. There are several factors that will influence the lifespan, such as genetics, care, and diet. In the wild, degus will live between 1 and 4 years.

A degu is a long-term commitment and you’ll need to be prepared to care for your degus for almost a decade. But when you decide to get degus you won’t be disappointed. These little rodents are great to watch and can get affectionate when bonded. You’ll want them around for as long as possible and this article is all about that.

Degu Lifespan in the Wild

In general, wild degus have a shorter lifespan than pet degus. This is because animals in the wild are exposed to several dangers such as predators, diseases, and the ingestion of toxins.

Although pet degus also can be exposed to some dangers, they are – when you take care of them properly – better protected against these dangers. For example, you’ll take them to a vet when they get sick.

Wild degus have a mean lifespan of less than one year. However, the expected maximum lifespan of wild degus is three to four years.^[1]Steffen, J., Krohn, M., Paarmann, K., Schwitlick, C., Brüning, T., Marreiros, R., Müller-Schiffmann, A., Korth, C., Braun, K., & Pahnke, J. (2016). Revisiting rodent models: Octodon degus as … Continue reading So, the lifespan of wild degus is significantly lower than that of pet degus. Many wild degus will die in their first year(s).

Degu Lifespan in Captivity

Pet degus have a long lifespan. They have a life expectancy between 5 and 8 years.^[2]Steffen, J., Krohn, M., Paarmann, K., Schwitlick, C., Brüning, T., Marreiros, R., Müller-Schiffmann, A., Korth, C., Braun, K., & Pahnke, J. (2016). Revisiting rodent models: Octodon degus as … Continue reading This is remarkably longer than the lifespan of other (small) pet rodents.

Because of their long lifespan, pet degus are a long-term commitment. Therefore, it’s essential to consider the longer lifespan before you consider buying degus. Many degus are brought into animal shelters yearly because they require special care and live long. You’ll need to know that your life is ready to take on this commitment.

Pet degus live longer, but they can get sick or hurt. It’s possible that your degus start fighting each other or that they get a severe health problem. However, the primary dangers that can lead to a short lifespan are improper care and a bad (unbalanced) diet.

Factors That Influence Lifespan of Pet Degus

Several factors influence the life expectancy of degus. The following factors are known to increase or decrease the lifespan of pet degus.

Genetics

Genetic predisposition to specific health issues is one of the main factors determining any animal’s lifespan, including your degu. Degus are known to be prone to particular health issues and diseases.^[3]Suckow, M. A., Stevens, K. A., & Wilson, R. P. (2012). The Laboratory Rabbit, Guinea Pig, Hamster, and Other Rodents (American College of Laboratory Animal Medicine) (1st ed.). Academic Press. Therefore, it’s best to be aware that your degu is susceptible to these health problems so you can try to limit the possibility of them coming up.

Diabetes

Degus are very susceptible to diabetes mellitus, which is also just known as diabetes.^[4]Besselmann, D., & Hatt, J. M. (2004). Diabetes mellitus bei Kaninchen und Nagern. Tierärztliche Praxis Ausgabe K: Kleintiere/Heimtiere, 32(06), 370-376. When an animal gets diabetes, the pancreas cells stop using or producing insulin.^[5]https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diabetes

Diabetic degus can get other health issues, such as eye problems. Research shows that diabetic degus can develop cataracts within 4 weeks of getting diabetes.^[6]Datiles, M. B., 3rd, & Fukui, H. (1989). Cataract prevention in diabetic Octodon degus with Pfizer’s sorbinil. Current eye research, 8(3), 233–237. … Continue reading There is currently no treatment for diabetes in degus.

Certain foods such as guinea pig diets and fresh fruit are associated with the development of diabetes in degus. Therefore, to limit the risk of developing diabetes, you should feed a commercial degu diet supplemented with vegetables.^[7]Quesenberry, K. E., & Carpenter, J. W. (2004). Ferrets, rabbits, and rodents: clinical medicine and surgery: includes sugar gliders and hedgehogs. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Saunders.

Alzheimer’s disease

Degus are used as lab animals for the study of Alzheimer’s.^[8]Castro-Fuentes, R., & Socas-Pérez, R. (2013). Octodon degus: a strong attractor for Alzheimer research. Basic and clinical neuroscience, 4(1), 91–96. This is because degus experience degenerative changes in the cortex, similar to Alzheimer’s. These degenerative changes are caused by their longer lifespan. Therefore, as degus age, they can experience symptoms similar to Alzheimer’s.^[9]Steffen, J., Krohn, M., Paarmann, K. et al. Revisiting rodent models: Octodon degus as Alzheimer’s disease model?. acta neuropathol commun 4, 91 (2016). … Continue reading

There is little to be done about these degenerative changes. It’s a result of the longer lifespan of degus in captivity. Not all degus will experience these changes (in the same way).

Cataracts

Many older degus develop cataracts, a lesion on the eye’s lens, also known as a cloudy lens. It’s not entirely known what causes these cataracts, but the main suspects are diabetes, an improper diet, and genetic predisposition.^[10]Quesenberry, K. E., & Carpenter, J. W. (2004). Ferrets, rabbits, and rodents: clinical medicine and surgery: includes sugar gliders and hedgehogs. 2nd ed. St. Louis, Mo.: Saunders.

Giving a balanced diet is the best way to prevent diabetes and cataracts. This means that you shouldn’t feed sugary foods and get the right balance of nutrients in the diet. Luckily, most commercial diets are formulated to fit all their dietary needs.

Cancer

Like humans, degus can get cancer. The most common tumor in degus is hepatocellular carcinoma.^[11]Banks, R.E., Sharp, J.M., Doss, S.D., Vanderford, D.A., Banks, R.E., Sharp, J.M., Doss, S.D. and Vanderford, D.A. (2016). Degus. In Exotic Small Mammal Care and Husbandry (eds R.E. Banks, J.M. Sharp, … Continue reading The cause of tumors can sometimes be attributed to inhaling carcinogenic substances.^[12]http://www.degutopia.co.uk/deguill.htm

Care

The lifespan of your degu will be reduced when it doesn’t receive the proper care it deserves. To live a healthy and long life your degu will need:

• companionship
• appropriate housing
• a well-balanced diet (which I’ll take about later)
• toys and accessories
• proper handling
• regular visits to the vet

Companionship

Degus are social creatures that live in groups in the wild. A common mistake that new degu owners will make is to get only one degu and keep it as a solitary animal. When you keep only one degu, you create a risky situation. Your degu will have a high risk of stress and boredom, which will eventually lead to a shorter lifespan.

Appropriate housing

New degu owners often make the mistake of getting a cage that is too small and/or unsuitable for their needs. Degus need a large running area and enough platforms to jump and play. They also need a deep layer of bedding to build burrows and tunnels.

Toys and accessories

Toys and accessories keep your degus busy and prevent them from getting bored. You should invest in chew toys to wear down the teeth of your degus. Degu teeth, like other rodents’ teeth, will grow continuously. Therefore they need to chew to prevent dental problems.

Proper handling

Degus are intelligent and curious animals, but unlike other pet rodents, they usually don’t like being picked up and handled. Instead, they want to walk freely on your body from your arm to your shoulder, but this is a more “advanced” handling technique.

Trying to handle your degus too much or force them to cuddle can cause stress and a shorter lifespan. So please don’t force anything and learn how to handle degus.

Health problems and vet visits

Degus can get a few “common” health problems that can usually be avoided. These health problems are:

• dental problems
• skin problems
• parasites
• bumblefoot
• gastrointestinal problems

Discussing all these problems would be too extensive. However, if you want to learn more about these health problems, you can read this complete article on degu health.

What’s more important is to know that you should always seek the help of an experienced vet when you notice signs of health issues. Although not necessary, getting your degus an annual checkup is best.

Diet

Diet is another factor that influences the lifespan of a degu. Luckily this is the factor that you can adjust yourself. A well-balanced diet will keep your degu healthy as long as possible and prevent the development of many diseases.

Degus require a moderate-protein and high-fiber herbivore diet.^[13]Edwards M. S. (2009). Nutrition and behavior of degus (Octodon degus). The veterinary clinics of North America. Exotic animal practice, 12(2), 237–viii. … Continue reading Wild degus will eat grasses, seeds, and shrubs, but pet degus sometimes aren’t given the necessary nutrients and eat too many treats.

The main diet of pets degus should of hay, pellet food or a seed mix, and fresh vegetables.^[14]https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/pets/rodents/degus/diet You can give the occasional treat to your degus but will need to limit this because most treats are high in fat and sugar. This can lead to obesity and diabetes in your degus. Vitamin and mineral supplements are – in general – not needed, but can help prevent diseases.

Tips and Tricks for a Long Degu Lifespan

Although pet degus already have a long lifespan, you can take some measures to extend the lifespan of your little pet. Follow these eleven tips and tricks to enhance your degu’s life so it can live a long and healthy life:

• get your degu from a reputable breeder
• ask information about the lineage of the degu
• feed your degu a well-balanced diet with hay
• avoid high-sugar foods and treats
• find an experienced vet and get annual checkups
• keep a pair of degus or a small group (if you’re experienced)
• handle your degu properly and let them come to you
• interact with your degus daily to bond with them
• never grab your degu by its tail (it will fall off)
• never force your degu to swim or give it a water bath
• a sand bath is necessary to keep the fur clean

Want to Learn More?

If you’re interested in learning more about degus as pets, please read the following articles:

• Complete and illustrated degu diet guide
• Degu Cage Guide

If you’re interested in getting degus as pets, you should read our beginner’s guide to keeping degus as pets and our degu care guide.