Recently, more and more often, lovers of exotic animals start the degu squirrel, and there is an explanation for this. Pass by a cute, funny and fluffy animal is simply impossible! But before acquiring a pet, you should understand the rules for caring for him and its contents.
Material Content:
Description of squirrels degu
In the natural environment, these animals prefer to hunt in the morning and immediately after sunset. This is due to the fact that bright sunlight and high thermal conditions often cause sun and heat stroke.
Squirrel degu is very sociable, playful, so she needs constant attention and care. It is best to start several animals at once.
What does a rodent look like?
In nature, shrub rats can be taupe or tan. But individuals with a different color were bred artificially.
Most often you can meet degu:
- blue;
- sand;
- spotted;
- gray color.
The animal has a very well-developed sense of smell, while he is able to distinguish any low-frequency sounds. It is worth noting also his unique vision - he sees perfectly close, but distant objects - no. But in this case, vibrissae - organs of touch, help him out. It is they who notify the rodent where the objects and prey are precisely located.
Vibrissae are thin fibers that transmit information to the brain about any, even slight, fluctuation in air that comes from an extraneous object.Like any other animal, the teeth of degu squirrels grow throughout life, so the animals periodically grind them.
The neck is thickened, but very short. A characteristic feature of this species is a small head and flattened nose. Also, this pet can be recognized by its paws, since its hind limbs are much longer than its front ones. In view of this feature, rodents always move in a hunched position.
Size and weight
All animals have the exact same physique. The length of the body can reach 20 cm, moreover, the tail usually grows up to 10 cm, and there is a beautiful fluffy brush on its tip. As for weight, an adult rodent can gain from 100 to 500 g.
The fur coat of the Chilean squirrel is very soft, although its villi are quite short. To stroke such a pet is a pleasure.
But it is worth noting that in case of danger, the Chilean squirrel degu gets rid of its tail, it just takes off the skin, and then gnaws off the bare part. Moreover, it does not grow back again, so many individuals simply do not have a tail.
Homeland Shrub Rat
The Eight-Toothed family lives in South American rocky areas, as well as in areas covered with shrubs. These biotopes are located in Bolivia, they can be found in Chile and Argentina, as well as in Peru.
Home Content
At the very beginning, such proteins were used exclusively for laboratory purposes, since these animals possess unique features. For example, a shrub rat absolutely does not tolerate sugar, this component causes changes in its brain. Actually, that’s why scientists modeled Alzheimer's disease and diabetes mellitus on representatives of the species.
The idea to tame degu squirrel arose relatively recently, in the plant nurseries, these animals appeared several years ago.
These rodents require constant care and proper maintenance. They are very clean, so they need to arrange regular bathing, as the health of the squirrel and the beauty of the coat will depend on this.
Not just water, but special myelin sand is poured into the bath. Moreover, pets are capable of swarming and swimming independently. Such a bath must be installed in a cage daily; by evening it should be picked up, cleaned and sieved. If this is not done, then the animals will use it as a toilet.
Cell selection
For shrub rats, you need to get a good cage so that they feel comfortable in it.
Therefore, the house must meet the following parameters:
- length - from 60 cm;
- height - from 80;
- width - from 50.
Do not buy a plastic tank - degu protein will quickly gnaw it. It is best to give preference to stainless steel containers, they are more reliable.
Tree branches and roots are sure to fit into the cage. These rodents are quite active, like to hide in shelters, as well as overcome oncoming obstacles. To this end, you can purchase for them a special wheel in which they will run.
As for the drinking bowl, experts recommend fixing it on the wall, and installing a container for each type of food.
It is also important to choose a suitable place for the cage. The house should not be in the sun or near radiators. In addition, you can not put it near noise sources, for example, a stereo system or a TV.
Litter is necessarily laid at the bottom, which can be used as:
- old rags;
- paper;
- pressed corncobs.
Many inexperienced breeders use sawdust, but this is by no means possible, since this material causes allergies in animals.
Do not forget about cleaning the cage. It is best to carry out such a procedure every 7 to 10 days.
Care and training
Shrub squirrel is famous for its excellent memory, so it is easy to learn.But for this, it is necessary to constantly contact with the owner. It is best to start learning at an early age. It is best to carry out such events in a certain place, for example, in a room where there are no hidden corners and various gaps. Otherwise, the animal will constantly run away and hide.
Also, the room should not have open wiring, otherwise there is a risk that it will simply cut it.
They begin the learning process by talking, moreover, the voice must be quiet and gentle, so that degu learns to recognize it. In addition, it is worth giving the protein food from the hand, but before this process they must be washed. With the help of food, you can teach your pet to perform all kinds of tricks.
It is very important to feel the mood of the animal, there are several signs by which you can understand its condition:
- The wool stood on end - the pet is in a state of anxiety and feels threatened.
- A tail wags - an excited state.
- Increased activity in the form of running, jumping - this behavior indicates that the animal is in a joyful state, it is absolutely healthy and happy.
- Squeak - thus, degu proteins communicate with each other.
It is worth adding that it is forbidden to take these rodents from above. The fact is that in the natural environment these animals are attacked in this way, therefore, having felt the threat, the pet can defend itself and bite.
In fact, it is not at all difficult to tame a squirrel degu, it will be enough to scratch her tummy daily - she loves it very much.
Diet
It is necessary to feed degu protein in accordance with the diet, since such pets are not able to independently regulate blood sugar levels. Poor feed or constant overfeeding can harm the animal's health.
The daily diet can include:
- dry grass
- tree bark;
- roots and stems of plants;
- seeds;
- cereals;
- Fresh fruits and vegetables.
You can also additionally feed your pet with special foods that are designed for Chilean squirrels. You can buy them at pet stores.
Breeding offspring
Shrub rat breeds well, regardless of where it lives - in captivity or in the natural environment. But it is worth noting that the marriage and subsequent offspring require special care and care. For a pregnant individual, it is necessary to prepare the cage in advance, remove from it all objects that can injure.
The female and the male must be introduced in advance so that they get used to each other. Moreover, both pets must be absolutely healthy, and also not be related. This factor is extremely important.
Puberty in this species occurs on the 50th day, but it will be worn by the babies for 90 days. Moreover, at a time the female can bring up to 11 squirrels.
It is also important that the individual does not become pregnant more often than once a year - this can undermine its health. As for the offspring, it is born with a fully formed body, which is covered with soft fur.
Life span
In the natural environment, degu proteins live about 5 - 8 years, but at home, their life expectancy increases to 10 years. Naturally, if they are given the right care.
In fact, how long the pet will live depends on many factors - on diet, physical activity and hygiene. But there is officially confirmed evidence that some representatives of the Vosmizubov family reached the age of fifteen.
Disease and treatment of degu proteins
You can understand that a pet is sick by its sociability and activity. In addition, the rodent's eyes are the main indicator of a healthy state. They must be clean, without any stains.
It is also worthwhile to regularly examine teeth for proteins, they should be orange. If they change it, then you should immediately adjust the diet. If this is not done, the animal may begin diarrhea.
The most common diseases that occur in a shrub rat:
- Conjunctivitis. It is expressed by purulent inflammation of the eyes. You can cure the disease with the help of special drops, which contain antibiotics.
- Cataract. Most often, adult pets suffer from the disease. A characteristic spot of white color forms on the animal’s eye. For help, contact your veterinarian.
- Diabetes. The most common disease is protein. The animal becomes lethargic, gaining weight and consuming a lot of fluids. It is impossible to cure the disease, therefore, preventive measures should be taken: follow a diet, exclude sugar-containing products from the diet.
In addition, the pet is often exposed to colds, as it relates to heat-loving species. Therefore, it is necessary to exclude sharp temperature differences and avoid drafts.
It is worth noting that many diseases can be avoided by regularly cleaning the cage, bathing the rodent and feeding it correctly.
