What do they use degus for in animal testing?

The unique characteristics of the degu have made it increasingly popular as a laboratory animal. The precocious neonates are animal models used to study neurobiological developmental patterns. It is also a popular model for neurodegenerative conditions of aging, including Alzheimer’s disease (Ardiles et al., 2013).

What animal is a degus?

degu, (genus Octodon), one of four species of ratlike South American rodents found primarily on the lower western slopes of the Andes Mountains. It is one of the most common mammals of central Chile at elevations up to 1,200 metres (3,900 feet), where it prefers open grassy areas near shrubs, rocks, and stone walls.

Are degus good with other dogs?

In addition, given that degus are prey species, they can be kept in homes with other pets, such as cats and dogs, as long as these naturally predatory animals are kept away from degus and are never around them unsupervised.

What are degus related to?

Common degus belong to the parvorder Caviomorpha of the infraorder Hystricognathi, along with the chinchilla and guinea pig. The word degu comes from the indigenous language of Chile, Mapudungun, and the word dewü, meaning ‘mouse’ or ‘rat’.

Are degus diurnal?

The degu is one of five diurnal mammals for which at least partial PRCs in response to light and/or nonphotic cues have been reported (DeCoursey 1973; Hut et al. 1999; Kas and Edgar 2000,2001; Kramm 1974; Lee and Labyak 1997; Mahoney et al. 2001).

Is a degu a chinchilla?

Degu Overview Degus are smaller than chinchillas, but they tend to have bigger personalities. These little rodents are cute and curious, making it fun to watch them run and play in their habitat. These are social pack animals and prefer to live with other degus rather than by themselves.

Can degu and chinchilla live together?

They are sociable animals and should live with their own species, but they must be introduced before they’re fully grown (8 months for Chinchillas and 4 months for Degus).

Is a degu a guinea pig?

Degus are in the same family as Guinea Pigs and Chinchillas, and these small, burrowing rodents have become a popular pet in the United States. They are native to Chile and are social animals that tend to live in large communities, sometimes numbering upward of 100!

Is a degu a squirrel?

As you can see, the degu is an animal that looks a little bit like a squirrel or mouse with large ears and a tufted tail. They’re often physically compared to gerbils, being larger than these rodents.

What’s the difference between a degu and a gerbil?

Size: The main difference between the two lies in their size. This is the first demarcation that you would get to see based on their appearance. Gerbils are smaller than Degus and require less space to live. Degus can be expected to grow up to three times the size of a Gerbil.

Can a degus be a pet?

Degus are commonly used as laboratory animals; however, over the past few years, they have become increasingly popular as pets. Objectives: The aim of this article was to present disease prevalence in 300 pet degus divided in two age groups (under and above two years).

What kind of animal is a degu?

A close relative of the chinchilla, the degu is a gentle little rodent native to the rocky outcrops of the Chilean lowland. The common degu looks very much like an oversized gerbil, with brown fur, thin-skinned, rounded ears, and a bit of a Roman nose.

What kind of animal is an Octodon degus?

Degus (Octodon degus) belong to the order Rodentia, parvorder Caviomorpha, and family Octodontidae. These porcupine-like small rodents are related to guinea pigs and chinchillas.

What are 3 interesting facts about degus?

a few more Degu facts. Degus are related to chinchillas. but degus are not nocturnal, they are awake during the day. Degus live in huge colonies of as many as 100. The degu is not tolerant of sugars, and is used in diabetes research. Degus are usually brown, but some pets come in new colors.