Most often, animals that are not native are considered “exotic” and, in most cases, are illegal to own as pets. After an initial interest in ordinary degus as research objects, they became popular as pets, although until recently they were rarely found in pet stores. Their advantages over traditional small pets are their daily habits, bubbling personalities, hairy tail (compared to rats and mice) and lifespan: they would live up to 13 years in ideal circumstances (although a bad gene pool or genetic baggage often significantly shortens the lifespan of an animal). [Citation needed] The average lifespan of an ordinary degus in captivity is usually about six to eight years. If an animal is not banned or requires a permit, it can be kept as a pet. However, no one can own more than 6 animals of any kind and no more than 25 wild animals without game at any given time. Coatis bred in captivity can be kept as pets, but proof of legal acquisition is required. No permits are required in any county west of the Pecos River with a population of less than 25,000. Another interesting area of Degu`s joint research is the function of the circadian rhythm, that is, the brain`s ability to tell what time of day it is at. Degus have the ability to show both daytime and nocturnal rhythms when the environment allows,[32] allowing for a unique opportunity to study. Ordinary degus can take cues that are not related to the length of the day, such as temperature,[33] melatonin levels,[34] and even smells from other degus,[35] to adjust their rhythms.

So, are hamsters illegal in Australia? Hamsters are illegally detained or transported to Australia. This includes all states. Hamsters are considered “parasites” by the Australian government and laws have been enacted to prevent their detention. Contact the Department of Environment and Heritage for advice on caring for native birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and water buffaloes. If you move to Queensland and own a prohibited pet, you can hand it over to the Queensland government, have it euthanized or give it to a friend. For example; Rabbits are legal pets in New South Wales, you may want to leave them with a friend before you move. It is best for young children not to have access to the cage and simply let them watch the degus in their cage. It is also possible that they will caress the degu if you handle them or if they stay in their cage. Frequent degus are very social. They live in caves, and by digging together, they are able to build larger and more elaborate caves than they could alone. [5] Degus, who dig together, coordinate their activities and form funeral chains.

[6] Females living in the same group have been shown to nest spontaneously together; [7] [8] They take care of each other`s boys. They spend a lot of time on the surface, where they look for food. [6] When foraging, their ability to detect predators is increased in large groups[9], and each animal must spend less time on alertness. Maybe you`ve always wanted to own a monkey, or you`re wondering if it`s legal for your neighbor to have this puma in their garden. Fortunately for your curiosity, every state has exotic animal laws that allow, restrict, or prohibit the possession of certain animal species. The following article describes in detail some of these state laws. A disadvantage of ordinary degu as a pet is its predisposition to chew, due to its constantly growing incisors and molars. [4] For this reason, ordinary degus cannot be housed in cages with plastic floors, which are usually found in pet stores. A metal cage with multiple levels for rats and secure double locks works best.

It is important to align the levels with grass mats or soft cloth so that the ordinary degus does not become bumblebee feet. [Citation needed] Common degus are strictly herbivorous, in the wild they feed on grasses and roam the leaves of shrubs, although they also take seeds. [24] For much of the year, food is dried[21] and regular degus are therefore specially adapted to a very high fibre intake[25], and this varies depending on the type of food and environmental conditions. [26] Like other herbivores like rabbits, they perform coprophagy (fecal reingestion) to extract more food from their diet. [27] It also serves to maintain healthy bowel function during periods when food is scarce. [27] Although they are active during the day, they do not leave their burrows in the middle of the day in mid-summer[21] but appear in the morning and evening to look for food. Australia has one of the strictest guidelines for importing animals and keeping unique or exotic animals like Degus. Many pets that are legally kept in the rest of the world are allowed to be kept illegally as pets in Australia. The Degu is one of those animals that is not a legal pet in Australia.

Ordinary degus often “groom” their human owners with a gentle snacking action and easily connect with anyone who spends time with them. Ordinary degus need regular sand baths, just as chinchillas need dust baths to keep their coat healthy and fat-free. Chinchilla sand is ideal for this. You should have regular access to these baths, preferably two or three times a week for half an hour each. Too often, however, the daily sand bath can dirty their coat. [Citation needed] Degus are easy-care pets. You also need all the care that other rodents and other animals also need, such as daily feeding and weekly cleaning of the cage. You will need a dust or sand bath and you will need to clean the cage at least once a week, depending on the number of degus you keep in the cage. If you want to keep your Degus tame, you need to take care of them and play with them daily.

The Common Degu (Octodon degus; /ˈdeɪɡuː/) or historically the Degu is a small Hystricomorpha rodent endemic to the Chilean matorral ecoregion of central Chile. [2] The name Degu alone refers either to the entire genus Octodon or, more commonly, only to the ordinary Degu. The common degus belong to the Parvorder Caviomorpha of the suborder Hystricognathi, along with the chinchilla and guinea pig. The word degu comes from chile`s indigenous language, Mapudungun, and the word dewü, which means “mouse” or “rat.” [3] In the United States, it is illegal to possess them in California,[38] Utah,[39] Georgia, Connecticut,[40] and Alaska. [41] It is important to understand that Degus are not legal in all regions. Some parts of the world and even the United States have strict regulations for pets. In some areas, holding a degu is illegal or requires a permit. Degus can become very affectionate and cuddly if they are used to you handling them. The Degu is a very intelligent animal that wants to cuddle you, but also likes to cuddle with other Degus. Common degus are seasonal breeders; The breeding season for wild degus begins in the Chilean autumn, when day and night are about the same,[15] with puppies born between early and mid-spring. [16] Female degus are pregnant for about ninety days,[4][17] and have a relatively long gestation period compared to other non-kaviomorphic rodents.