Degus live in arid areas with sparse vegetation which is why they are used to a meagre diet and are not able to process sugar. That is why they have been used as test animals in diabetes research. Since the mid-1970s the cute, agile, diurnal and socially living small animals have become popular pets. When feeding them fruits and other sugary foods should be avoided in order to prevent diabetes.
Kategorie: Säugetiere
Größe: head to barrel 12-20 cm; tail 10-16 cm
Lebensalter: 5 years
Geschlechtsreife: ♀ with 6 weeks; ♂ with 3 month
Tragezeit: 87-93 days
Nahrung: grasses, herbs, leaves, seeds, bark, tubers
Lebensraum: grass, bush and rocky landscapes, at heights up to 1200 meters
Gefährdung: not endangered
Verbreitung (ursprünglich): Northern half of Chile, on the Western slopes of the Andes up to about 1200 m altitude
Verbreitungsgebiet:
