When people think of pet rodents, they tend to think of rats, hamsters, guinea pigs and ferrets. Say the word "degu" (pronounced day-goo) and they'll get a mystified look. Try to describe one using animals they know, and it'll only get worse. "Well... it's the size of a rat, with the face of a chinchilla, the intelligence of a ferret, the temperament of a dog, the curiosity of a cat, is sometimes called a 'Chilean squirril' and is related to rabbits." Better off maybe just to say "A sweet little rodent, kind of like a mini-chinchilla." Neither of those statements really do degus justice though.
You can't blame people for not knowing what they are as degus have only been available as pets for a few years. There is no doubt though, that their popularity will begin to soar once awareness is raised because degus (octodon Octodon Degus) make really great pets.
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Last Updated April 9th 2002
