Degus

[balletgirl]

Does anybody own a degu?  I know that they are similar to chinchillas and have seen them caged with chinnies.

[chinclub]

I had a pair.  If you want one get it from a breeder and be sure it has been handled ALOT!!  Degus will bite to the bone if they are scared or angred.  They also have a bacteria in their mouth than can make some people react very violently if bitten.  If you are bitten let it bleed as you would with a snake bite to try to flush the bacteria back out of the wound. No one seems to tell you that until you are bitten!  One of mine bit me and it swelled up horribly and wouldn't heal.  I have been bitten by almost every animal imaginable and I have never had one react like that did.  I did a little research and found out that many people have had the same reaction.  Whole arms can become swollen and useless after a degu bite on the finger.    It took my bite many months to heal and it was sooo painful! 

Do some research on the effects of degu bites before you get one.

[balletgirl]

Thanks for your reply, chinclub.   I wasn't considering getting a degu, though.  I probably would be too scared to handle it in fear that it would bite. I didn't know how harmful they could be.
 
 

[BrightEyed]

What is a degu? do you have any pictures of one? I was just curious.

[balletgirl]

You can find some good information about degus on degus.org.  They are rodents that ars similar to chinchillas, only smaller.