# How long do degus live?



## cpiggott22 (Apr 1, 2009)

Just posted this on 'other pets' but thought I'd best stick it here as well just in case!.....

According to various care sheets they live anywhere between 4 and 15 years!! Just wondering if anyone has any actual experience as our boys are 2 and I'm hoping they're going to be around for a long time yet.

Oh, also wondering what you feed your degus? Ours are on degu food mixed with chinchilla pellets and fruit-free guinea pig food and a variety of hays (orchard grass, meadow hay mix, timothy hay and oat hay as well as the occassional alfalfa block). They get occassional treats of locust beans and dried carrot but won't eat fresh carrot or dandelions. There's a lot of conflicting advice on what they can and can't have so we stuck with safe options- anyone have any thoughts?

Sorry for the long post!


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## ellerslie83 (Sep 28, 2008)

Hi sounds like you're doing great, all of ours have lived to a good age - usually being at least 8 before they go. Food wise that sounds pretty good, I'm not sure about how much sugar there is in dried carrot - I'm sure I've always heard that carrots are one of the veg with more sugar as they do taste rather sweet.
We give ours straight forward degu pellets or if we've run out we switch to chinchilla pellets, plus ad-lib hay and every couple of days a little bit of veg. So in my opinion your doing fine! :2thumb:


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## cpiggott22 (Apr 1, 2009)

ideal, cheers! I love my lads and I'd hate to think I wasn't doing the best I could for them...it's so cute when they perch on my shoulders and snuffle around in my hair :flrt:. They haven't had carrot in a while but I was considering buying some more as they love it so much but if it's a bit too sugary for them they'll just have to go without. What kind of veg do you feed? I've read that brocolli's ok and that they like fresh basil but ours are a bit scared of real food...they treat it like it's an unexploded bomb. 

I also found this awesome site with loads of great ideas for degu enrichment so I was a bit naughty today and spent money I don't have on toys :lol2: don't tell the boyfriend!


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## sammy1969 (Jul 21, 2007)

My personal experiences with degus is that they are capable of living to be 10 years old although i have had some only live to be 5 and 6 years of age As for diet sounds like yous are doing great and will thrive for many more years to come. These great little creatures gave me so much enjoyment with their antics including chasing my dogs round my home lol.


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## cpiggott22 (Apr 1, 2009)

10 years would be amazing, I'm completely in love with them. I love the sound of them chasing the dogs! Ours are so cheeky, they've worked out how to get onto the window sill to chew the frames and when you tell them off these cute little whiskery faces appear looking completely innocent and they climb all over me like 'what? Me? No, I just got here, look, aren't I cute' :lol2:


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## sammy1969 (Jul 21, 2007)

Yep they really are cute characters and well i lost curtains and nets to them and their chewing but as you say they look at you so innocently when you try to tell them off you just cant do it lol. I think it all comes down to husbandry as to their lifespan and also genetics ie not inbred which some breeders are known to do and i guess in a way i was lucky to have them for so long.Yours sound as if they are on a great diet and so should do really well.


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