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What is a degu exactly2007-11-24 22:17:27

the people who gave me him said he was part squirrel and chinchilla? is that true?

Answers:

No. A degu is a South American cavy, related to the chinchilla and guinea pig.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/degu...

http://www.degus.org/

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The Degu (Octodon degus) is a small caviomorph rodent that is native to Chile. It is sometimes referred to as the Brush-Tailed Rat (although not closely related to the rat family) and is also called the Common Degu, to distinguish it from the other members of the genus Octodon. Other members are also called degus, but they are distinguished by additional names. The name "degu" on its own, however, indicates either the genus Octodon or, more usually, O. degus. Degus are closely related to the chinchilla and guinea pig, also placed in infraorder Caviomorpha.

Degus are highly social. They live in burrows, and by digging communally they are able to construct larger and more elaborate burrows than they could on their own. Degus digging together co-ordinate their activities, forming digging chains. Females living in the same group have been shown to spontaneously nest communally; they nurse one another's young. They spend a large amount of time on the surface, where they forage for food. When foraging, their ability to detect predators is increased in larger groups, and each animal needs to spend less time in vigilance. Degu exhibit a wide array of communication techniques. They have an elaborate vocal repertoire, and the young need to be able to hear their mother's calls if the emotional systems in their brains are to develop properly. They use their urine to scent mark, and experiments have shown that they react to one another's marks.