Chincilla or Degu's

[kade]

Are Chinchilla's better then Degus as a pet?

Degus are like Chinchilla's but smaller, they are known as a pocket pet. Like Chincillas degus take dust baths.

 

[tunes]

Actually, other than having their needs met, degu are nothing like chinchillas. I have both. Degu look like gerbils on steroids. They have very thin, short tails that are closely furred, not big poofy ones. They also don't have huge fur coats. They are also extremely busy, all the time. They hold no schedule. The wheel spins sometimes 8 hours during a day, then a brief rest, then 8 hours at night.

I love my degu to death and just talked a good friend into getting a few. Obviously I have more chins, and since I don't need to choose between the two, I can have both!

 

[BooBoo*TheKiddo*]

I've got 8 chinchillas and my sister has 2 degus.
They have things in common with chins but as Tunes said they aren't like them.

Each have completely different personalities and degus seem to never slept.

 

[arf2184]

I've got 2 degus and 20 chins.

The wheel rarely stop in my degus cage. One or both of my girls are on it almost all the time. If not on the wheel, they like to rearrange their cage. Occasionally I catch them sleeping. My girls also like to argue with each other...they don't physically fight, but they can get pretty noisy. They also alert me when anyone walks in 'their' room.

Chins sleep most of the day and save the activity for evening/night.

Personalities vary with all animals, but both my degus and chins don't like to be held for very long. They'd all rather be off exploring, occasionally coming up to say hi to me.

Another difference....degus are climbers, chins are jumpers.

 

[susansheila]

Hmmmm, Peggy, wonder who that was!

Degus are very cute, might look into them some day.

 

[Dragonflye]

:neener:

 

[tunes]

I'll never tell Susan.

 

[chincinnati]

Do degus smell like chinchillas or gerbils?

 

[tunes]

Mine don't smell. Keep their cage clean and there is no odor.

 

[Bethany]

I think it depends on how much time you have and what kind of pet you want. I love my degus, but they are more to watch. That is not to say that they do not climb in my hand. I do give my chins playtime and they do climb all over me. Neither want much to do with you, but they do interact with you.

If you do not have a lot of time I'd go with a degu. Also something to consider is where you will be in ten years. If you can not commit years to a chinchilla a degus may be the way to go.

 

[arf2184]

My degus are 7 years old and going strong. If you can not commit years, get a rat. Unfortunately, they (rats) only live 2-5 years.

 

[Robert_the]

degus like to eat there own poop somtimes well thats what i saw at the D.c zoo .. I dont think i have to say any more then that lol

 

[tunes]

degus like to eat there own poop somtimes well thats what i saw at the D.c zoo .. I dont think i have to say any more then that lol

And you haven't noticed your chinchilla doing that? Because trust me, it does.

 

[Chinniechantel]

degus like to eat there own poop somtimes well thats what i saw at the D.c zoo .. I dont think i have to say any more then that lol

Yep, chinchillas eat their poop all the time! And they do it very sneakily, you barely notice and then are like, OMG, what did you just do?!? :vomit: It helps them get the nutrition they did not take the first time around.

 

[Essentia]

My chins are from from being sneaky about it. I've watched Chula pull it straight from his butt and take a bite off the top like a pellet. Ewwwwwww.

 

[jessica]

I think I prefer a chinchilla. They are bigger and never lose that roly-poly appearance that you associate with baby animals that is oh so endearing. Plus they have nice soft and squishy fur for petting. True they don't much like being held but plenty of them like to be pet once they decide to trust you. I don't know much about degus but I know what they are and what they look like. I'm sure they make great pets for the people who have them.

 

[KennyFace (:]

I've got 2 degus and 20 chins.

I seriously envy you for having 20 chinchillas! :cry3:

 

[brittiny]

Degus remind me of tiny nutrias.

Chinchillas ftw.

 

[GliderChillaLove]

I am deffinately a chinchilla fan, I had a degus once and we just didn't click. I don't feel that they are at all the same aside from the dust baths. They have completely different personalities.

 

[ann1]

Well since i dont own a degu and do own a chin or two, my vote goes to chins. Of coarse my vote might be a little jaded tho...lol