About
The degu is a social rodent endemic to Chile. It lives by digging underground burrows in the semi‑arid hills and shrub‑grasslands on the western slopes of the Andes, occupying multi‑chambered nests and foraging on the ground. Body length is about 12–20 cm, with a tail 8–13 cm long bearing a tuft of hair. It primarily eats plant material and practices coprophagy to ferment food in the cecal microbial community. Diurnal and living in groups, degus communicate complexly using scent, vocalizations, and vision. Conservation status: Least Concern.
