Degus suffer from high temperatures. Don't put the cage to direct sun, even not behind the window and don't take them to the car when there's too hot (at least for not too long). On the other side they are quite ok with lower temperatures. But draft also isn't good for them, they can catch cold which can lead to pneumonia and this is hardly possible to cure with degus.

DO NOT USE YEW, CEDAR, LAUREL, CHESNUT, or RHODENDRIAN for they are poisonous to them. You may give them alfalfa cubes to gnaw on such as seen below.

For bedding I use pine shavings, NOT cedar. Cedar shavings contain oils and odors that small rodents lungs can not handle it and they can die from it. However, there are some breeders that have not had any problems from using it, I just prefer the others.

Another thing of interest is that the teeth of a healthy degu are yellow or orange coloured. White teeth are an indication of a serious disease. Degus' teeth become orange a couple of weeks after their birth because of the reaction of chlorophyll from green plants with degus' saliva - this reaction also makes the degus' saliva orange.

Diabetes: Feeding your Degu too much sugar will make it diabetic and it can't be cured. Symtons of this disease - your Degu is drinking larger amounts of water, fatigue, and cataracts in the eyes.

Diarrhea: This can happen if your giving too much wet veggies and fruits, or a major change in diet. Or it could be your food is dirty and soiled, or a mild poisoning from a type of plant consumed. Fix it: Check all the food you give your Degu, dubble check on the kind of plants you feed him/her, and clean all your fresh veggies first before it hits the food dish.

Liverproblems: From feeding your Degu too much FAT. SO watch what you feed your lil guy/girl. Fix it: Prevent it by feeding your Degu LESS fattie foods like sunflower seeds/peanuts etc.

Mouth diseases: Their teeth may be overgrown and cause infections. Usually they get white teeth after the disease hits. If the white comes, then your Degu has barely any chance to live. Fix it: Prevent it by providing your Degu with lots of good things to chew on, like wood and branches and rocks and mineral stones. It will wear down the teeth and will give it exercise. You could also give your Degu vitamin C in their water too, but not too much.

Obesity: Obesity can inhibit your Degu's cardiac, respiratory, and articular functions. Fix it: Cut way down on the fattie seeds (sun flower seeds), peanuts, and stuff.

Parasites: Bugs, they are everywhere. Outside coming in, or on your other pets, or on YOU (you dirtie thing!) can get on YOUR Degu. Commonly mites like to infest the poor things, and if your Degu has them, he/she will scratch/bite themselves consistently. If you touch your Degu's ear and you get an expression of pain (pulls away from you or "weeps") the mites may have burrowed in its ears and caused an ear infection. If the fur around the ear is falling out and the ear itself stinks, then for sure it's a mite infestation. Ouch. Fix it: Obtain mite medication (bottles) for dogs and cats (from vet maybe) and follow the instructions.

Pododermatitis: This is a Degu foot disorder where your Degu has probably been living on wire flooring for too long. It figures, if you had to step on wire for many years, your feet would be demented too. The common name for this foot problem is "blunder-foot". Fix it: Get some solid floors for your Degu(s).

Shedding: Imagine a bald Degu in your hand. Um no thanks. But - it's natural for Degus to shed in autmn and spring. Twice a year. Anymore then that, then you should dubble check. Fix it: It could be the temperature of the room, the air may be too dry and warm, Degus are very sensitive to heat. It could also be the Degu's health, bad hygiene, a cold, or a parasite infestation.