Although the vast majority or Degus look the same, each will have some variation in fur patterns, weight and other characteristics.

01Fur

A Degu's fur is naturally a tweed colour which becomes lighter towards the under-belly, although thanks to genetic manipulations and cross-breeding, they can be found in black, blue (metallic blue-black), tan, white and cream¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5).. Colour varieties are in higher demand and more common in mainland Europe in countries such as Germany, and it is not yet known the health implications of this genetic engineering. The hair is short and soft¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5).. Some Degus may have white flanks, the area between the ribs and hips, which is believed to be a sign of infertility, although we could not find any research confirming this.

A Degu's fur can not be allowed to become wet as it may be become brittle and damaged, and so other than their water bottle nozzle there should be no sources of water near to them to avoid this. As an alternative to help keep their fur dry and clean, they should be given access to a sand bath for around 30 minutes every day. Leaving the sand bath in the cage for too long or giving one too often could also damage the fur by drying it out. Some Degus (such as mine) will only use the bath occasionally and therefore does not need to be constantly monitored, but for some Degus it is a game as well as a way of keeping clean, so excessive use can occur easily.

Degus can occasionally shed their fur once or twice a year, in-keeping with the season's changing temperatures (longer fur in winter, shorter in summer). This happens roughly between March and July in the UK, although this fur shedding has not been experienced by all Degu owners, possibly as compared to the harsh temperatures in their natural desert environment, the British weather is not as drastic and your pet will be kept mainly indoors at a roughly constant temperature, so the need to shed fur may not be needed. Another reason for the observed differences in fur shedding could be evolution and adapting to the constant climate in housing, as over an average person's lifetime a single pet Degu could reproduce and be the beginning of 50-60 generations of domesticated Degus.

02Eyes

Degu's have dark, big eyes, which are surrounded by a lighter area of fur¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5).. A Degu's eyes are placed at the sides of the head, helping them to be more alert to predators in the wild and dangers in a domestic environment by expanding the field of vision more than species without many natural enemies (i.e. us), while still providing a perfect forward view for regular navigation. The eyes are inconsistent with rodents of the same habits i.e. burrowing, who normally have small eyes to avoid damage when digging. The eyes can become subject to illness such as cataracts, when too many sugary foods are fed.

03Ears

The Degu's ears are of moderate size, around 3cm in height, dark with little hair, apart from long strands of hair protecting the ear canal. The ears can get grubby very easily, and as they can not groom them themselves, are kept clean by other Degus in the habitat. Without this attention they can become very poorly, as it is very dangerous for humans to clean due to the delicate thinness of the skin. They are shaped to gain as much aural information as possible¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5)., and stick up whenever the Degu hears a sound they feel to be threatening to attempt to obtain more information.

04Teeth and Mouth

A Degu's Teeth had a distinctive figure 8 pattern, similar to that of Chinchillas and Guinea Pigs which is why it is classified in the Octodon animal species group. A Degu's front teeth should be a yellow - orange colour¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5). which is believed to be due to a Vitamin A and C deficiency in their regular diet²Watts, A. and Addy, M. (2001) 'Tooth discolouration and staining; A review of the literature.' British Dental Journal, 190 (6): 309-316.. White teeth can also indicate a serious disease and a poor diet. The teeth are constantly growing, causing Degu's to gnaw on everything and anything, so suitable toys and wood blocks should be provided. All together Degus have a total of 20 teeth, used for chewing, biting and gnawing¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5)..

05Paws and Feet

A Degu's feet has 5 toes on each paw, front and back, with rear claws curved and covered in brush-like bristles.¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5). One of the toes on each paw is shorter than the others and used for gripping in the same manner as a human thumb. If a Degu spends too much time on a mesh wire floor the feet can develop a problem called bumble foot which is very painful, so ledges and flat areas must be provided in your Degu's cage. There are small lumps on the palm of the paws that are used for gripping items such as food when eating. A Degus paws and other features are not consistent with other burrowing animals¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5)..

06Tail

Degus have a long tail which grows to around 9cm in length, is scaly to the touch and has a small bushy tip¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5).. As a defence mechanism in the wild, the Degu will shed part of its tail, up to half of the tail, as a way of evading capture when a predator has hold of it. For this reason a Degu should never be handled by the tail, and is better off not being touched at all, as it can be extremely painful, causing a lot of bleeding and distress. This can become infected and will never grow back. If this occurs, usually the Degu will chew and stop the bleeding itself, but a vet visit is always recommended for the welfare of your pet. The tail is primarily used for balance when jumping and climbing, and regulating the body temperature by providing an area for heat to escape or be retained.

07Whiskers and Nose

A Degu's whiskers, like all other animals, are used for exploration when judging gaps and spaces to determine if it can fit through. Whiskers are very sensitive and should not be played with. The area of the brain used in scent detection is well developed providing a good sense of scent¹Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5).. The nose is hairless, with females believed to have a better sense of smell than the males due to testosterone having an effect of the strength of smell, although this has not been completely verified at the time of writing.

Sources:

• Woods, C. and Boraker, D. (1975) 'Octodon degus.' Mammalian Species, 67 (5).
• Watts, A. and Addy, M. (2001) 'Tooth discolouration and staining; A review of the literature.' British Dental Journal, 190 (6): 309-316.
• My own knowledge/observations
• Vet Advice