A vaguely degu related topic today, you will have to bear with me as I swerve to the point. For those wondering, no that is not a degu in the picture above; the animal in the picture is actually called a Potoroo. Potoroos are a small marsupial mammal that fill a similar ecological niche to that of the degu. Head over the break to learn more about these little critters.
I have recently been visiting as many Zoos, Wildlife Parks, Farms and Botanical Gardens as possible: in an effort to collect thoughts and ideas about the natural world. I am hoping to find concepts and themes that can be included in both indoor and outdoor enclosures for all animals; I am primarily looking for elements that can be used to enrich the enclosures of Degus, Chinchillas, Guinea Pigs, Rats and Mice.
So some weeks ago I made a trip to a wildlife park that was home to a large collection of animals - most of them marsupials. The park works to protect endangered species, conduct scientific studies on zoology and ecology and manage natural resources.
The highlight of my trip to this wildlife park was to meet the Potoroos, a small animal not too unlike the degu (though their physiology is quite different). They bear many similarities to degus in the role they fill in their environment. First up a few facts about Potoroos:
They are related to Kangaroos, Possums, Koalas and other Marsupials.
Their size is somewhere in between a Degu and a Chinchilla, though they tend to be heavier.
They were once common and considered pests to farmers crops (just like degus) but now all three species of Potoroo are endangered.
They are Agouti in color. Some are grey. Both have lighter fur on their underside.
Their preferred habitat is dry grassy woodland.
They eat a diet of seeds, roots, and fallen plant matter. However the key difference between Potoroos and Degus is that they will seek out underground fungi (which make up the largest part of their diet) and take insects when they are available.
The average life span in the wild is up to 3 years. In captivity they can live up to 7 years.
They have lightly furred tails.
So as you can see there are some similarities between Potoroos and Degus. The animals that I encountered were highly tame, I would say that they are even more comfortable around humans than Degus.
I find the Potoroos to be a fascinating example of how unrelated animals that have developed so far away from each other can fill the same ecological niche, and they even evolve to look similar. This process of distantly related organisms evolving to have similar traits is called "convergent evolution" or "Analogy".
It was not so surprising to me how tame the animals were in the park. When visiting wildlife parks the animals you encounter will never be truly "wild" due to their frequent exposure to humans. Not only will the animals have become used to the large exposure to customers, but the staff at the park change and shape the environment in which the animals live - this will ultimately impact their behaviour.
As I mentioned above their diets, habitat and behaviour in the wild are all similar to that of degus. One key difference between wild Potoroos and the ones I encountered was the diet.
The park has made a pellet based food available for customers to purchase so they can feed the animals. There are two understandable reasons that have motivated the park into providing pellets:
Giving customers the opportunity to feed pellets to the animals, discourages them from feeding items they may bring from home. Any foods (breads, dairy products etc..) brought from home could prove to be far more detrimental than the pellets on offer.
Although the park is a not-for-profit organisation, they still ultimately a business. The park does need to find ways, other than increasing the entry fees (which may reduce the number of customers), to make additional revenue. Without this money the park would be unable to protect the endangered species and perform the scientific studies that are needed for the future conservation of animals and plants on our planet.
Unfortunately these pellets are one size fits all as they are used to feed the Potoroos, Bandicoots, Bettongs, Kangaroos and even a range of Birds. These pellets simply cannot fulfill the dietary requirements of such a diverse range of species.
As I spent more time around the Potoroos I began to notice that their eyesight was poor. I experimented with approaching them from different directions and waving my hand around their faces but for some reason they either did not notice or were too tame to pay me much attention. After examining a large number of Potoroos more closely I realized that a good 50-60% of them had cataracts.
Upon realizing my mistake, I immediately disposed of my pellets in the nearest bin and proceeded to berate myself on being so foolish - given my experience with pellets in the degu community.
I wanted to share this with you because I know that many people are still feeding their pets commercially sold, factory made pellets. I have been aware of the implications of feeding pellets for some time but only recently have I become truly aware of the problem. Hopefully if you are still feeding pellets this article will give you the wake up call needed to start researching and feeding an all natural diet - whether your animal of choice be: Degu, Guinea, Chinchilla, Rat, Mouse, Hamster, Bird...
Unfortunately the wildlife park I visited is paradoxically trapped in a "catch 22" situation. We as pet owners are not bound by such restrictive circumstances, really, we have no excuse.
What can I do?
Well, if you are visiting a wildlife park or zoo, you can help by making the choice not to buy the pellets. All zoos and wildlife parks have donation pots at their main desk or in the souvenir shop; if you want to help support the organisation, the best thing you can do is to make a donation (or make a purchase of another product they offer).
Thinking closer to home...
Our knowledge is expanding every day. Now is the time to do some internet digging, go to the library, seek out a professional or join a forum community. The more you know the more you can do for your pet.
For degus in particular there have been leaps and bounds over the course of this year. If you have not yet visited the degus international forum go there now to find out all about the most suitable diet for your degu.
So the next time you go out to visit a zoo or wildlife park remember to pack a camera. Start collecting themes and ideas for your enclosure and find ways you can incorporate diet: perhaps growing plants inside the cage. I recommend visiting the reptile enclosures for great inspiration. There is also much to be learned from the Meerkat enclosures and the nocturnal animals enclosures.
Great work, I feed the SAB diet to my 9 degus, and I have large indoor habitats for them, I was looking at outdoor habitats to get ideas on the best ones to build and came across your article, you are so right and I wish more people would be concerned and aware of the needs of these wonderful creatures and all exotics pets.
Providing detailed guides on how to construct and build degu enclosure, vivariums and cages. This blog has a focus on stimulating and creating more natural habitats for degus...