rats or degus

Question
Hi!    I am a certifiable rat lover, but their short life span breaks my heart. I just had my last 3 elderly rats put to sleep very gently, by a kind vet. They had horrendous tumors and were too old to be operated on. Besides, I had one have it's tumor removed for $200 a couple of years ago, and she died when we were on our way to pick her up.
My question: Are degus similar to care for? How is their personality different?  Thanks!   ...   Phebe

Answer
Dear Phebe,
thank you for your question.
There are some differences. Degus are active during the day and they don't imteract so much with their owner as rats do. They love to chew and can destroy most things. Plastic is definitely not safe around them and if you use wood for the cage, any edges should be protected with aluminium borders. They love chewing branches and twigs with leaves.
They can get very tame and definitely enjoy time outside their cage and will come to you for treats and some may enjoy being petted.

They are very susceptible to diabetes and shouldn't have any fruits or sweet treats. The main part of their diet should be hay and high quality pellets (for chincillas) as well as vegetables and leafy greens. They can reach an age of 4-6 years and they are not as susceptible to tumors or respiratory disease as rats are.

Here's a website that has good info on degu care:
http://www.degutopia.co.uk/
I hope I was of some help to you
Jennifer