Degus are mostly associated with the study of circadian rhythms due to their diurnal activities in the wild and they have also been established as valuable animal models in the study of a wide range of scientific areas including developmental biology, diabetes mellitus, cataracts, and alzheimers disease. In this study, 2 previously described surgical techniques for performing an orchiectomy in the adult male degu octodon degus were evaluated. Pdf elodontoma in a degu octodon degus researchgate. Degus natural habitat degus octodon degus are naturally found in the andes mountains in northern and western chile. Unlike its close relative, the common degu, bridges degu is nocturnal. The octodon degus as a novel model of anhedonia and anxiety lottodonte come nuovo modello dellansia e dellanedonia. Octodon degus are an ideal model with which to examine the mechanisms underlying different reproductive cycles, and whether there are daily rhythms in the timing of reproductive events in a species with a true luteal phase. Octodontidae were investigated and compared with that of more specialized fossorial rodents. Here, we tested the hypothesis that rhythms in immediate early gene ieg products in the suprachiasmatic nucleus scn of a diurnal rodent octodon degus reflect their diurnal chronotype. All structured data from the file and property namespaces is available under the creative commons cc0 license. Circadian and homeostatic components of sleep across sex. Though most frequently associated with the study of circadian rhythm due to their diurnal activities in the wild, degus have also been established as valuable animal.
Degus live in colonies and have a wellstructured social organization, with a mostly diurnalcrepuscular circadian activity pattern. Evaluation of orchiectomy and ovariectomy surgical. They live in social groups and work together to construct burrows. They are diurnal active during the day and social and live in colonies. Because octodon degus thus appeared as a putative candidate for being an ecological model of synucleinopathies, we here assessed ageassociated.
Daily and seasonal limits of time and temperature to. Degu, genus octodon, one of four species of ratlike south american rodents found primarily on the lower western slopes of the andes mountains. It is found in argentina and chile, most typically in southern chile. Pdf the degu octodon degus is a diurnal rodent, native to chile. Elodontoma in a degu octodon degus vladimir jekl, mvdr, phd, karel hauptman, mvdr, phd. This page was last edited on 17 december 2019, at 22. Early postnatal physical and behavioural development of degus. Download all our fact sheets, take our quizzes, and more, all in the critter squad kids zone. Pdf download for common dental disorders of the degu octodon. The aim of this study was to present neoplastic and nonneoplastic proliferative changes in 16100 pet degus examined at the veterinary faculty university of. Degus are relatively large pocket pets that measure around 57 inches. Veterinary sciences free fulltext spontaneous tumors. Together, these data highlight octodon degus as a good diurnal rodent model for investigating the circadian and homeostatic mechanisms of sleep, as well as the interaction of these opponent processes under baseline conditions and following physiological disruption. However, only highly artificial and mostly genetically modified.
Degus are a social small mammals endemic to central chile. Frequency of dental disease was significantly higher in degus older than 2 years of age. The energetics and burrowing behaviour of the semifossorial octodon degus rodentia. Aug 26, 2016 alzheimers disease primarily occurs as sporadic disease and is accompanied with vast socioeconomic problems. It is one of the most common mammals of central chile at elevations up to 1,200 metres 3,900. Paraphimosis and penile prolapse have been described in hystricomorph rodents. The female was multiparous and had weaned its third litter 2 weeks earlier.
The scientific name of the degu is octodon degus and they are also called the brushtailed rat. Bridgess degu octodon bridgesi is a species of rodent in the family octodontidae. Octodon degus is generally considered endemic to west central chile, where it inhabits the lower slopes of the andes. Dental eruption chronology in degus octodon degus vladimir. We also compared male and female degus with respect to temporal patterns of expression of one of these gene products, fosrelated antigen fra. The degu octodon degus is a small caviomorph rodent that is native to chile. Lack of spontaneous agerelated brain pathology in octodon. It is also known that high blood pressure, serum cholesterol concentrations, and impaired glucose.
Rodent models are most efficient, versatile, and predominantly used in research. Degus are small rodents related to chinchillas and guinea pigs. The degu octodon degus is native to the western foothills of the andes. The degu, octodon degus, is native to northern and western chile and belongs to the same order as the chinchilla and guinea pig.
Specifically in degus, their cheek teeth are deeply folded, creating a figure of eight or octagonal shape, which has given rise to their genus name octodon octo means eight and dont means tooth7. Octodon degus article about octodon degus by the free. Degus exotic small mammal care and husbandry wiley. Although some have argued that its range may extend north into peru, this is not well supported. While every effort has been made to provide the most reliable and uptodate information available, ultimate legal requirements with respect to species are contained in. Pdf the octodon degus as a novel model of anhedonia and. Though most frequently associated with the study of circadian rhythm due to their diurnal activities in the. A primary bronchioloalveolar carcinoma with renal and hepatic metastases was diagnosed in a mature male degu octodon degus that was found dead in a zoological exhibit buffalo zoological gardens, buffalo, new york, usa. In this case, a degu was seen for recurrent penile prolapse. The ratio and distribution of retinal rods and cones varies substantially depending on habitat and life style peichl et al. They were once used as research animals for studying diabetes.
Smaller, but similar nodules were present scattered in the liver and kidneys. Socially degus are very social animals, and therefor they should be kept together. Surgical narrowing of the preputial orifice for treatment of. Degus need lots of exercise so a running wheel, preferably one that is at least 11 inches in diameter, will give the animal ample opportunity to run. Octodon degus is a diurnalcrepuscular rodent with dichromatic vision. Thick branches placed in the cage will give the degu spots to climb and to chew.
Here, i provide a much needed categorisation for one such species, the degu octodon degus. The common degu octodon degus is closeup shot of a group of common degu. A young adult approximately 20 months, 125 g, female degu octodon degus was housed with a male degu for approximately 1. Degus are very social animals that create an elaborate system of burrows in nature. Pdf cost of living in freeranging degus octodon degus. A strong attractor for alzheimer research article pdf available in autonomic neuroscience.
It is the most prolific mammal in chile, where it is considered an agricultural pest. A first glance they appear similar to a rat or mouse, but unlike murine rodents. Commonly the cause is a ring of fur or debris, found at the base of the penis, especially in chinchillas. The south american rodent octodon degus degu may be a promising candidate for physiologically modelling sporadic ad, as it was reported to develop the full range of adlike pathologies 10 without any genetic manipulation. The behavior of male and female octodon degus hystricognathi. Data about neoplastic diseases in this species are still sparse and mainly limited to singlecase reports. By analysing 3535 vocal sounds, i demonstrate that there are 15 distinct categories for degu. Sexually inexperienced male and female, and lactating female degus were tested for their behavior toward genetically unrelated, and. Degus are mostly associated with the study of circadian rhythms due to their diurnal activities in the wild and they have also been established as valuable animal models in the study of a wide range of scientific areas including developmental biology, diabetes mellitus, cataracts, and. May 05, 2020 degus are highly intelligent social rodents, sometimes kept as pets. The animals diet in the wild includes a variety of plants, bulbs, tubers, twigs and.
Elodontoma in a degu octodon degus article pdf available. Grouping increases the ability of the social rodent, octodon. The degu, octodon degus, a moderatesized, precocious yet slowmaturing hystricomorph rodent from central chile has increased in use and popularity as a laboratory animal species. Degus retina presents mcones with green sensitivity. The phenotypic correlates and quantitative genetics of. In the present paper, we report a phenotypic and genetic analysis of pup weight and agd in the south american rodent octodon degus based on the pedigree from a laboratory breeding experiment. Pdf visual adaptations in a diurnal rodent, octodon degus. Download fulltext pdf download fulltext pdf octodon degus. Results indicate that degus prefer new rather than mature leaves of chilean matorral shrubs, and that degus do not discriminate between new leaves equivalents of shrub seedlings of different shrub species. In this internetbased study, dental cases presented over a 7year period were collated, analyzed, and grouped. It is sometimes referred to as the trumpettailed rat although not related to the rat family and is also called the common degu, to distinguish it from the other members of the genus octodon.
Degus belong to a group of rodents known as hystriocgnaths, which are distinguished by having their primary jaw musculature pass through the small opening in the skull in front of the eyes. Dental disease is prevalent in the captive degu octodon degus, yet little has been. Based on epidemiological studies, genetic studies, neuroimaging methods and neuropathology research, three basic etiological hypotheses of the development of ad have been formulated. However, only highly artificial and mostly genetically. Characterization of the estrous cycle in octodon degus. Octodon degus is a moderatesized, precocious, but slowly maturing, hystricomorph rodent from central chile.
Common degu, brushtailed rat, octodon degus stock image. Article information, pdf download for dental eruption chronology in degus. Grouping increases the ability of the social rodent, octodon degus, to detect predators when using exposed microhabitats luis a. Itis taxonomy is based on the latest scientific consensus available, and is provided as a general reference source for interested parties. Cognitive ecology, octodon degus, social behavior, stress, aging, alzheimers disease. Material and methods the study was conducted about 30 km west of santiago, at a remote site on a. The caviomorph, octodon degu, is a native rodent species from chile, and represents a unique model to study physiological and behavioral traits, including cognitive and sensory abilities. Other members are also called degus, but they are distinguished by additional names. We have used this species to study a variety of questions about circadian rhythms in a diurnal mammal that readily adapts to most laboratory settings.
Unlike other smaller rodents, their lifespan is relatively long, at about 58 years but up to 10 years is possible. Energetics and burrowing behaviour in the semifossorial. If they are alone they will easily get sad, aggressive and their lifespan might be shortened. The occlusal plane of the cheek teeth in degus and chinchillas is almost horizontal, unlike the guinea pig where it is oblique8. Apr 12, 2017 the phenotypic correlates and quantitative genetics of masculinization in the rodent, octodon degus skip to main content.
In recent years, degus octodon degus, rodents native to south america, have been becoming increasingly popular as pet animals. They live near thickets, rocks, or stone walls and dig burrows under rocks or shrubs. The mandatory basic research relies on robust and reliable disease models to overcome increasing incidence and emerging social challenges. The food preferences of octodon degus are examined in laboratory test. Veterinary sciences free fulltext spontaneous tumors and. Octodon degus 5 m y e r s in order to gain a better understanding of animal behavior, it is necessary to first determine space use patterns. Octodon degus, adults, anesthesia, castration, control methods, females, males, ovariectomy, pain, saliva, secretion, small mammals abstract.
Lee abstract octodon degus is a moderatesized, precocious, but slowly maturing, hystricomorph rodent from central chile. A black brush at the tip of the tail is prominent and gives rise to their other common name of trumpettail rats. Within 34 hours of birth they were able to walk supporting their full weight, right themselves rapidly, sit upright on their haunches, or rear upright with support, and vocalize. The genus name octodon is derived from the fact that degu molars are shaped like a figureeight. Octodon degus belongs to a rodent family octodontidae that is otherwise generally nocturnal contreras et al. No infanticide in the hystricognath rodent, octodon degus. Bronchioloalveolar carcinoma with renal and hepatic.
Abstract caviomorph species are well known for their social nature and variety of vocal sounds used in intraspecies communication, making them ideal candidates for the study of vocalisations. The south american rodent octodon degus degu may be a promising candidate for. Common degu degu squirrel gnaws peanut, closeup common degu the common degu octodon degus, the degu or gewohnliche degu common degu octodon degus degu close up, shallow dof. Although researcher interest on degus started more than forty years ago, with time, its living style and physiology have aroused interest in several scientific fields including chronobiology, behavioral and aging neuroscience, reproduction, endocrinology, parasitology, cancer research.
Media in category octodon degus the following 91 files are in this category, out of 91 total. While wild degus have only a limited life expectancy mean. Having a third degu will be prefered in case one of them passes away, thou you shouldnt have more than 7 degus in one cage and a cage with 7 degus should be rather big. Newlyborn degus mean weight 146 g had open eyes, upper and lower pigment, fur, and teeth. Physical examination revealed cachexia, bilateral serous nasal discharge, dehydration, inspiratory dyspnea and severe acquired dental disease. Dental disease is prevalent in the captive degu octodon degus, yet little has been documented on the variety of disorders in this species. Other causes described include infection, trauma and irritation. This file is licensed under the creative commons attribution 2. Octodon degus is a primarily diurnal precocial, slowly maturing, longlived rodent, native from south america. The name degu on its own indicates either the entire genus octodon or, more commonly, just the common degu. Mammal species of the world a taxonomic and geographic reference. They are the type members of the rodent family octodontidae, named because the wear pattern of their teeth is roughly a figure eight. Octodon degus molina, 1782 old web site least concern the degu octodon degus is a small, caviomorph rodent that is native to chile.
Alzheimers disease primarily occurs as sporadic disease and is accompanied with vast socioeconomic problems. Despite their physical similarity to murid rodents, degus appear to have a reproductive cycle that lasts 1721 days. For full access to this pdf, sign in to an existing account, or. Octodontidae was studied in captivity to examine the occurrence of nonparental infanticide, which involves the killing of immature infants by adult conspecifics other than the genetic parents. However, it is not a legal authority for statutory or regulatory purposes.
In some states, it is legal to keep degus are pets. Wild degus feed on grasses, seeds, cactus fruits, tubers, and local crops. Common degu, brushtailed rat, octodon degus degu octodon degus. Common degus belong to the parvorder caviomorpha of the infraorder hystricognathi, along with the chinchilla and. In dogs, preputial reconstruction is used to narrow the preputial orifice.
Their parental care is different from most other rodents, as females will altruistically nurse one anothers young and the males are actually involved in rearing the young. In fact, they should be given plenty of chew toys, wood blocks, and willow balls. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that. The degu was reported to the veterinary service for bloody vaginal discharge and a hunched, thin appearance of 1 days duration. Food preferences by octodon degus rodentia caviomorpha. It is sometimes referred to as the brushtailed rat although not closely related to the rat family and is also called the common degu, to distinguish it from the other members of the genus octodon. Polycystic and chronic kidney disease in a young degu. There are thirteen species in nine genera, some named with variants on degu, like the moontoothed degu, but the type species is octodon degus. The significance of degus preferences in relation to matorral composition is discussed. This study compiled three years of trapping data on the social, diurnal rodent octodon degus in predator exclusion and nonpredator exclusion plots. Common dental disorders of the degu octodon degus cv long. A retrospective study of 300 medical records was conducted to determine disease prevalence of pet degus octodon degus.
Since their importation into the us in 1964, degus have become a popular subject of research in the areas of diabetes, cataracts, and circadian behavior. An openflow respirometry system was used to record energy expenditure of single degus inside respirometers partially filled with soft moist or hard dry soil. Lack of spontaneous agerelated brain pathology in octodon degus. Files are available under licenses specified on their description page. Surgical narrowing of the preputial orifice for treatment. It is common in the international pet trade, however, and is often used in laboratory studies outside of its native range.
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