Stats

Lifespan

6-8 yrs

Size

Small

Diet

Herbivore

Activity

Diurnal

Social

Colony

Biome

Temperate scrubland

Range

South America

Movement

Running

Breeding

Live birth

Defense

Burrowing

Status

Rare

About

This small rodent lives in the scrublands of central Chile. It reflects ultraviolet light from its fur to communicate with others.

Life cycle

1. 1.
   newborn pup

   A blind, hairless pup nurses in the nest and is unable to regulate its own warmth.
2. 2.
   juvenile

   A weaned juvenile is fully furred, leaves the nest, and begins foraging on solid food.
3. 3.
   adult

   Fully grown and self-sufficient.

Learn more

• View on iNaturalist →

Taxonomy

Kingdom

Animalia

Phylum

Chordata

Class

Mammalia

Order

Rodentia

Family

Octodontidae

Genus

Octodon

Species

Octodon degus