1. Why are degus referred to as octodont? Octodontids are medium sized rodents with long, silky fur. The name octodont refers to the wear pattern of the molar teeth which most resembles a figure of eight. 2. What are some of the difficulties in providing suitable housing for degus? Finding suitable housing for degus is tougher than it is for other small mammals. They need plenty of floor space but they also don't want the enclosure to be too high to get to a ledge. If the degu takes a fall it can