What it eats: Grasses, seeds, bark — and sometimes their own poop Why it's awesome ... And within these degu societies, pee ...

Meet the degu. Native to Chile, these highly social rodents develop pathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease, including Aβ and tau deposits. Cognition also declines as these animals age, ...

Why it's awesome: At around 10 to 12 inches (25 to 31 centimeters) long with brown fur, degus look like oversized hamsters with long tails. These round rodents are endemic to the Chilean Matorral ...