Rodents are the richest order of mammals in terms of species diversity. Their characteristic feature is large incisors on the upper and lower jaws. The way of life, the functions performed by various parts of the body, and habitats determine the appearance of the various representatives of this order. The mass of rodents can range from five grams to several tens of kilograms.
Mammals of this order are found throughout the world. Where they did not exist, rodents were brought in specifically for various purposes. The only exceptions are the Antarctic region and some islands.
Family Gilts
Gilts live exclusively in South America in its most diverse climatic zones.
Representatives of this family have an elongated body, four-toed forelimbs and three-toed hind limbs, a short tail and neck, and a large head. Ears may be short, long, or absent altogether. The hairline is usually rough. The fur on the back is brown, gray, black or olive. The belly is light: color from white to dark yellow. Some species are nocturnal, others diurnal. However, none of them hibernate.
The family consists of 5 genera, which are represented by 15 species.
Abyssinian guinea pig
Peruvian guinea pig
Brazilian pig
Guinea pig
Indian giant squirrel
It is also called Indian ratufa . This is a tree squirrel that can be found in India. Prefers mixed or deciduous forests. These animals usually live in groups.
In each individual habitat they have their own fur color, so you can easily determine where this or that animal was caught. Usually the color scheme consists of 2-3 colors, from beige to brown in different shades, and yellow is also found. Indian giant squirrels have a white patch between their ears
The length of the squirrel, if you count the head and body, is 36 cm (adult), but they also have a long tail, which grows up to 61 cm. An adult squirrel weighs about 2 kg. They prefer to live in the upper layer of the forest. These are very cautious animals, they are active in the early morning and late afternoon.
Squirrel family
The family is divided into 5 subfamilies containing approximately 230 species. The most famous are the squirrel and the gopher.
Rodents of this family are widespread on all continents with the exception of Australia and Antarctica. A number of Arctic and tropical islands are also not inhabited by Squirrels.
These rodents can be small or large. Body length varies between 6-70 cm. Weight ranges from a few grams to 9 kg. All have a long tail covered with fur. Squirrels have strong, developed limbs and large eyes. The hair color can have stripes, spots or be one color: red, black, white, etc.
Chipmunk squirrel
prairie dog
Magellan tuco-tuco
Little chipmunk
Little gopher
Palm squirrel
Pacarana
Another name for it is false pack . The pacarana looks like a guinea pig, but is a fairly large rodent. Her body length is from 73 to 79 cm, she weighs 10-15 kg.
This is a massive, heavy animal. The tail is about a third of the body in size. She has a wide head, on which there are round ears and unusually large eyes.
Pacarana is black or dark brown, has white spots, and has coarse and sparse fur. You can meet her in the forests of the Amazon. These are slow animals. Not much is known about their life.
Family Hedgehogs
The species composition of this family is not the largest. However, 24 different species are known.
All Ezhovs have a number of characteristics that unite them into one family. These include a pointed, elongated muzzle, well-developed eyes and ears, and limbs with five fingers. A distinctive feature of the family is the skin with many needles interspersed with hairs of wool. These rodents also have a special muscle that runs through their entire body. She helps the animal curl up into a ball, escaping from predators.
The habitat of hedgehogs is Central and South Asia, Europe. They were once introduced to islands near Africa, where they spread safely.
Hedgehog
How are farmers harmed?
Mice, like many other rodents, cause a lot of damage to farms. Here's why mice are dangerous:
- mice carry dangerous diseases (typhoid, plague, salmonellosis, etc.);
- they leave their excrement wherever they run and climb (various infections are also transmitted to people through feces);
- chew wires, furniture, walls and other household items;
- Mice are dangerous for the garden: they spoil the harvest (they gnaw the bark of fruit trees and their roots, eat the harvest);
- They eat the feed of farm animals and leave their excrement in it, which leads to food spoilage.
Learn about ways and methods of dealing with mice in the country and at home.
Family Mole rats
Mole rats are burrowing animals that are adapted to life underground. The family is divided into three subfamilies, which include more than 30 species of rodents.
Characteristic features of animals of this family are half-blind eyes, underdeveloped ears, short thick fur, and short limbs. The length of the body of various species can be from 0.13 to 0.48 m, and weigh from 100 g to 4 kg. Some species have powerful incisors with which they dig the ground. Other rodents use their front paws for this.
Mole rats live in Europe, Asia, and northeast Africa. They are also found on Russian territory.
Small bamboo rat
Lesser mole rat
Photo
Read on our website interesting articles about country pests: moles, gophers, hamsters.
At all times, mice lived next to humans and caused damage to the household. In order to protect yourself and your loved ones from diseases and protect property from damage, you should regularly take measures to get rid of these pests.
Family Jerboa
These rodents live in desert, semi-desert, steppe, and low mountain areas. They inhabited northern Africa, some parts of Europe, Asia, Kazakhstan, southern Siberia, etc.
These mammals have a short body, elongated hind legs, and short forelimbs, with which they remove the earth dug out with their incisors. The size of these rodents is 4-25 cm, weight no more than 300 g. All species have a very long tail, which serves as a rudder and balancer when running. These animals have a short neck, a large head, long rounded ears and a uniform skin of beige-brown shades.
Jerboas, with rare exceptions, are nocturnal. They dig burrows, feed on plants and insects, and bear offspring one to three times a year.
Small jerboa
Desert jerboa
Classification
Rodents are classified in the following taxonomic hierarchy:
- Domain: Eukaryotes;
- Kingdom: Animals;
- Phylum: Chordata;
- Class: Mammals;
- Order: Rodents.
Scientists agree on the definitions of most families, but they have historically disagreed about organizing families into larger groups, namely suborders. In early classifications, suborders were generally omitted, and families were grouped into superfamilies. The latest official classification identifies five suborders, whose representatives have similar features:
- Porcupines (Hystricomorpha): There are approximately 300 species of porcupine rodents living today. Members of this suborder include agoutis, porcupines, mole rats, nutrias, chinchillas, capybaras and many others. Hystricomorpha rodents have a unique arrangement of jaw muscles that sets them apart from other rodents.
- Myomorpha: There are about 1,400 species of living mouse-like rodents. This group includes mice, rats, hamsters, voles, lemmings, jerboas, muskrats, etc. Most species of mouse-like rodents are nocturnal; they feed on seeds and grains.
- Anomaluromorpha: has nine species, including the spiny-tailed squirrels, Pela's spiny-tails, long-eared spinytails, Cape striders, etc. Some members of this suborder (except the spiny-tailed squirrels) have flight membranes that allow them to glide.
- Squirrel-like rodents (Sciuromorpha): There are about 273 species of squirrel-like rodents. Members of this suborder include squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, flying squirrels, etc. Squirrels have a unique arrangement of jaw muscles that distinguishes them from all other rodents.
- Beavers (Castorimorpha) : has about 100 species from 3 families: beavers, gophers and pouchhoppers. This suborder was identified in 2005.
Family Gerbils
Gerbils are small rodents that look like mice. They can reach 20 cm in length depending on the species. Their weight ranges from 10 to 225 grams. These animals have a long tail, rather large eyes, and protruding ears. The color of their fur is unremarkable: the back is sandy or brown, and the belly is light.
The habitats of these rodents are desert, semi-desert, and steppe areas. They are widespread in Central Asia, Kazakhstan, and also in Africa. They are found in the smallest quantities in the Caspian region and Transbaikalia.
Gerbil Sundevalla
Sand mole rat
MirZoo.Com
Types of hamstersIf you decide to get a small furry pet, you should know that, unlike a dog, it will not become your servant or property. The hamster will simply live next to you and communicate with people only when he wants to. The word “master” does not exist for him, and, alas, you will have to come to terms with this.
Most hamsters found in the wild are quite large animals. The body length of some individuals reaches 30 cm. Keeping them at home, as a rule, can be very problematic.
In the family of hamsters, there is also a genus of hamsters, numbering 5-7 species, distributed mainly in the forest-steppe and steppe zones of Europe and Northern Asia. The size of these animals is small: their body length does not exceed 15 cm. Many of them do not require complex care, so they are domesticated and successfully kept in captivity.
Common hamster
The common hamster is a very beautiful animal. Its fur is painted in bright colors: the back and sides are red, the belly is black, the paws and nose are white, there are 3 white spots on the chest and sides of the head. Occasionally there are specimens with black and white and almost black coloring. The body length of the animal is 25-30 cm.
Common hamsters live in the steppe and forest-steppe zones of southern Europe, Western Siberia, Northern Kazakhstan and east of these regions, up to the Yenisei, sometimes penetrating further north. Animals willingly settle on the outskirts of fields and vegetable gardens.
Hamsters dig good-quality holes, the depth of which sometimes reaches 2.5 m. In them they arrange numerous storage rooms connected by tunnels, as well as nesting chambers. At the end of summer, animals begin to stock up for the winter, filling their pantries with grain, potatoes, carrots, corn and other similar products.
The weight of stored food usually reaches 10-20 kg, although there have been cases when up to 90 kg of grain was found in hamsters' pantries. Animals need these reserves for nutrition in winter, when they periodically wake up and, having had enough, go into hibernation again. In addition, this food will be useful to animals in the spring, during the period of lack of sufficient food.
In summer, hamsters feed on green grass, roots, plant seeds, catch and eat insects, and sometimes small animals, such as mice. Rodents are active at night. If an enemy (fox, dog or person) unexpectedly blocks the hamster's path into its hole, it may rush at the enemy and bite him painfully.
From April to October, females have 2 or 3 broods of 10 to 20 young. During the period of mass reproduction, hamsters cause significant damage to fields, so they have to be exterminated. Animal skins are used as cheap furs.
Rat hamster
The rat-like hamster is found in Primorye, Korea and China. It usually settles in river valleys. The body length of the animal is 18-25 cm. A distinctive feature of this species is its rather long tail. Its length, equal to 7-10 cm, is usually approximately 2 times less than the length of the animal’s body. The tail is gray-brown in color, with the bottom and tip being lighter than the top. Unlike the longer rat tail, the rat hamster's tail is hairy and does not have transverse rings. This type of rodent differs from water rats and large voles in its large ears and white-colored paws.
Compared to other members of the genus, the rat-like hamster digs the most complex burrows. In its pantries, the animal accumulates large reserves of seeds or grain from nearby fields. He eats this food throughout the winter. In summer, rat-like hamsters eat the seeds of herbaceous plants, as well as greens and animal food. Rodents breed from April to October. During this period, the female manages to feed 2-3 broods, the number of cubs in which sometimes reaches 20, but usually there are from 8 to 10.
Gray hamster
The gray hamster lives in the territory of the European part of Russia north to the Moscow region and the mouth of the Kama and Oka, as well as in the Caucasus and the south of Western Siberia to the foothills of Altai in the east. Prefers cereal and wormwood steppes, semi-fixed sands, areas of dry mountain steppes, and agricultural lands. Sometimes the animal can be found in urban buildings. The hamster was brought to Moscow, and wild individuals took root in some areas of the city (for example, near the Belorussky railway station).
The gray hamster is a small, short-tailed animal. The length of its body is 9.5-13 cm, and its tail - 2-3.5 cm. The hamster's ears are relatively small, round in shape; pointed muzzle; the feet are slightly pubescent, the digital tubercles are clearly visible on them; the tail is covered with short hairs.
The body color of a gray hamster can be smoky-gray, dark gray or brownish-gray, less often - reddish-sandy. Some individuals have a dark stripe running along the head and tail, colored to match the main color. The fur on the belly is light gray or white, and the fur on the legs is white.
The animal's food consists mainly of immature seeds and inflorescences of wild and cultivated plants. In addition, the hamster feeds on terrestrial mollusks, beetles, ants, grasshoppers, and insect larvae.
For the winter, the animals store a lot of food, but only those animals that live in the north of their range and in high mountain areas go into hibernation.
Hamsters breed from April to October. During this period, the female manages to feed 2-3 broods. There are from 3 to 10 cubs in a litter, but most often 7 are born.
Gray hamsters are kept at home. The rules for caring for them are the same as for Syrian hamsters.
Daurian hamster
The Daurian hamster is found in the steppe and forest-steppe zones in the territory from the Irtysh to Transbaikalia, as well as in the meadows of Southern Primorye. The body length of the animal is from 8 to 13 cm, the tail - 2-3.5 cm. The hamster prefers to make burrows on the edges, in ravines, bushes, on the outskirts of fields, and in the sandy steppes its favorite habitat is caragana thickets.
The fur of the Daurian hamster is brown or reddish. A black stripe runs along the forehead and along the back of the animal. The abdomen is gray, the ears are edged with white.
The animal feeds on seeds and eats insects. The hamster does not hibernate for the entire winter. Usually he periodically falls asleep for several days, but during periods of wakefulness he almost never leaves the burrow.
Long-tailed hamster
The long-tailed hamster lives in the mountain steppes of Tuva, Sayan and Southwestern Transbaikalia. The animal prefers to settle on rocky mountain slopes, on screes and in rocks. He makes burrows under stones among the rocks.
The body length of a long-tailed hamster is 9-12 cm, the tail is 3-5 cm. The fur of the animal is most often dark gray, sometimes with a reddish mark, and light gray on the abdomen. The ears, like those of the Daurian hamster, are bordered by a thin white stripe. The tail is dark gray above and light gray below.
The long-tailed hamster feeds on plant seeds. He especially loves the seeds of wild almonds, caragana and cereals. Willingly eats animals and insects. In winter, it hibernates only occasionally.
The breeding season for long-tailed hamsters lasts from April to August. The number of cubs in a litter ranges from 4 to 9.
Eversman's Hamster
The habitat of the Eversmann's hamster is quite extensive. The animal is distributed in the territory from the Middle and Lower Volga to the upper reaches of the Lena River in the east and south to the Aral Sea. He prefers to settle in wormwood steppes, salt licks, virgin lands and the outskirts of plowed lands. The hamster never makes its burrows in overly humid places.
The Eversmann's hamster is slightly larger in size than a regular house mouse. He has a very small tail and short legs. The animal's muzzle is slightly pointed, the ears are small, with rounded tips, the soles of the paws are slightly pubescent, with clearly visible digital tubercles, the tail is slightly compacted, covered with thick short and soft hairs, and widens at the base.
The Eversmann hamster is characterized by a variety of colors. The color of the fur on the back varies from black and white to ash-sandy and fawn-red. The pure white color of the abdomen contrasts sharply with the dark fur on the sides. On the neck and between the front legs on the chest there is a clearly defined spot of a brownish or buffy color. The paws and bottom of the tail are white. The hamster's short fur is surprisingly soft and velvety.
The animal feeds mainly on seeds and shoots of cereal grasses, wormwood, saltwort, and tulip bulbs. Occasionally it eats insects and their larvae.
The burrows of the Eversmann hamster are relatively simple. They consist of a main passage, which can be inclined or vertical, and a nesting chamber. Some hamsters break through branching tunnels.
The breeding season for animals begins in April and ends in September. During this time, the female raises 2-3 litters. Each litter has 4-5 cubs. Eversmann's hamsters hibernate in October. It is often intermittent.
Keeping hamsters of this species at home is similar to keeping Djungarian hamsters.
Djungarian hamster
The Djungarian hamster belongs to the genus of hairy-footed hamsters. This species has been studied better than others. Under natural conditions, the animal is distributed in the steppes and semi-deserts of Western Siberia, Central and Central Asia, as well as in North-Eastern Kazakhstan.
Djungarian hamsters prefer to settle in xerophytic grass-desert, wormwood and cinquefoil steppes without bushes. These animals can also be found in gravelly steppes and semi-fixed sands, and occasionally on cultivated lands. In recent years, they have firmly established themselves in the vivariums of scientific institutions and in living areas.
Adult Djungarian hamsters reach a length of 10 cm. The animal has a pointed muzzle and small ears. The soles of the paws are covered with thick hair that hides the digital tubercles. The fur on the back is brownish or buffy-gray. In some animals it is darker on the sides. The abdomen is light. The border between the color of the back and abdomen is clearly expressed. A narrow black stripe runs along the spine of the Djungarian hamster. His paws are white, his ears are also white on the inside and black on the outside.
In summer, the color of the animals becomes grayish. In winter, especially when kept in cool rooms, they become almost white, and the ridge acquires a silver-gray color.
Djungarian hamsters are active at dusk and at night. The animals make burrows with several entrances, holes and a nesting chamber. Animals feed mainly on seeds and green parts of herbaceous plants. They also eat insects. Hamsters store seeds for the winter. They do not hibernate. By November-December, the fur of the animals becomes white, thanks to which they can from time to time get out of their burrows to the surface.
Representatives of the genus of hairy-footed hamsters, which include the Djungarian, Siberian hamsters, and Roborovsky's hamster, are very decorative. These animals have thick fur that covers not only the body, but also the soles of the hind legs. These animals reach only 10 cm in length. They have a very short tail (from 0.8 to 1.5 cm). The ears are black, edged with a white stripe.
The breeding season lasts from March to September. During this time, the female manages to feed 3-4 broods, each of which contains 6-8 (sometimes up to 12) cubs. Hamsters reach sexual maturity very early. Having reached 4 months of age, young animals from the first brood can already reproduce.
Djungarian hamsters are cute, good-natured animals that live well in captivity.
Siberian hamster
The Siberian hamster is very similar in appearance to the Djungarian and belongs to the same genus of hairy-footed hamsters. But his fur is much lighter than that of the Djungarian hamster. In winter it also turns white. The Siberian hamster lives in the dry flat and hilly steppes of Tuva. The animal digs holes the same as the Djungarian hamster.
Roborovsky's hamster
Roborovsky's hamster - the third species of the genus of hairy hamsters - lives in weakly fixed sandy deserts overgrown with caragana. This is a very small animal with a short tail, which is almost invisible under its fluffy fur. The hamster has a snub-nosed muzzle, relatively large, rounded ears, and the soles of its paws are densely pubescent. The color of the back is pink-fawn, the abdomen and legs are pure white. There are small white spots above the eyes. Black ears have a white border. There is no stripe on the back.
The food for the Roborovsky hamster is mainly the seeds of beets, caraganas, solyankas, cereals, sedges, and tulip bulbs. The animal catches and eats insects only occasionally.
Hamsters are active at dusk and at night. The burrows in the sand are shallow. They consist of 1-2 passages and a nesting chamber. The breeding season lasts from May to September. During this time, the female brings 3-4 litters, each of which contains from 3 to 9 cubs.
Several years ago, the Roborovsky hamster gained popularity as a pet. This is an ideal pet because it is unpretentious to living conditions and does not require complex care.
At the bottom of the metal cage in which the animal will live, pour a layer of sand 2-3 cm thick, put several stones, moss, hay, thin twigs and place a box where the animal can hide from prying eyes and rest. When sand becomes dirty, replace it with clean sand.
Taylor's dwarf hamster
Taylor's dwarf hamster lives in Arizona, Texas, south-central Mexico, southern Mexico and Central America to Nicaragua. The animals usually live in clearings or grassy edges. They create a network of paths under the thick grass. Rodents make nests in small depressions under the protection of a bush or stone.
Dwarf hamsters feed mainly on plant foods - seeds and shoots of grass, but sometimes they also eat insects. The animals are active at night. The radius of an individual plot for Taylor's hamster is small - about 30 m. There are usually from 15 to 20 individuals per hectare.
The smallest of the mouse-like rodents that live in North and South America are dwarf hamsters. Their body length is only 5-8 cm, the tail is slightly shorter. The weight of adult individuals does not exceed 7~8 g. The back of dwarf hamsters is grayish-brown, and the abdomen is light.
Rodents breed all year round. The female's pregnancy lasts 20 days, after which she gives birth to 1 to 5 cubs (usually 3). In total, one female can feed up to 10 broods per year. Newborn cubs are quite large. Each of them weighs about 1 g. It is interesting that the male of dwarf hamsters does not leave the nest after the birth of the offspring. He stays with the female and even helps her care for the cubs, which is absolutely uncharacteristic for rodents.
After 20 days, the young animals leave the nest and begin to live independently. They reach sexual maturity already at 10 weeks of age.
Dwarf hamsters live and breed well in captivity. These good-natured animals very quickly get used to humans, become tame and very rarely bite. They can be kept in large groups.
Altiplano hamsters
Altiplano hamsters got their name from their habitat. They live on the dry highland plains of the Andes, from southern Bolivia to northern Chile, at an altitude of 4000-4600 m above sea level. They inhabit mainly rocky and rocky areas.
In appearance, these rodents resemble gerbils or mice and rats with well-furred tails. The body length of the animals ranges from 8 to 17 cm. The length of the tail is approximately the same. The thick and soft fur of altiplano hamsters is colored in brownish-yellowish tones. The belly or chest and neck are pure white.
Altiplano hamsters are nocturnal animals. During winter, the animals presumably hibernate, since at this time of year they do not show any signs of activity. The main food for rodents is insects.
Usually altipla hamsters do not make their own burrows. They settle among stones or occupy other people's nests, often expelling the previous owner from them. There are cases of rodents entering human buildings, but human dwellings in such high mountain areas are very rare.
Golden or Syrian hamster
The golden, or Syrian, hamster is one of the best inhabitants of a home living corner. It is unpretentious, hardy and prolific. In addition, this is a very funny animal that will give you a lot of pleasure with its habits. Since, unlike other types of hamsters, it is the Syrian hamster that has gained the greatest popularity as a pet, in what follows we will mainly talk about it.
The golden hamster is a small animal. It is 2 times smaller in size than a rat. This rodent is very similar to an ordinary hamster. But unlike its large and angry relative, which brings a lot of harm to people, the Syrian hamster is a completely harmless creature. In addition to the fact that it has become one of the most desirable inhabitants of living corners, this animal is indispensable as a laboratory animal for a wide variety of scientific research.
The body length of the golden hamster reaches 17-18 cm. It is stocky. The animal's tail is very short. The fur on the back is usually reddish-brown, buffy-brown or golden yellow. It is thick, soft and velvety.
The abdomen is light. Currently, breeders have developed several varieties of the Syrian hamster.
In nature, Syrian hamsters prefer to live in foothill steppe landscapes, meadow steppes and crops. They live alone in burrows, the depth of which reaches 2-2.5 m. Like all their relatives, Syrian hamsters make provisions for the winter. They hibernate at temperatures around 4°C.
In captivity, the Syrian hamster lives a short time - 2-2.5 years, but under good conditions it can live 3 or even 4 years.
The structure and appearance of rodents
The majority of rodents are relatively small in size. But among them there are small and large animals: from a dwarf mouse weighing 7 g and 3 cm long to a ninety-kilogram capybara, reaching up to 130 cm in length. Rodents usually have such a long tail that it can be twice or even three times as long as their body. But in many representatives of the Miguels this organ may be completely absent. Animals of this order can have different body shapes. It depends on what kind of life is inherent in a particular clan. For example, for those who have to move a lot from place to place, sometimes even jumping, the hind limbs in the process of evolution have become much longer than the front ones. This applies to Tushkanchikovs and Belichichs. Those who need to dig holes for shelter and search for food need strong front paws with powerful claws and a rounded body shape.
The anterior incisors in rodents are enlarged and separated from the chewing teeth by a diastema. They have the ability to self-sharpen. Rodents also have no fangs at all. The skeleton of mammals is represented by a spine with 30 main vertebrae and an individual number of tail vertebrae, four limbs, a massive skull, and large eye sockets. The number and size of bones depend on the specific representative.
The body of rodents is covered with hair, usually of equal length and not very striking colors. In some of them, the hairs have formed into needles (the Hedgehog family). On the front part of the animals there are vibrissae, which perform the function of touch.
Guinea pig
This small animal can have long colored fur, which makes it even more attractive. The guinea pig has an affectionate, sociable and good-natured disposition. The vulnerable and timid little animal eats hay and vegetables.
He rarely bites and needs a calm environment. Therefore, it is advisable to protect him from stress. This small rodent is not able to live alone and feels comfortable in the company of its relatives.
Small rodent - guinea pig
Characteristics and features
Rodents appeared on the planet more than 60 million years ago and have evolved greatly since then. Some species developed and changed, others completely disappeared.
Representatives of the rodent order inhabit a wide variety of climatic zones, living in warm and cold, wet and dry places, near water bodies and deep in forests, on plains and in mountainous areas. They live on the ground, underground, in trees, in swamps. And some species have even mastered the airspace, for example, the flying squirrel.
Various rodents exhibit vital activity either at night and twilight, or during the daytime.
These mammals can exist in groups with different numbers of individuals or be solitary. Their brain is quite large in size and does not have convolutions on its surface. Rodents are quite smart animals, they can perform the simplest actions, they have their own language for communication.
Well-developed sensory organs responsible for tactile sensations, hearing and smell enable rodents to recognize danger in time and avoid it, communicate with their own kind, find food and everything necessary for existence.
Rodents have elongated intestines. This is due to the consumption of food mainly of plant origin.
Djungarian hamster
This is a cute, active and inquisitive pet. The animals are distinguished by their fertility. Among the disadvantages, it is worth noting the short lifespan. They live up to 4 years.
They are nocturnal and do not require special care. They are fed morning and evening. You can use food for small rodents or prepare a mixture of oats, corn, peas, seeds, and nuts.
You can add carrots, zucchini, cucumber, greens, lettuce, apple, pear, and berries to your diet. Sometimes you can treat them to boiled chicken, low-fat cottage cheese, and unsalted lard.
It is forbidden to feed:
- potatoes;
- sausages and sausages;
- mushrooms;
- onions, garlic;
- cabbage;
- watermelon;
- citrus fruits;
- chocolate;
- cookies;
- honey;
- sugar;
- salt and spices.
The natural color is expressed in a gray-brown back, which has a pronounced black stripe and a light belly. In nurseries, varieties with pearl, tangerine, and sapphire colors are bred.
Hamsters love edible sticks and spikelets. To grind teeth, it is appropriate to use a mineral stone or a birch block. Animals are kept in cages or aquariums. Place it in a quiet place where there is no exposure to direct sunlight or drafts.
Djungarian hamsters.
Rodent nutrition
The basis of nutrition of these mammals is plant food. They eat leaves, shoots, seeds, berries, gnaw twigs, bark, etc. But not all rodents are only herbivores. There are also omnivores among them, who, along with roots and herbs, eat insects, snails, worms, bird eggs, and small vertebrates (for example, lizards). Species living near water can feed on fish, shellfish and various crustaceans.
Animals spend a significant part of their lives getting food. Some representatives, mainly among Khomyakov, Squirrel and Mouse, store food for the winter in burrows and hollows.
The diet of rodents depends on the seasonality of the year. In summer, food is varied and includes seeds, plant parts, insects, etc. In autumn, berries, fruits and root vegetables. In winter, wood, bark and roots. In spring, the first young shoots and leaves begin to grow, which are necessary for the growth and development of the body.
The weather also affects the diet. In hot weather, rodents forage for food at night, when it is cooler. When daytime temperatures drop, they become active during daylight hours. Weather, age, and place in the hierarchy (for social species) also influence feeding behavior.
You can read what squirrels eat in the forest in winter and summer in a special article -
Gray hamster
A small and short-tailed animal. Body length is 9.5 - 13 cm, tail length is from 2 to 3.5 cm. The color can be smoky gray, dark gray or brownish gray. Reddish-sandy individuals are rare. They store supplies in their burrows. The hole can only be in a dry place . The supply of seeds for the winter period reaches 1 kg. Activity is observed at night.
In nature, their diet consists of seeds and inflorescences of wild cereals. They do not refuse green shoots of plants. Larvae and land mollusks are a favorite delicacy. In this regard, insect larvae are included in the pet’s diet. Give food little by little, avoiding overeating. The water must be fresh.
This variety is used by scientific institutions in laboratory research.
Gray hamster.
Reproduction of rodents
Animals of this order are very prolific. Females of small species can have several litters per year: from two to five. Moreover, each litter usually contains several cubs at once. The quantity varies from 5 to 15 pieces. And larger representatives of the order give birth once a year and no more than three cubs.
Some species give birth to underdeveloped young that require long-term care. And there are some animals that, after birth, are almost immediately ready to move independently.
Not only the number of annual litters varies greatly among species, but also the duration of pregnancy. In small animals it is short - only 18-20 days. And the larger the animal, the longer the pregnancy lasts. Muskrats, for example, remain in position for about 30 days, and nutria and capybaras for more than four months.
The population size depends on many environmental factors. In conditions of lack of food, it decreases, and vice versa. When the population increases excessively, some animals are even forced to migrate from their homes in search of new habitats.
Crested porcupine
It is often called the porcupine . The thick and stocky body of the animal is covered with dark and white needles. He has 2 types. There are long and flexible ones, growing up to 40 cm, and there are short and hard ones, 15-30 cm each, but differing in significant thickness.
The crested porcupine has a rounded muzzle with round eyes. He has short legs, he moves slowly, but he can also run. He uses his voice very rarely, only in moments of danger or irritation.
This is a very large rodent, growing up to 90 cm, plus a tail of 10-15 cm. Average weight is 8-12 kg, but some well-fed males weigh up to 27 kg.
The importance of rodents in human life
The importance of rodents in human life is enormous. Some of them are a source of valuable furs, for example, the muskrat. Others are hunted for their meat and fat. Experiments are carried out on laboratory rodents to study diseases, drugs and other chemicals.
Rodents carry plant seeds, and underground inhabitants also loosen the soil, enriching it with oxygen and allowing water to better penetrate into the ground. They are hunted by predatory mammals. All this ultimately benefits the person.
Rodents also cause significant harm. They are carriers of various bacterial and viral infections, parasites and fungi. Rodents also cause harm to agriculture and households by eating, contaminating food and spoiling things. Therefore, in order to protect himself and his property, people regulate the number of synanthropes using traps and pesticides.
Representatives of the rodent order adapt well to changes in external living conditions. This makes it possible to tame them. Some species have long become familiar domestic animals. People keep some types of rats, guinea pigs, hamsters and others.
Rodents are an intermediate component of food chains that transform the biological mass of plants and animals. Their irrational destruction harms natural ecosystems. Therefore, they, as part of nature, suffering from the consequences of human activity, need to be preserved and protected.
Wood mouse
Body length ranges from 8 – 11.5 cm, tail length from 3 to 6 cm. Weight – 17 – 35 g. The color of the back is rusty-brown with a grayish-whitish belly. The tail is two-color.
Their habitat is forest and forest-steppe. They prefer to settle in deciduous and coniferous forests. Even swampy areas of forest-tundra are not alien to them. They are also able to climb mountains.
Activity is around the clock at any time of the year. The burrows are made shallow and short. They can hide in crevices of tree roots. They easily climb trees and bushes.
They feed on herbaceous plants, seeds, bark, shoots, moss, lichen, and invertebrates. In gardens and forests they cause harm and also transmit tick-borne typhus fever and leptospirosis. Mice are the main source of food for mustelids.
Forest mice.
Mouse squad
Mice are classified as mammals because they give birth to live young. After birth, the female feeds her offspring with milk for a month. Each female has 8 nipples. After mating, the female carries the future mice for about 25 days. 9 days after giving birth, she can mate again and again bring forth offspring. Each time she can give birth to from 1 to 12 cubs. She can become pregnant up to 5 times in a year. The rodent population increases noticeably once every 7 years.
Newly born mice have no fur, no teeth, and they cannot see yet. After just 1 week, the offspring have teeth and hair begins to grow, and after another 20 days they can feed on their own. After 3 months, the young offspring are able to fertilize themselves, increasing the rodent population.
Rats are a pet
Rats are ideal pets. They quickly become tamed to humans and recognize their owner by the face.
Neat and clean animals do not require special care. They will give their owner many funny moments; they are very interesting to watch.
But the owner of a pet rat should not forget that this is a social animal and it is difficult for him to live alone. The rat definitely needs a mate, otherwise a mental disorder may develop.
