White rodent. Order Rodents (Rodentia). Difference between rats and mice

Many families with children prefer to have small animals. In this article we will look at what kind of pets people prefer to have in apartments. Did you know that the three-toed jerboa is on the ground. Its weight is only 3 grams. Due to their small size, rodents are often chosen for home keeping. What other types of small rodents are there, read below in this article!

The smallest pet rodents: care features

The rodent order includes many species:

hamsters

gerbils

rats

mice

chinchillas

jerboas

decorative rabbits

Guinea pigs

chipmunks

marmots.

The world of rodents is diverse: animals differ in size, species, and habitat. Many representatives of the order are domesticated.

Hamsters contacts and playful. Popular Djungarian hamster- the smallest representative of his family. Dwarf hamsters have developed social skills. Some individuals are aggressive towards humans and can bite if handled poorly.
Hamster

Gerbils- small rodents whose body sizes reach 10-12 cm. They differ from mice in that they have a fluffy tail. Animals are active, for this reason there should be a pet wheel in the cage. The optimal size of the home for a gerbil to feel comfortable is 30x30x60 cm. Gerbils live up to 3 years, and with good maintenance they can live 4 years. The body reaches a length of 10-11 cm. Gerbils are collective animals, it is recommended to keep them in groups. It would be better if they were same-sex.

They live 2.5 - 3 years, some individuals live up to 4 years. The body size of an adult rat is 20 cm. Distinctive feature rodents - a long tail, devoid of hair. Rats are sociable animals. It is recommended to take a couple of the same gender. Small rodents make contact with humans and, with proper attention, can become loyal friends. The rat cage should be spacious (minimum 30x90 cm). Pets should be allowed out of their cage for a walk.

They are the smallest representatives of rodents. The body length is about 8 cm. Mice are white in color, and there are individuals with colored fur. Animals should be kept separately to prevent them from breeding. It is necessary to take animals of the same sex, preferably females, since males behave aggressively and sometimes fight.

Chinchillas They attract buyers with their expensive, thick fur, pleasant to the touch. An adult reaches a length of 30-35 cm, its weight ranges from 400 to 700 grams. Chinchillas live longer than other rodents, life expectancy is 20 years. As pet They breed short-tailed and long-tailed chinchillas. Both species are distinguished by a beautiful gray-blue coat color.

Lifespan guinea pigs is 6-7 years, sometimes 10 years. Rodents have a calm character, rarely bite, and are in demand in families with children. The basis of a guinea pig's diet is fresh hay. Your pet's diet should include vegetables containing vitamin C. They are affectionate, sociable, and capable of becoming loyal friends.

Jerboas difficult in content. Even the most small rodent requires special care. For dwarf breeds, an aquarium filled with gravel or sand is suitable as a home. Conditions of detention should be close to natural. It is recommended to place a cardboard house in the aquarium where the animal can hide. Jerboas are friendly, non-aggressive animals. They should be kept in groups of similar sizes. The most difficult to keep are comb-toed jerboas. They do not tolerate temperature changes and humidity well. Representatives of this breed survive the worst in captivity.

Rodents have their own habits, character, needs social interaction. Most members of the squad prefer to lead night look life, which should be taken into account when purchasing a rodent as a pet.

The Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus) is a mammal from the genus Chipmunks, which belongs to the squirrel family. This is the only chipmunk in the world that lives in Eurasia. The fossil remains of this animal are known to paleontologists already from the Late Pleistocene cave deposits of Altai, Sayan and Primorye.

Degu

Degus (Octodon degus) are rodents that belong to the genus of eight-toothed animals. People started keeping some of them as pets in apartments relatively recently. These animals are native to the Andean foothills of Chile and Peru, where locals called them “bush rat.” Only in the mid-18th century did Europeans discover these animals. At first, there was great controversy in the scientific world about who degus belonged to. They were said to be relatives of squirrels, chinchillas, rats, mice and guinea pigs, but after the debate subsided and the taxonomy was revised, they were classified as the eight-toothed dormouse.

Egyptian spiny mouse

Spiny mice, they are also often called akomis (Acomys cahirinus) these are representatives of the subfamily Deomiinaceae, family mouse squad rodents. These amazing animals weigh 40-48 g in adulthood, and their body is long, including their tail, which is almost half their size. overall size, does not exceed 14 cm. A characteristic feature The unique feature of these animals is that they have spines growing on their backs. Their color is usually pale yellow, but sometimes reddish brown and dark gray can be found. Color spiny mice light sandy or brown, it depends on the age of the animal, since young individuals are paler in color than adults. The underside of the Akomis body (belly and chest) is covered with soft white hair. In mature males, the fur on the neck is longer than in females and immature ones, and forms a so-called mane on it. The tail of these animals is scaly and very brittle. Spiny mice have a narrow muzzle with large dark eyes resembling beads, their large round and very mobile ears are set vertically on the head. The animals' whiskers are very long, which helps them in living in wildlife. The hind legs of Akomis are short and have wide feet.

Rabbit

Rabbits are animals that are hard to imagine as wild today. Nowadays they are raised by rabbit breeders in special conditions. Among the breeds bred as a result of the domestication of rabbits, several directions can be roughly distinguished - meat, down, meat-skin types. This is the so-called “economic” classification of rabbits, since a scientific classification of breeds has not yet been developed. Special decorative breeds are also bred for keeping at home. Rabbits became domesticated animals about 1000 years ago, which by nature’s standards is not that long. Their common ancestor is the wild European rabbit. The rabbit belongs to the genus of mammals from the family of hares, however, unlike hares, small rabbits are born blind and without fur. Wild rabbits raise their offspring mainly in burrows, and this is also their main difference from hares. It is very easy to tame these cute animals if you wish; all you need to do is show them attention regularly.

Decorative rabbit

The decorative rabbit is an animal around which there is a lot of controversy. There is a debate about who should be considered an ornamental rabbit - any rabbit living in captivity, or only a selective one. Obviously, under the name of a decorative rabbit there is still a specially bred and even purebred animal hidden, since the word “decorative” means “created for decoration.” And it is unlikely that an ordinary rabbit on a livestock farm is intended to decorate anything. However, the controversy still does not stop. One way or another, the decorative rabbit is a particularly beautiful representative of domesticated rabbits. Most often, skin breeds of rabbits are considered decorative - with especially beautiful and soft fur. Today more than 60 such breeds are known. But in general, a rabbit is an ideal pet, affectionate, playful and happy to communicate with humans. Compared to a cat and a dog, keeping a decorative rabbit is cheaper, and there is much less hassle with it.

Dwarf rabbit

One of the most popular animals in Lately became dwarf rabbits. They are absolutely adorable and, thanks to their small size (adult rabbits reach the size of a well-fed cat), they are loved not only by children, but also by adults. Like any other pet, rabbits require knowledge of certain rules for maintenance and care. First of all, you should keep in mind that rabbits need to be looked after regularly: including weekends and holidays, as well as during school holidays and holidays. In the latter case, therefore, it is necessary to think in advance whether you will take the rabbit with you on a trip, or leave it with your friends who love rabbits as much as you do. With good care, no special problems will arise with the maintenance of the rabbit and its health.

Rat

Many of us associate rats with unsanitary conditions and dirt, perhaps because they live close to people - in basements, sheds, that is, where conditions, frankly speaking, are not the most hygienic. In addition, rats living in basements are considered carriers of various unpleasant diseases, and therefore are constantly being improved various means to combat these pests, which also spoil food and other objects used by humans. This applies, first of all, to the most common types of rats – gray and black. But the main habitat of the rat is not human habitation, but tropical and subtropical forests. Recently, the practice of keeping tame rats at home has become widespread. These rats, however, are descendants of those same basement pests. There are also nurseries where special decorative breeds of rats are bred. Such pet rats are, of course, safe for the health of the owner. They are easily tamed, willingly communicate with people and are even able to show affection and play with pleasure.

Many people want to have an animal at home, and quite often people choose a rodent. But the rodent family is quite large, who should you choose? Today we will help you with this. Present to your attention full list domestic rodents.

Hamsters

Hamsters are very popular pet rodents. But it is worth keeping in mind that this small and cute animal is a nocturnal animal and, moreover, quite aggressive. During the day, the hamster will sleep soundly and will not want to play with you. And if you decide to add a relative to him, then a violent showdown with one of the animals will be guaranteed.

To tame a hamster, you need to show persistence and patience. Otherwise, this cute animal may show and painfully bite its owner.

The hamster will need a durable one made of wire, equipped with a house, a wheel, and tunnels of your choice. If you want to let your pet run around the apartment, then use a walking ball, otherwise the hamster may climb into a hard-to-reach place, chew wiring or other things.

This domestic rodent is not very picky when it comes to food. The main thing is to stick to some. You can find out what to feed your hamster. The hamster eats little, takes up little space, and requires minimal attention. This pet rodent will feel great alone in his. The main thing is not to forget to feed him and change his water on time. The only drawback of these animals is, on average, 2-3 years.

The most common representatives of hamsters are the Syrian hamster. Read about what types of domestic hamsters exist in our article.

Mice

For many centuries, these small creatures have lived next to humans. And, the attitude towards such rodents, and we will talk about them, is very ambiguous. On the one hand, rodents harm and spoil products, and on the other hand, imagine at least one medical and research laboratory in which laboratory rats and mice would not live. And, since these creatures can live in laboratories, then why can’t they live in our homes as pets?

Relatives of ordinary house mice today are decorative mice. It’s just that if the first ones are destroyed, then the second ones are groomed and tender. Of course, such a house mouse is an excellent candidate for the role of a pet if you have limited living space and free time. But who should not have decorative mice are those who are pathologically afraid of these creatures, or cannot stand the specific mouse smell (no matter how you clean and wash the cage, the smell will still be in the air), as well as those who suffer allergy to rodents.

What are the peculiarities of keeping such pet mice, what to feed such rodents, and how to care for them? We will try to answer all these questions in our article.

Rats

Most of us shudder at the words “house rats”: we immediately think of rather large rodent pests that can not only cause damage to property, but also infect them with diseases.

But in fact, these animals can be very interesting pets.

Exist different breeds rats, however, absolutely all of them are distinguished by amazing intelligence, speed of learning and even good training abilities. Let's get to know them from this side. And at the same time we will learn how to care for a pet rat.

Guinea pigs

Guinea pig (from Latin cavia porcellus - small pig) is a domesticated rodent of the pig family, which belongs to the genus pig. The animal is a small, usually up to one and a half kilograms, plump animal with hanging ears, large convex eyes and a wide muzzle. The enormous popularity of the rodent is due to its attractive appearance, unpretentiousness, good-natured and trusting character and peaceful temperament. The Guinea pig is the safest pet for children of primary preschool age.

The rodent received its name, which at first sounded like “overseas pig,” in Russia precisely because it arrived from overseas, and the shape of the animal’s head resembled the head of a pig. The animal is also called kewi, cavey or Guinea pig.

Squirrels

The common squirrel, or otherwise known as the squirrel, belongs to rodents from the squirrel family. There are about 15 species of animal that live in wildlife in forests.

The animal is not big size, nimble and easy to climb. Its weight is approximately a quarter kg, length - from 20 to 28 cm. The longest part - the tail - is equal to a third of the entire body.

Veksha changes her fur clothes in the off-season. In winter, its fur becomes fluffier and softer, and in summer it becomes shorter and tougher.

The squirrel is one of the most beautiful forest inhabitants that humans have managed to tame and domesticate. An example of grace and correct proportions. The owner of a fluffy tail, shiny black eyes and fluffy tassels on the ears.

This is a spontaneous and active animal, and, in addition, unpretentious in its content.

Chipmunks

Everyone knows the cartoon “Chip 'n' Dale Rescue Rangers” and is moved by its main characters, but a child can do great gift by purchasing real live chipmunks as pets.

The chipmunk adapts well to life in captivity; it is unpretentious in both care and food.

The only difference from the cartoon characters is that they do not get along well with each other from autumn to spring, and each animal will need an individual cage.

Dimensions adult vary depending on the specific species. The smallest representative is 5 centimeters in length and weighs 30 grams, and the largest is 15 centimeters in length and about 130 grams in weight. Distinctive feature All chipmunks have longitudinal stripes on their backs that alternate in color. Usually there are 9 of them, of which 5 are dark and 4 are light.

Degu

Degus are small animals that look like a jerboa. Along with other exotics, they are rapidly gaining popularity among those who want to have an unusual pet.

Degu is a small South American rodent. Other common names for this animal include two: bush rat and Chilean squirrel. The animal is highly active with a relatively small size. An adult reaches up to 30 cm in length, while weighing only 200-300 g. In nature, degus come in only two colors: brown-yellow or chestnut-gray.

The fur of the Chilean squirrel is hard and dense. Like most rodents, these animals have 8 pairs of teeth that grow throughout their lives. Degus can adapt to living at home if they are provided with the appropriate conditions. With proper care and nutrition, such a pet can live up to 6-8 years.

Gerbil

When choosing a pet, people often stop near cages with gerbils. These rodents have wonderful character. They are clean, easy to tame, trainable and look very cute.

Their curiosity and friendliness will delight you every day. Just by looking at the photo of a gerbil, all doubts about the decision to have one as a pet disappear.

Today there are more than 100 species of these rodents. It is worth noting that only one of them was tamed. This is a Mongolian gerbil.

In their natural environment, these mice live in families. Therefore, if you decide to have this baby at home, you need to take a couple of individuals. Living alone could have a negative impact on her health.

The size of a gerbil mouse varies from 5 to 20 cm. It weighs from 15 to 200 grams. The main distinguishing feature is the tail. It is covered with fluff along its entire length, and the tip is decorated with a tassel. The coat color is sand.

Sonya

Under natural conditions, the rodent dormouse prefers wooded areas, preferably oak, wild fruit trees or beech. He feeds on the fruits of these trees, and makes a cozy home in their hollows. It does not evoke sympathy among southern farmers, as it harms the grape industry.

There are several types of them, but they are divided into two groups - terrestrial and arboreal. The arboreal ones resemble small squirrels, while the terrestrial ones are more like mice. All species adapt well to life in captivity, but there is an important requirement - frequent cleaning of the cage is necessary. Although these animals are small, they quickly pollute the home, causing unpleasant odors.

Jerboa

Jerboas are a group of mouse-like rodents, of which more than 25 species are known. Their body shape, ease of maintenance and small size make them attractive as pets to many animal lovers.

This animal has a small body size, a fairly long tail with a brush at the end, and large hind legs. Thanks to its fur, the jerboa is protected from various temperature changes typical of desert areas.

The animal, in comparison with other representatives of rodents, has quite large dimensions of 25-26 cm and a tail, the length of which is 30 cm. The fur on the back has a red or brownish-gray tint, on the cheeks the color is slightly lighter, the neck and belly have White color. The head of the jerboa is round in shape with oval ears and fairly large eyes. He also has small front legs and strong hind legs. The weight of the animal, depending on its type, can reach 250-300 grams.

IN natural conditions jerboas move a lot, and, therefore, the lack of movement and a small amount of free space can develop in a domestic jerboa a disease such as physical inactivity, which will lead to its early death. To avoid this outcome, you should provide your pet with a large enclosure, the size of which will be at least 0.5 m.

Large rodents

Chinchilla

Chinchilla (lat. Chinchilla) belongs to the order Rodents, suborder Porcupines, superfamily Chinchilla-shaped, family Chinchillaidae, genus Chinchilla.

Chinchillas have a round head and a short neck. The body is covered with thick soft hair, and hard hairs grow on the tail. The body length is 22-38 cm, and the tail grows 10-17 cm long. The weight of a chinchilla reaches 700-800 grams, while females are larger and heavier than males.

At night, chinchillas can easily navigate thanks to their huge eyes, which have vertical pupils. The whiskers of mammals grow up to 10 centimeters in length. Chinchilla ears are round in shape and have a length of 5-6 cm. In the ears there is a special membrane with which the chinchilla closes its ears when taking a sand bath.

The chinchilla's skeleton can be compressed in a vertical plane, so the animals can crawl into the smallest crevices. The hind legs of chinchillas are four-toed, and the front legs have 5 toes. The hind limbs are very strong and twice as long as the front ones, which allows mammals to jump high.

The life expectancy of a chinchilla reaches 20 years.

A couple of centuries ago, chinchillas were on the verge of extinction - they were destroyed because of their very valuable fur, but gradually the situation changed for the better for the animal and from the status of a hunting trophy, this rodent migrated into our homes to the status of a pet and everyone's favorite.

But in order for the animal to feel comfortable, healthy and cheerful, it is worth knowing how to properly feed it, what to feed it and is it possible to breed it at home?

Jerzy

The common hedgehog is a very famous mammal, widespread throughout Europe and even on some islands. His appearance and lifestyle sometimes attract animal lovers who keep a hedgehog as a pet.

It is difficult to confuse a hedgehog with someone else: the entire back of the animal is densely covered with sharp short needles of black-gray color, the length of which is usually 2.5-3 centimeters. The needles stick out in different directions to cause maximum damage to enemies and provide high degree protection. The total length of the hedgehog's body ranges from 20 to 30 centimeters, and it also has a short tail - about 2-3 centimeters.

The weight of an adult animal varies from 600 grams to 1 kg; on the head of the hedgehog there is a long, wet black nose extended forward. It has sharp teeth, the number of which on the upper jaw is greater than on the lower jaw - 20 and 16, respectively.

The hedgehog has four short legs, each with 5 toes and claws. The front legs are 1.5-4 cm shorter than the hind legs. This animal has dense gray fur growing on its belly and between its spines. The needles themselves grow at the speed of wool, have a hollow structure inside and grow in numbers from 4 to 6 thousand pieces.

Rabbits

Decorative rabbit is very cute creature. First of all, when getting this furry pet, you need to remember that it is not just a beautiful soft toy, A Living being who needs constant care and attention.

Decorative dwarf rabbits are very cute and funny animals that love communication and attention. Those who got such a pet are convinced that communicating with him brings a lot of joy and good emotions. Caring for dwarf rabbits is easy and more cost effective than caring for a dog or cat.

Rabbits love to walk on grass on lawns, so be sure to purchase a collar and leash. Walking does not need to be done every day; the rabbit masters the tray perfectly and is not capricious. This pet is light and compact, so you can take it with you in a cage to the country house or on other trips. Even a child can carry the cage. But remember that this animal is very sociable and can become stressed from inattention. If it is necessary to leave, the animal can be entrusted to relatives or friends, as it easily tolerates a change of habitat.

Hares

To the surprise of many skeptics, hares are increasingly gaining a place next to people in their homes. With an average lifespan of 5 to 15 years, hares are very sociable, active and cute creatures. It's impossible not to get attached to the big-eared cutie.

There are various reasons why last years Hares have evolved from a simple source of meat to one of the best pets. Here are some of them:

• They are very sociable creatures that do not require any special training;
• They are very playful and funny;
• Being very sociable creatures, they need constant interaction with people and other hares;
• They are willing to play with people and other animals outside of their cage every day.

If you want to have a bunny, then you should know that a lot of work will await you. Along with the arrival of a pet into your home, you have a huge responsibility for it.

Marmots

The marmot is a mammal. Belongs to the order of rodents from the squirrel family. The most common steppe species is also called boibak.

In nature, it lives in the steppe and forest-steppe areas, but also takes root well in captivity. Requires increased attention, but quickly becomes attached to its owners. It is considered the most intelligent of the group of rodents that have adapted to home conditions. Every groundhog is different special character and temperament.

Marmots are most often small in size. But among rodents, this is one of the most large species, an adult – about the size of a cat. They can weigh from 5 to 10 kg, with a height of 40 to 50 cm. They wear a fluffy fur coat of a sandy or brownish-reddish hue. They are born without hair and blind, first feed on their mother's milk, then switch to grass.

Gophers

The gopher is an animal of the chordate type, class mammals, order rodents, squirrel family, genus gophers (lat. Spermophilus or Citellus). Russian word“gopher” comes from the Old Church Slavonic “susati”, which means “to hiss”.

The average body length of an adult animal is 15-25 cm. Individuals of some large gophers grow up to 40 cm, with males always larger and heavier than females. The weight of the gopher ranges from 200 grams to 1.5 kg.

Pet lovers often try to keep these cute-looking gophers indoors. Despite their pleasant appearance, gophers are not suitable for keeping at home. The possibilities of domestication and human contact with it are quite limited. The smell of the excretions of these animals is quite noticeable, which makes keeping them in an apartment difficult.

In the living corners of young naturalists or in scientific institutions, keeping gophers can be of interest, especially if there are observation and experimental programs. They are used primarily as laboratory animals. Thin-toed ground squirrels differ in better side from other species that are poorly accustomed to human society.

List of pet rodents

Whom to choose?

What kind of rodent should you keep at home? The question is interesting, and there is no clear answer to it. It all depends on your preferences, fears and living conditions.

The family Mouse or mice are small-sized animals of the mammalian class, belonging to the order of rodents, which has not been definitively classified. The huge family includes 4 subfamilies, which includes 147 genera and 701 species. Animals are found everywhere, especially a species of mouse called. People's attitude towards these representatives of the fauna is ambiguous. Some people fight them, trying to rid their home of uninvited “guests,” while others specifically breed and tame small rodents.

General characteristics of mouse representatives

The large family of mice is not fully understood. On the territory of Russia there are 13 species of animals from the order of rodents, representing 5 genera. They all have a similar appearance and lead almost the same lifestyle. Possessing a unique ability to adapt to any living conditions, mice thrive in all natural areas. The exceptions are the Far North and Antarctica. The widespread distribution of various species of rodents suggests the numerical dominance of their representatives among other mammals.

Interesting!

The familiar word “mouse” translated from the Indo-European language means “thief”, which is fully justified by the habits of the nimble animal.

Appearance:

• The mammal has a small elongated body. Its dimensions, depending on the species of the individual, range from 5 to 20 cm. This parameter is doubled due to the tail.
• The body of the mouse is covered with short hair, the color palette of which is gray, brown, red or brown. In nature, there are striped and variegated individuals, as well as snow-white albino rodents.
• The average weight of a mouse is 20-50 grams.
• Animals have a short neck.
• On the pointed, triangular-shaped muzzle, there are small black beady eyes and semicircular ears, providing good sound perception.
• Due to the sensitive thin whiskers - vibrissae - growing around the mouse's nose, it is able to perfectly navigate its surroundings.
• The short legs are equipped with 5 tenacious fingers, allowing them to overcome significant obstacles and dig holes.

To get acquainted with representatives of the rodent order, it is advisable to carefully study the photos of mice posted on the site.

Rodents are highly fertile. At the age of 3 months, the female is capable of conception and childbearing. Wild mice living in natural conditions in the warm season, animals living in heated rooms - year-round. Pregnancy lasts approximately 20-24 days and, after this time, from 3 to 12 cubs are born.

Mice are born absolutely helpless - blind, toothless, naked. The mouse feeds it with milk for about a month. By the 10th day, the offspring are completely covered with hair, and after 3 weeks they become independent and disperse. Under favorable conditions, the population grows rapidly. The average is 1-1.5 years. Genetically, they are capable of existing for 5 years, but how long the animal will live depends on specific circumstances.

On a note!

Bats do not belong to the mouse family. They are representatives of the order Chiroptera, which ranks second in size after rodents.

Lifestyle

A mouse can cause enormous damage to humans. By nature and food preferences, a rodent is a predator. But the pest mainly consumes plant foods and therefore its diet consists of seeds, fruits of trees or shrubs and cereal crops. Mice living in marshy areas, wet or flooded meadows feed on buds, leaves or flowers various plants.

Interesting!

The strong smell of cheese can repel rodents.

Various breeds of mice, having settled almost throughout the planet, arranging their habitat, can make nests from grass stems, occupy abandoned holes, old hollows, or dig complex underground systems with many moves. Once in a person’s home, rodents settle under the floor, in attics, and between walls. Unlike representatives living in swamps and near water bodies, they are steppe, mountain and swim poorly.

The active life of animals coincides with the evening or night time, but they try not to move too far from their home. The mouse has many enemies, these include predator birds, reptiles, mongooses, foxes, cats, crows and other representatives of fauna.

Mice make huge reserves for the winter, but do not hibernate.

Mostly voracious and ubiquitous rodents cause harm, but there is one area of ​​​​science in which the omnivorous mouse is useful and irreplaceable. These are special scientific and medical laboratories where animals become experimental subjects. Thanks to these small animals, many important discoveries were made in genetics, pharmacology, physiology and other sciences. Surprisingly, 80% of the genes endowed with live mouse, are similar to human structures.

Diversity of the mouse family

The names of mice, which are often associated with their habitat, as well as their varieties, are very diverse. The most common types of rodents found in nature are:

• African;
• baby mice;
• mountain;
• brownies;
• forest;
• herbal;
• striped;
• spiny and other individuals.

On the territory of Russia, the most common are the following 3 types of mice - house, forest and field.

Interesting!

Most mice live in packs. Relationships are subject to strict hierarchical system, led by a male and several “privileged” females. Each mouse is assigned a specific territory where they can get food. The offspring are raised together, but upon reaching “majority” they are unanimously expelled from the family to live independently.

The species of mice that exist in nature differ in size, color, and habitat. Let's take a closer look at some representatives of the rodent order.

African mice

Grass mice

Representatives of this genus mainly live in Africa, in the eastern part of the continent. The rodent mouse settles in thickets of bushes, occupies other people's burrows or digs them on its own, but can penetrate into people's houses. The animals are among the largest and can reach 19 cm in length (with the tail this parameter is 35 cm), weighing more than 100 g. The fur on the back and sides of the mouse is colored in dark gray or grayish-brown tones. Individual stiff bristles have a darker color.

On a note!

The herbivorous mouse lives in large colonies, making devastating raids on farmland.

Forest dweller

The animal lives in natural conditions, making its home in bushes, on forest edges, and in floodplains. The main places where mice are placed are mixed and broadleaf forests Caucasus, Kazakhstan, Altai, Eastern Europe. The body length is 10-11 cm, the tail is 7 cm, and the weight is approximately 20 g. The mouse with large round ears, which is its main difference from its relatives, is characterized by a sharp muzzle and two-color colors. The upper body and tail are colored red-brown or even black, and the belly, legs and fingers are white.

The mouse overwinters in burrows located at a depth of 2 m and comes out with the onset of a thaw. The main food is grain, seeds, young tree seedlings, but rodents do not refuse insects.

Yellow-throated mouse

Gerbil

The mouse came to the territory of the Russian Federation from the USA. She was brought in for laboratory research, but quickly became adopted as a pet. The mouse is characterized by an unpleasant odor, although it looks like a very cute, friendly creature. There are more than 100 subspecies of gerbils in the world, of which the dwarf and Mongolian breeds of mice live here. The animal's belly is almost white, and its brown-red back is decorated with a bright black stripe located along the entire body. The rodent has neat small ears, a pink nose, a blunt muzzle and large beady eyes. A mouse with a tassel on its tail can be found quite often among lovers of exotic animals.

Harvest mouse

Externally, the mouse is very similar to a gerbil, but in everyday life it can be called a vole. Under natural conditions, it lives in fields, meadows and causes harm agriculture. In flooded areas it can make nests in bushes. The dark, reddish-brown color of the upper body with black stripes contrasts sharply with the white belly and paws of the mouse. The body length varies from 7 to 12 cm, the tail of the animal is not very large.

Mice are active at night, since during the day they have to hide from numerous predatory animals, which include such a reptile as the snake. The diet of rodents consists mainly of plant food, but they can feast on various insects. High fertility allows maintaining the size of the field mouse population. They feel great in Europe, Siberia, Primorye, Mongolia and other places. The mouse in the photo posted on the site will allow you to carefully examine the small animal.

House mouse

The most common type of rodent. Gray mouse, making its way into people's apartments, it brings a lot of problems, spoils food, chews furniture, electrical wiring, walls, things and other interior items. The habitat of pests is all landscape and natural areas, with the exception of the territory of the Far North and Antarctica. The gray-humped mouse (another name for a mammal) digs holes on its own, but can also occupy abandoned homes.

• The dimensions of the animal do not exceed 9.5 cm; taking into account the tail, its total length is 15 cm.
• The weight of the mouse varies from 12 to 30 grams.
• The main food products are seeds and juicy greens, however, once in a human house, the mouse becomes omnivorous.

One of the animal species is the black mouse.

People have mixed feelings about rodents. As a result of this, quite often at home you can find unusual mice that are real favorites of family members. Tame pets can be trained and perform simple tricks with small objects. A large group of rodents is capable of not only causing damage, but also giving joy.

Rodents make up more than a third of all mammal species. They differ from each other in size and weight. Some of them have adapted to life in extreme conditions.
The Latin name for this series is Rodentia. It comes from the verb "rodere", which translates as "to gnaw". All rodents have a similar jaw structure. They don't have fangs. There is a large space (diastema) between the incisors and molars. They have only one incisor on each side of the upper and lower jaws. Incisors have no roots. They are razor sharp. When chewing hard food, the incisors are worn out. In front they are covered with an exclusively hard layer of enamel, and their back part consists of soft dentin. Thanks to this feature, rodent teeth are self-sharpening and have characteristic appearance chisels. Incisors grow throughout the life of animals, which, in turn, must chew hard objects to wear down the hard top layer of teeth. In total, rodents can have from 12 to just over 20 teeth. The chewing surface of molars can be very diverse - from tuberculate to comb-like. The lips act as a “gate” to prevent unwanted particles from entering the mouth.
Chewing muscles. For rodents, the muscles that are located behind the cheeks on the outside of the jaw are important. These muscles not only close the jaws, but also allow them to push forward lower jaw. The different development and functions of these muscles have led to the division of rodents into three important groups (other scientists distinguish more groups). The most common of them are mouse-like ones, which were able to adapt to different foods and incredible living conditions.
Spread of rodents. The wide distribution of rodents is due to the fact that these animals are very fertile. Many of them can have several litters a year, and in each they produce a large number of cubs. There is a kind of self-regulation of their fertility. Rodents have adapted to a variety of foods. During the year they could have up to 13 litters of 8 cubs each. Typically, rodents are herbivores, but under the influence of conditions, many of them have become almost omnivores.
Unlike the babies of other mice, newborn spiny mouse babies are at least partially covered with fur.
Did you know? Even a brick wall is not an obstacle for rats. The incisors of these rodents are capable of crushing an object with a force of approximately 1680 kg per 1 cm2.
During the catastrophic increase in the number of house mice in Central California, which took place in 1926, according to researchers, there were about 20 rodents per 1 m2.
Some representatives of the slipak family (Spalacidae) dig up to 500 kg of soil within a month.

Rodents are very prolific, so many of their species are very numerous. Rodents - This is one of the many orders of mammals. During the process of evolution, many species of rodents arose. They have adapted to life in a wide variety of conditions - some live underground, others in trees or even in water.
Mouse-like. The mouse family forms the largest group of rodents, and, in general, a quarter of all modern species mammals. Mostly mice and rats.
Some of them, such as voles and lemmings, have short and squat bodies, perfectly adapted for digging tunnels underground or even in snow. Blind people have adapted to life underground. They do not have ears or a tail, and their eyes are covered with skin. The incisors in them protrude even with the mouth closed, since animals use these teeth mainly for digging. A wide nose helps the blind in the construction of underground galleries. Jerboas can survive even in the desert, so the necessary moisture is obtained from food.
PIG-LIKE. Representatives of the pig-like suborder, with the exception of the North American porcupine, inhabiting Central and South America. These animals are distinguished by a large head and a rounded nose. They give birth to fairly independent, fur-covered cubs. The sizes of pig-like animals vary greatly - from the size guinea pig to the size of the most modern rodent - the capybara.
Many of them live on the ground, but North American porcupines spend most of their lives in trees. Nutria belonging to this order are excellent swimmers. They have swim membranes that help them move easily in the water. Patagonian maru can be recognized by long legs and large ears. This animal looks like a hare. Capybaras form numerous herds that stay close to the banks of water bodies. These are the most modern rodents. Adults can weigh up to 75 kg.
Squirrel ones. In addition to the well-known squirrels, the squirrel suborder also includes beavers, chipmunks, longlegs, dormice and ground squirrels. Beavers can cut down trees with their exceptionally strong incisors. They build dams and huts from tree trunks. Eyes tree species squirrels allow them to accurately determine the distance they want to cover when jumping from one tree to another. Some other species, for example, flying squirrels, can fly over considerable distances with the help of flight membranes located on the sides of the body.
EVOLUTION. Most of the prehistoric rodents whose fossils have been found in North America and Eurasia, were small animals very similar to mice. Only a few evolved species reached the size of a beaver.
The fossilization of these ancient rodents is combined into one common family Paramyidae. They date back to the Paleocene period. At the beginning, these primitive rodents first developed characteristic incisors, only the front ones were covered with hard enamel.
Over time, rodents became more numerous, new forms arose, and adapted to certain living conditions. The first rodents more often moved along the ground by running, and later species appeared whose body structure and hind limbs indicate that they moved mainly by jumping. In other species, the skull, paws and claws were adapted rather to an underground lifestyle.
Mice and rats, however, formed later than other rodent families. The family of mice, including mainly ancient species of mice and rats, appears in the European layers of the Pliocene, which dates back 5 million years. Man is the main culprit in the spread of rats and mice throughout the globe.
These rodents, easily adapting to different living conditions, traveled on ships, with camel caravans, and later on trains as “stowaways.” They feel great next to a person - they settled in her house, eat her bread, spoil his things, warm themselves by her hearth. There are especially many rats and mice living in livestock farms, pantries, and warehouses where grain and other food products are stored.
Porcupine: feeds on shoots and roots of plants, often hunts insects or picks up carrion. The porcupine is active at night and rests during the day in dry burrows or rock crevices.
House mouse: most often lives in human dwellings and eats almost everything edible it can get its hands on. She loves grain most of all.
Beaver: The second largest rodent after the capybara. He is an excellent swimmer and diver. Characteristics beaver - swimming membranes and a flat tail covered with scales - a remarkable adaptation for life in water.
Capybara or capybara: it is the world's largest rodent. The capybara uses its powerful incisors only for eating grass. Thanks to the small swimming membranes between the toes, the animal swims well.

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Types of rodents

American badger