The Rodent Family - kwhumane.com

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but some live in There are approximately

trees and others 2,277 species of rodents!

spend much of their

time in water.

Rodents are gnawing mammals Rodents are part of the
(they constantly nibble and chew to Mammalia class. They
keep their teeth healthy, or when belong to the Rodentia
they are bored).
family.

These teeth are There are more species of rodents, and
called incisors. probably more individuals, than there are
They are very long of all other mammals combined. They
and sharp! Every include beavers, chipmunks, mice,
rodent has 4 (2 on porcupines, rats, squirrels, and many
top, 2 on bottom). others!

Almost all rodents are vegetarians.
Some, such as squirrels, eat both

plants and animals.

Yes, porcupines are rodents! However, they are wild animals
and should not be kept as pets.

Porcupines are 1 to 3 feet (45 to
90 cm) long, including the tail.

They usually sleep during the day, in
burrows, rocky crevices, hollow
logs, or trees.

They are found in North and 22There are
South America, Europe, Asia,
and Africa! different species of
porcupine.
They have about
30,000 quills on their They eat
back, sides, and tail. shoots,
The quills are sharp, leaves, fruits,
stiff hairs. Quills also grains, and
help a porcupine to the inner bark
swim. The quills have a of trees.
sponge-like filling that
helps the porcupine
float on water. Floating
in a stream or pond is a
great way to enjoy a
meal of water plants!

Rats are small
furry rodents
found all over the

world!

Rats can be Most rats have pointed noses,
about four coarse fur, and long, bare tails.
inches (10 cm) Some kinds, however, have hairy
to more than tails, and others have no tails at all.
one foot (30 Except for a few species, rats are
cm) long. Large quite harmless to humans.
rats weigh up to
four pounds Types of rats: the kangaroo rats of the
(1.8 kg).
southwestern United States; the rice rats and
cotton rats of the southern United States, Mexico,
and South America; the pack rats of Mexico and
the United States; and the muskrats that live on
the banks of ponds and rivers in nearly all parts of
Canada and the United States.

The Fancy Rat is a domesticated rat which is

the most common type of pet rat. The name fancy
rat derives from the idea of "to fancy" (to like, or
appreciate). Specially bred as pets since the 18th
century, fancy rats now come in a wide variety of
colours and coat types and there exists several rat
fancy groups worldwide.

Pet rats are much tamer (friendlier) than those in the wild. They’re
comfortable around humans, and are very smart! Sometimes it will look
like a pet rat is bleeding from the eyes! But have no fear, they have red
tears!

Squirrels live in every continent except for Australia
and Antarctica. They are wild animals and should
never be kept as pets!

There are about

250 species

of squirrels divided
into two groups:

1. those that live in
trees.

2. those that live on The common tree
the ground. squirrel’s (that we see
everyday) claws are
Their chisel-shaped teeth suited for climbing and
can cut into the shell of a nut. for clinging to branches.
They don’t only eat nuts! In jumping, the
Squirrels also eat fruit, squirrel's tail acts as a
seeds, grain, and birds' eggs. controller, allowing the
animal to swerve and
Squirrels commonly live in tree hollows or in change directions
nests they build of leaves, twigs, and grass quickly.
in tree crotches. They may remain in their
nests for several days during cold weather.

The normal life span of a squirrel is 5 to 10
years.

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

The beaver is the largest rodent in ...But, they are also found in
parts of Europe and Asia.
North America!...

An adult beaver is 3 They live in woodland ponds, lakes,
to 4 feet (91 to 120 and streams.

centimeters) long from
its head to the end of
its tail. The animal

weighs from 40 to
95 pounds (18 to

43 kilograms).

Beaver fur is helpful What Makes a Beaver a Rodent? A
because… beaver, like all rodents, has four
incisors. A beaver has two incisors in
- It is so thick that it can protect its upper jaw and two in its lower jaw.
the beaver from insect bites and Beavers use their incisors to gnaw.
pointy sticks. These teeth are capable of cutting
- A beaver can waterproof its fur through trees 2 feet thick!
by combing in its body oil with its What Is Special About a Beaver’s
claws. Once the fur is Tail? A beaver’s tail looks somewhat
waterproof, it helps keep the like a boat paddle. It is about 12
beaver warm as it swims. inches (30 centimeters) long and 6 to
- The fur traps body heat 7 inches (15 to 18 centimeters) wide.
underneath. It acts like a blanket In the water, it helps the beaver steer
to keep the beaver warm, even while swimming. On land, the tail
in freezing weather. supports the beaver when it stands up
to eat or cut down trees. A beaver’s tail
These are wild animals and also comes in handy as a storage
should not be kept as pets! space. It stores body fat that supplies
the beaver with energy when food is
hard to find.

Chinchillas are native to the Andes mountains
in South America. Along with their relatives
(the viscachas), they make up the family
Chinchillidae.

In their native habitat,

chinchillas live in burrows or

They are crevices in rocks.

jumpers

and can

jump up

to 6 ft Chinchillas have many predators in the wild

(1.8 m). including: birds of prey, skunks, felines

(wild cats), snakes, and canines (wild

dogs). Chinchillas have a

variety of defensive tactics

In the wild, chinchillas including spraying urine

have been observed and releasing fur if bitten.

eating plants, fruits,

seeds, and small

insects. Pet Chinchillas instinctively clean their fur by taking
chinchillas should not dust baths, in which they roll around in special
eat a diet like this. It dust made of fine pumice. In the wild, this dust is
could irritate their formed from fine ground volcanic rocks. The
digestive system. dust gets into their fur and absorbs oil and dirt.
Their diet should These baths are needed a few times a week.
consist mainly of Chinchillas do not bathe in water because their
hay-based pellets. If special fur doesn’t air dry close enough to the
a domesticated skin, which can cause fungus growth or fur rot!
chinchilla ingests The fur is so thick that it resists parasites such as
seeds or nuts, it could fleas. The fur also reduces loose dander (flakes
result in disease or of dry skin), making chinchillas hypo-allergenic!
death!

Chinchillas can make great pets! They have
a curious and playful nature and can live up

to 15-20 years!

Gerbils are typically Gerbils were first introduced to the pet
between 6 and 12 inches industry in 1964. These were the
(150 to 300 mm) long, Mongolia species of gerbil. They are also
including the tail! This known as the Clawed Jird. They are very
means that their tales gentle and hardy animals!
make up approximately
one half of their total They often exhibit crepuscular
length! behavior, which means they are most
active during dawn and dusk.

Almost all gerbils are
omnivorous, which
means they eat both
plants and meat.

Gerbils are social animals,
and live in groups in the wild.
They rely on their sense of
smell to identify other
members of their clan.
Gerbils are small and easy to
handle, since they are
sociable creatures that enjoy
the company of humans and
other gerbils. This makes
them excellent pets!

Are Guinea Pigs Really Pigs? Some Guinea Pigs were
domesticated by
people shorten the name for their pet guinea pigs to South American
just “pigs.” Guinea pigs, however, are not related to peoples in the
pigs at all. Guinea pigs are rodents! 1500's. An adult
It is possible that guinea pigs got the second part of guinea pig is 6 to
their name because they are short and plump, and 10 inches (15 to
they grunt and squeal like pigs!
25 cm) long
Guinea Pigs are herbivores, which and weighs
means they only eat grasses and other about 2 to 3
plants. A guinea pig's diet should consist pounds.
mostly of vegetables and food
pellets made especially for
guinea pigs. Vegetables that are
especially good for them are
cauliflower, broccoli, curly
kale, endive, romaine lettuce,
and cabbage.

Fruits, such as apples and melons, should

be an occasional treat! A guinea pig's diet should

be rich in vitamin C. They

are not able to

produce this

vitamin

themselves

and must get

What Should You Look for When Choosing it from
their food. You may
a Guinea Pig? Pick a guinea pig that is lively and add drops of
has bright, clear eyes. Look closely at the coat of vitamin C to their
hair. If the hair is thin or falling out, the guinea pig water, or put
may be sick and will not make a good pet. Make orange slices in
sure the upper teeth slightly overlap its lower teeth. If their cage! They
the teeth do not overlap, the guinea pig may have must also have lots
trouble eating. Also, avoid choosing any guinea pig of hay to eat. They
with teeth that are crooked or out of place; that
love hay!
animal might eventually have health problems.

Hamsters are burrowing rodents native
to Western Asia.

Unlike a rat or mouse,
the hamster has a
stubby tail and roomy
cheek pouches in
which it carries food.

Hamsters usually hibernate when the
temperature drops below 7° C and food is

scarce.

Pet hamsters are clean, private
animals that enjoy exploring and
hiding. They are usually kept in
cages, available from pet shops that
include wood shavings for bedding,
a food tray and water bottle, an
exercise wheel, and perches.
Cages should be spacious and kept
out of drafts and bright light. Pellet
food sold by pet shops is suitable for
a hamster's basic diet but should be
supplemented with seeds, raw
vegetable greens and roots, and
dead insects.

A jerboa’s body is about 8 Jerboas are hopping rodents found
inches (20 cm) throughout Asia and Northern Africa.
long. The body is They tend to be found in hot deserts.
covered with silky,
brownish-yellow
fur. The front legs
are short, and the
back legs are
extremely long.
They have a very
long, tufted tail as
well. Jerboas
travel rapidly in
great leaps, and
can easily out-run
a human!

A jerboa’s diet varies. Some are seed, insect, or plant eaters. Others are
omnivores (eat both plants and animals).

Jerboas have the ability to hop
very long distances. This ability
helps them escape from
predators, and to assist with
long journeys and
exploration in its desert
environment.

Does a Mouse Really Love Cheese?

A mouse in a house does love cheese—and anything else it
can sink its teeth into. A mouse will eat almost any food that
humans eat. That includes meat and vegetables. A mouse
will also eat things that humans won’t. For example, it will
also eat glue, leather, paste, and soap! YUCK!

This tiny rodent is The house
only about 3 mouse is the
inches (7.6 best-known kind
centimeters) long, of mouse. It
not counting the lives wherever
tail. It weighs only people live. It
1/2 to 1 ounce (14 nests in homes,
to 28 grams). garages, and
barns. But there
are hundreds of other kinds of mice as well.
They can be found all over the world—in
mountains, fields, forests, swamps, and deserts.

Pet Mice are also Female mice are called does (like a female
deer). They are popular with many owners
referred to as “Fancy since they tend to live with other mice better
Mice”. They are kept as than males. Male mice are called bucks (like
pets in many countries a male deer). It is a good idea to keep fancy
for a number of mice in groups of at least two if possible,
reasons: Fancy mice because mice are sociable animals.
are relatively small,
inexpensive, never need
bathing, and can learn to
enjoy regular handling.

Help Marvin the mouse find
his way to the cheese!

Rodent Challenge

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Word Search

Find the listed rodents below within the word
search.

Matching

Match the list below with the correct phrase
on the right hand side. Draw a line to attach
the correct word with the correct phrase.

Gerbil Found in fields, forests, swamps, and
deserts

Hamster Travel rapidly in great leaps

Guinea Pig Can waterproof its fur

Rat Enjoys dust baths

Beaver Has red tears

Jerboa Needs food rich in vitamin C

Mouse Often exhibit crepuscular behaviour

Chinchilla Has roomy cheek pouches