Rodents Flashcards
What is the main characteristic that all rodents share?
Single pair of upper and lower incisors
What is the consequence of enamel on the back of the tooth being softer than the front?
They all sharpen themselves whilst chewing
What are rabbits?
lagomorphs
Give 4 reasons why rodents are so popular as pets?
» Fit in well with owner’s lifestyles and living habits
» Less commitment in terms of time and money
» Relatively inexpensive (downside – cost of vet bills sometimes
not warranted by owners)
» Good starter pets for children
What should a rodent herbivore diet look like?
Diet should consist of:
* Hay and grass (70%)
* A small amount of species-specific pelleted food
(20%)
* Fresh fruits/vegetables (10%, type and amount
specific on the species)
High in Fibre and Low in energy
What should a rodent omnivore diet look like?
Diet consists of:
* Species-specific pelleted food (75%)
* Some fresh veg and fruits (20% offered
daily)
* Small amount of protein (e.g., boiled egg,
chicken– once per week) Reduce amount in
senior animals
16% protein and 5% fat
What is coprophagy?
- normal behaviour of rodents
- rats will eat around 10% of their faeces off the cage floor
What is thigmotaxis and what animal exhibits it?
- tendency to stay close to the wall
- exhibited by guinea pigs
What rodent eats 10% of their faeces off the cage floor?
Rats
Where is the scent gland found in gerbils?
Ventral abdomen
Where is the scent gland found in hamsters?
Bilateral Flanks
Where is the scent gland found in guinea pigs?
by the tail base
Why should you not house mice and rats together?
Can cause disease transmission
What can cause fatal septicaemia in mice?
Streptobacillus moniliformis
What is gerbil tail slip?
- Escape mechanism, essentially a ‘de-gloving’
- The skin on the tail is more loosly attached than the skin in other rodents
- if its left the exposed part dries up and drops off, but it can be painful if left
Which rodent has a long gestation period and can spray urine when frightened?
Chinchillas
How many mammals does the order rodentia comprise of?
Half of all mammalian species on earth
Name two herbivorous rodents
Guinea-Pigs and Chinchillas
Name 4 omnivorous rodents
- Hamsters
- Gerbils
- Rats
- Mice
Give the average gestation period of guinea-pigs, chinchillas, hamsters, mice, rats, gerbils
- Chinchillas- 105-113 days
- Guinea-pigs- 59-72
- Gerbils- 24-26
- Rats- 21-23
- Mice- 19-21
- Hamsters- 16-18
What are guinea-pigs taxonomically related to?
- The porcupine and chinchilla
What is the adult weight of a guinea-pig?
1kg
What material should you avoid for guinea-pig bedding?
Cotton wool
hay is best as it needs to be safe if accidently ingested
What is the ‘rumba’ ?
Purring or chirping whilst swaying bottom, excitement/ stimulation
What is ‘popcorning’ ?
leaping around in the air for no apparant reason- most common in young
What may guinea-pig food need to be supplemented with?
Vitamin C
Why cant guinea-pigs be placed with rabbits?
possibility of Bordatella
Brochiseptica
What kind of water is best for guinea-pigs
Ad-lib water (nipple drinker)
What do you need to do if keeping your guinea pigs outside?
Provide adequate bedding and insulation
Why are wire mesh floors best avoided?
can cause injury
Why are aquariums not the best housing?
Can cause a build up of ammonia
What mice should you house together?
- Male mice will fight unless they are litter mates without any females
- Best if they are raised together
What is the normal diet of mice/rats?
- they are omnivorous so they eat food of both plant and animal origin
- seeds, grains, small invertebrates
What should you supplement a mouse/ rat diet with?
fruit, veg ocassionally cooked chicken, egg
What is the background of gerbils
- they originated in the deserts of north africa and central asia
- bred and kept as pets since the 1960’s
- good tempermant, gentle
- have almost no odour
Who shoud gerbils be kept with?
Gerbils should always be kept with other gerbils as they are very sociable
* males and females often ‘pair bond’
What is the most ideal tank to keep gerbils in?
Fish tank with a breathable mesh lid
sand baths are also good to help keep their fur clean
What is the best food for gerbils?
- Feed pellets that have been formulated for gerbils
- pumpkin/ sunflower seeds are a good treat ocasionally
What sort of enrichment items should you provide to gerbils?
anything that is safe if swallowed as they will chew anything
Where do hamsters usually live in the wild?
they live on dry flat grasslands or brushy slopes and are naturally solitary
Why do you need to provide deep bedding for hamsters?
In the wild they construct burrows and hibernate when the temperature is below 5 degrees
What can be an issue with hamsters and their babies?
Potential for cannibalism, have to make sure you do not disturb nesting females/ touch the babies
What is the main diet of hamsters?
Vegetation, Seeds, Fruit and Meat
Which rodent is now endangered in the wild?
Chinchillas, due to fur demand
How long do chinchillas live for?
Up to 20 years
Which rodent can spray urine if frightened and need places to hide during captivity?
chinchillas
What is ‘fur slip’
Protective reaction in chinchillas, large patch of fur is released- revealing smooth skin underneath
occurs when handled incorrectly or due to excitement/ fighting
How long can it take for chinchilla fur to grow back?
can take several months to regrow and is frequently a different colour shade
What rodent cannot synthesise their own Vitamin C
Guinea-Pigs
