Rodents, which include cute domestic hamsters and frightening porcupines, are the most numerous order of mammals. But they appeared on the planet in the Cretaceous period, about 70 million years ago.
All representatives of the order of rodents are diverse in size and body structure, but have one thing in common - the presence of two large incisors in the upper and lower jaw.
Imagine the largest of more than 22 thousand species, and find out which is the largest rodent in the world according to the website
The largest rodents in the world:
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Sheltie guinea pig
Representatives of this breed are beautiful. Wool, like a train, falls behind the body, it grows in the direction of the head.
Sheltie guinea pig
The animal's eyes are huge and slightly protruding. If you are going to expose a pig, then its fur on the rump should be trimmed. So that the wool is not very dirty, it is folded into papillotes. According to the standards, the guinea pig should have a wide head, a short nose, ears - resemble rose petals, and should not be set too high.
Maintenance cost
You also need to find out how expensive it is to maintain a particular animal. After all, equipping a terrarium for a turtle or an exotic lizard will cost a decent amount. And puppies and kittens are not cheap at all, but you still need to think about the costs of vaccination and possible treatment.
Chinchilla aviary
Everything must be considered: the necessary equipment, food, treatment, care.
Guinea pigs peruvian
Guinea pigs peruvian
This breed includes representatives with a short body, but it should be wide. The head is short and the shoulders are broad. The eyes of the Peruvian pigs are clean, shiny and large. The ears are symmetrical. The coat of these pigs is straight, silky, dense with a thick undercoat. They have a different color. They are calm, kind and sympathetic towards human affection.
Crested porcupine
He is often called porcupine... The thick and stocky body of the animal is covered with needles of dark and white color. They have 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 considerable thickness.
Have crested porcupine rounded muzzle with round eyes. He has short legs, he moves slowly, but he also knows how to run. He gives 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 - 10-15 cm. The average weight is 8-12 kg, but some well-fed males weigh up to 27 kg.
Angora rabbit
Angora rabbit
These rabbits were brought from Poland. Their color is different. Interesting in rabbits is their “clothes”: up to 30 days, rabbits look like “ugly ducklings”, and by 50 days they become “beautiful swans”. You should not breed those rabbits that have poor head hair. The rabbit must be constantly combed with a brush and the rolled-up fur cut out.
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Beaver
The rodent is divided into two species: the first is the common beaver, whose range extends from the Atlantic to the steppes of Mongolia, and the second is the Canadian beaver, an inhabitant of North America.
From ancient Greek, the name of the animal is translated as "wood". And everyone knows that beavers are great builders, erecting dams on rivers and lakes.
The body length of adults reaches 1 meter 30 centimeters, and weighs from 30 to 32 kilograms. An amazing animal flaunts on many coats of arms of European cities, and in Russia they issued a whole series of coins dedicated to the beaver.
And below you can see a video with a beaver attacking a person:
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Chipmunk
Chipmunk
This animal is very similar to a squirrel, only its size is much smaller. The color of the chipmunk is yellowish-brown-gray, there are 5 black-brown stripes on the back, and the abdomen is completely light. Their best place to spend time on earth. Chipmunks eat mainly herbaceous plants and seeds of conifers. In addition, they can feed on insects and berries. To survive the winter, they stock up on pine nuts and spikelets of grain. In winter they hibernate. At home, they should be kept in a cage.
Baibak
Other name - common marmot... He lives in the virgin steppes of Eurasia. The English name "Bobak marmot" comes from the Turkic word "bobak", Which also means" marmot ".
It is similar to other marmots, but stands out for its yellow coloration and short tail that does not exceed 15 cm in length. Also, the bobak stands out for its size: the length of its body is from 50 to 70 cm, the fattened male can weigh up to 10 kg.
Once it was a common animal that lived in the steppe zone from Hungary to the Irtysh. But due to the plowing of virgin lands, the amount of the area occupied by it has decreased significantly, they cannot live in crops of vegetables and grains. Baibaks form perennial colonies, arrange many holes for themselves. They feed on plant foods.
Chinchilla
Chinchilla
These furry creatures were imported from South America. They reach small sizes, in appearance they resemble rabbits and squirrels at the same time. The head of the animal is large, the eyes are large and expressive, the neck is short, the legs are small, the tail is long. Rodents live up to 20 years. Their fur is very durable and thick.
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The room for keeping a chinchilla at home should be bright, well-ventilated, dry and warm. It can be either an aviary or a cage. Chinchilla eats almost everything, but do not forget that it must always have hay.
Popular indoor rodents
Household rodents are very popular pets, especially among children. However, before buying a pet, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of each animal and choose the perfect little friend for yourself.
Hamster
Check out some of the breeds of hamsters, as well as learn more about keeping a Dzungarian and Syrian hamster at home.
Hamsters are perhaps the most popular domestic rodents and this is not strange, because they are extremely unpretentious cute animals. These rodents are of two types: ordinary (large) and dwarf. The color of the animal depends on its breed and habitat and varies from gray to brown. It is customary to start hamsters one at a time, because this is how they live in the wild, and therefore a companion will always be perceived as a competitor, even if they are of different sexes.
Important! The hamster will not immediately become a tame animal. However, his trust is very easy to gain thanks to the delicacies that must be given from hand to hand.
The guinea pig
Guinea pigs are also quite common as a pet. A cute large rodent has many colors and most often several colors are combined on the animal's fur coat in the form of shapeless spots.
Find out more about the features of keeping a guinea pig at home: what to feed and how to choose the right cage for a rodent.
Pigs are very sociable animals that are always glad to their owner and willingly demonstrate their feelings to him. They say that if something happened to the owner, a little friend knows how to sympathize. And making a pet happy in response is quite simple: pigs cannot stand loneliness, so it is better to buy a couple at once, and in order to avoid the appearance of unwanted offspring, same-sex.
It is important to remember that this animal is very emotional and with any sharp sound or strong stress, the pig's heart can literally burst.
Decorative rabbit
Decorative rabbits have been very popular since the last century. It is a domesticated relative of the wild European rabbit.
Did you know? Eagle mice, living in the Middle East and Africa, have a unique ability for mammals to regenerate: in case of danger, they shed their skin, which then grows back together with hair.
Long ears, a cute face and a variety of colors depending on the breed will not leave anyone indifferent. The owners of these animals will literally melt with affection when interacting with rabbits, because the character of this animal is very friendly and almost never aggressive.
Best of all, rabbits live alone, but if there is a desire to have offspring, then it is better to keep the female and male separately from each other.
Oddly enough, rabbits are very loyal animals, but for this the owner needs to devote a lot of time to the animal and endlessly stroke and treat the pet. If desired, these animals can be trained, but this must be done in the form of a game.
Chinchilla
Chinchillas have become popular relatively recently. These incredible animals come from America, but, unfortunately, in many countries they are bred for commercial purposes - fur coats are sewn from their fur. But many people have this animal as a pet and often buy them a pair or more, because these rodents are incredibly cute, friendly and it is a pleasure to watch them play.
Chinchillas come in several colors: the most popular are gray and black, more rare - white and beige. The nature of this rodent depends on whether he was born in a family or on a farm, because a beast that communicates with people from childhood will be open and curious, while one that lived only among fellows will be quiet and secretive.
Important! Chinchillas do not like gripping against their will. If the animal wants to be petted, it will easily let you know about it, and if you forcefully try to restrain it, you can get a well-aimed stream of urine (with this the animal expresses its displeasure).
Chipmunk
Chipmunks are a rarity in pet stores in Russia and Ukraine, but if you want to, you can buy them on special farms. These babies are very similar to squirrels, but on their back there are five characteristic black stripes, thanks to which it is simply impossible to confuse a chipmunk with any other rodent.
We advise you to find out if it is worth keeping a chipmunk at home.
Chipmunks are very sociable, active pets, often they are not afraid of a person if he behaves quietly, carefully and without sudden movements. To tame a baby is quite simple: you need to constantly give him a treat and always from his hands, then he will remember that a person does not pose a threat to him, but, on the contrary, is a source of food.
You need to be prepared for the fact that chipmunks love to stock up, and therefore, even after having a hearty lunch, this sly guy will beg for more nuts and other goodies.
Decorative rat
Many people do not like rats, as they think that these animals carry dirt and dangerous infections. It is, but this does not apply to decorative (domestic) rats. These animals are extremely clean and tidy, they know where their home is, and can even carry out many commands. Rats are animals that are distinguished by intelligence and ingenuity. They know their nickname, they easily remember the command "come to me" or "no".
Learn how to care for and how long rats live at home.
There are many colors of these animals, but the most popular are albino rats (white with red eyes).
Important! A serious drawback of this pet is its rather short life span - 2-3 years.
Chilean squirrel
The Chilean degu squirrel is a representative of South American rodents. The appearance of this animal combines several of its counterparts: squirrel, chinchilla and jerboa. The color of the coat is usually dark or light brown, less often gray.
These proteins are very popular as pets because they are extremely friendly., quickly become attached to a person and become his real friends. With proper training, degus can be trained.
We recommend that you familiarize yourself with the features of caring for the Chilean degu squirrel.
It is better to start degus in pairs, because in the wild they live in families. The ideal option would be to buy two to five individuals.
Gerbil
The gerbil is a small rodent with a long, hairy tail. The color of this animal is very diverse: from light to dark brown tones. This animal is very active and curious, and caring for it will not be difficult.
Gerbils in the wild move quickly so as not to become prey to snakes, and therefore, if you want to release the baby, you need to prepare the room well (hide all objects that can be gnawed and close all the cracks).
Did you know? Many species of mice lack collarbones, so the animals can crawl into rather tight spaces.
The guinea pig
Guinea pigs
These animals are very kind and peaceful. Even children can take care of them. But it is worth knowing that they do not tolerate temperature changes very well. The homeland of guinea pigs is Peru. A special feature of animals is the structure of the paws: they have 4 fingers on their front legs, and 3 on their hind legs.
Special conditions for keeping at home are not required. Even a voluminous plywood box or aquarium is suitable for them. Pigs prefer plant foods, seeds of cereals, plants and greens, but fortified food is also important for them. Why guinea pigs can be found in our article here.
Features of caring for domestic rodents
Despite the fact that rodents are one of the most unpretentious animals, each animal has certain needs and features in care that must be taken into account.
Climatic conditions
People are used to thinking that room temperature is optimal for all animals, and they feel comfortable in it, but this is not entirely true. Most domestic rodents love warmth. Hamsters and mice will feel great in a room with a temperature of 24 ... 25 degrees. But guinea pigs need a stable 20 ... 22 degrees, otherwise they will often get sick.
Rabbits and chinchillas are relatively unpretentious, any temperature in the apartment is suitable for them, but drafts are extremely undesirable for these pets. Chipmunk, being a tropical rodent, loves warmth and also does not tolerate a draft.
Housing requirements
Rodents can be roughly divided into ground and those who jump on trees. Depending on this, you need to equip your pet with a house.
Hamsters, guinea pigs and gerbils do not require special conditions. A small metal cage will suit them, but it is desirable that there are a couple of floors in it (the animal should not sit in one place). You also need to buy a wooden house (or make it out of cardboard) and a wheel in which the fluffy can warm up.
Hamsters need a warm-up wheel Rabbits can live in small enclosures, but they should be given time to walk around the room. When locked up, this animal will quickly wither away.
Chinchillas and squirrels are skilled jumpers.They need tall cages with wooden shelves (shelves) at different heights on which they can jump back and forth. A high cage, with a house and a wheel, is also suitable for a chipmunk.
Important! Since all these animals are called rodents for a reason, it is important that the walls of the dwelling are not made of painted or chemically treated material, since the animal can simply be poisoned and die.
Chinchillas need cages with multiple floors
Food
Most rodents can do just fine with food that is sold in a pet store, because it is balanced and contains all the trace elements necessary for health and life. However, kids need to be pampered with something. For example, raw carrots and dry apples will not harm your pet, but cabbage should be discarded. Dried fruits are suitable for both large rodents and small ones (except raisins).
Various nuts (peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews) will also be an excellent treat (especially for squirrels and chipmunks). The main thing is that the nuts should be raw, in no case fried. Chocolate is contraindicated for all rodents, especially for those who hide food in their sinuses.
Decorative mouse
Decorative mouse
These mice quickly adapt to a new location. Mice can live in glass containers or in a metal cage. The main thing is to keep them from escaping. In their "home" there should be a running wheel, thanks to which the mouse will receive physical activity.
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You can put in the "house" either sawdust, only large, or wood filler, which is used for cats. The main "dishes" are oats, millet, wheat, barley, rye. You can also give millet, rolled oats and buckwheat.
Capybara
It is also called capybara. It is a herbivorous mammal, its name consists of 8 letters (capybara), often asked in crosswords and scanwords. Its body length is 1-1.35 m, its height is 50-60 cm. Males can weigh from 34 to 63 kg, females - even more, from 36 to 65.5 kg. Outwardly, the capybara is somewhat similar to a guinea pig, it has an elongated body and hard hair.
It can be seen in Central and South America. Lives near water, rarely moves more than 1 thousand meters from it. They are active during the day, but can also switch to a nocturnal lifestyle.
They can swim and dive, feed on aquatic plants, grass and hay, tubers. Capybaras are calm, friendly, often kept as pets.
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