Small wild rodents. Order Rodents (Rodentia). Behavior and reproduction

home In the article I will look at the different species and which rodent to choose as pet

, their maintenance and breeding. I’ll tell you about the features of caring for each type of animal on the list.

The most popular types of rodents for home keeping

Hamsters

The cost of the animal is from 200 rubles and above.

This is a cute nocturnal animal. It is quite difficult to tame it, but it is possible. To maintain it you will need strong rods with a house, a couple of ladders or tunnels and feeders.

The cost of the animal is from 300 to 500 rubles.

Or the Chilean squirrel weighs on average 300-500 g and reaches a length of 30 cm. The rodent itself is inexpensive, but its maintenance requires money and time. First of all, he needs a home. Since it is a squirrel, it needs an appropriate cage. The cost of a cage for squirrels is 3000-3500 rubles.

Degu is a school animal, so it does not get along well with other animals. Alone, the Chilean squirrel lives much shorter. It is comfortable to keep them in pairs.

The degu's coat is dense and coarse, so it should be brushed regularly. The animal can handle this on its own, but it needs a sand bath installed in the cage.

Grabbing or lifting a degu by the tail is strictly prohibited. If you squeeze its tail, the skin will come off and the animal will run away. The exposed portion of the tail bleeds and dies. Degus are very sensitive to heat and high humidity, cold and noise. Optimal temperature

for him 24-26 degrees. Strong odors also have an unfavorable effect on the condition of the animal. Also, a cage with an animal should not be placed next to such indoor plants

• How:
• Sanseviera;
• Indoor feces (Spathiphyllum);
• Feronia;
• Threader;

Flamingo flower.

The main quality of degus is their sociability. A walk is one way to establish contact with your baby.

Degus should be released into an apartment under exceptional supervision. He will chew on everything that gets in his way.

In this article we looked at several types of rodents and their breeds. We also learned how to care for each species. We noticed some features of the rocks.

Rodents are excellent builders, skilled swimmers and thrifty owners. Below you will find articles about representatives of the Rodents order, in which you can learn a lot of new and surprising things about these animals.

The common beaver is a hardworking builder. Description and photo of the common beaver

The common beaver is a large semi-aquatic animal, a representative of the order Rodents. The common beaver is also called the river beaver. The beast amazes with his skills: he is an experienced builder, an excellent owner and an exemplary family man. The common beaver is the second largest rodent in the world. In this article you will find a description and photo of the common beaver and learn a lot of new and interesting things about these rodents.

The capybara animal is the largest rodent. Description and photo of the capybara animal

The capybara, or as it is also called, the capybara, is a semi-aquatic animal that is a representative of the order of Rodents. This is a very unusual animal and many will be interested in meeting it. The capybara animal is the largest rodent. Below you will find a description and photo of the capybara animal, and also learn a lot of new things.

RODENTS RODENTS

(Rodentia), order of mammals. Known since the beginning of the Paleocene. They arose in the Cretaceous era, possibly from common ancestors with insectivores. Dl. bodies from 5 cm (mouse) to 130 cm (capybara), weight from 6 to 60 kg. The forelimbs are 5- or 4-toed, the hind limbs are 3-, 4-, 5-toed. Large hemispheres the brain is usually smooth, thermoregulation is imperfect. 2 pairs avg. The incisors are greatly enlarged, constantly growing and self-sharpening when worn. There are no fangs. There is a large diastema between the incisors and molars. The squad system has not been fully developed. Previously, lagomorphs, now classified as G., were classified as special squad. More than 40 families, including St. 30 modern, approx. 1600 species (according to other sources, approx. 2000). Distributed everywhere; in the USSR - 14-15 sem., Tue. Part 11 modern: flying squirrels, squirrels, beavers (units, genus - beavers), hamsters, mole rats, mice, dormouse, jerboa, etc., total approx. 150 species, which is more than half of the mammal species of the USSR fauna. Naib are diverse and numerous in open temperate and subtropical landscapes. belts, especially in arid zones. Many lead a semi-underground lifestyle, feeding on the surface. The digging activity of soil significantly influences soil formation, increasing the productivity of vegetation. Prem. herbivores, some omnivores, insectivores and piscivores. The lifespan of small G. is 1.5-2 years, large (marmots, beavers) - 4-7 years. Puberty in small G. occurs at 2-3 months, in large ones - in the 2nd year of life. The number of small animals (mice, voles), which give birth to 8-15 young up to 6-8 times a year, can increase 100 times or more in hot years, which causes damage to the countryside. x-wu. Mn. G. (for example, marmots, gophers) are carriers of pathogens of a number of diseases dangerous to humans. Squirrel, muskrat and nugria are valuable objects of the fur trade. Mn. mouse-like animals are the main source of food for commercial fur-bearing animals. 2 species and 5 subspecies in the Red Books of the IUCN and the USSR.

Rodents. Sem. squirrel: 1 - common squirrel (Sciurus vulgaris); 2 - thin-toed ground squirrel (Spermophilopsis leptodactylus); 3 - chipmunk (Tamias sibiricus); 4 - speckled gopher (Citellus suslicus); 5 - Mexican prairie dog (Cynomys mexicanus); 6 - Menzbier's marmot (Marmota menzbieri). Sem. flying squirrels: 7 - flying squirrel (Pteromys volans). Sem. gopheraceae: S - lowland gopher (Geomys bursarius). Sem. beavers: 9 - beaver (Castor fiber). Sem. long-legged: 10 - long-legged (Pedetes cafer). Sem. hamsters: 11 - common hamster (Cricetus cricetus); 12 - Djungarian hamster (Phodopus sungorus); 13 - common zokor (Myos-palax myospalax); 14 - common vole (Microtus arvalis); 15 - hoofed lemming (Dicrostonyx torquatus); 16 - Siberian lemming (Lemrnus sibiricus); 17 - water vole (Arvicola terrestris); 18 - common mole vole (Ellobius talpinus); 19 - great gerbil(Rhombomys opimus). Sem. mole rats: 20 - common mole rat (Spalax microphtalmus). Sem. mouse: 21 - little mouse (Micromys minutus); 22 - pasyuk (Rattus norvegicus). Sem. dormouse: 23 - garden dormouse (Eliomys quercinus). Sem. Seleviniaceae: 24 - Selevinia bet-pakdalensis. Sem. mouse-like: 25 - wood mouse (Sicista betulina). Sem. jerboa: 26 - fat-tailed jerboa (Pygerethmus platyurus); 27 - large jerboa (Allactaga major). Sem. porcupines: 28 - Indian porcupine (Hystrix indica). Sem. Amer. porcupines: 29 - prehensile-tailed porcupine (Coendou prehensillis). Sem. piggy: 30 - guinea pig(Cavia porcellus); 31 - Patagonian mara (Dolichotis patagona). Sem. capybara: 32 - capybara (Hydrochoerus hydrochaeris). Sem. chinchilla: 33 - chinchilla (Chinchilla laniger); 34 - whiskey (Lagostomus maximus). Sem. nutria: 35 - nutria (Myocastor coypus).

.(Source: “Biological Encyclopedic Dictionary.” Editor-in-chief M. S. Gilyarov; Editorial Board: A. A. Babaev, G. G. Vinberg, G. A. Zavarzin and others - 2nd ed., corrected . - M.: Sov.

One of the largest orders of mammals. Includes 33-40 families, 380-400 genera, approx. 2500 species (about half of the total number of mammal species). Dl. bodies from 5 cm (mouse) to 130 cm ( capybaras, the largest representatives of the order).
The name of the order is associated with a feature characteristic of all rodents - the strong development of the front teeth - incisors, which are used for feeding, digging holes, defense and attack. These teeth are constantly growing and have a special structure, thanks to which they are sharpened throughout their lives. Representatives of the order are diverse in body structure, size of limbs, ears, tail, as well as in lifestyle, nutrition, social organization and reproduction. The hairline is well developed; in some species the hair is turned into needles.
Rodents include: beavers, chipmunks, mice, rats, lemmings, flying squirrels, guinea pigs, nutria, muskrats, voles, marmots, ground squirrels, jerboas, porcupines, naked mole rat, chinchilla etc. They inhabit all continents, except Antarctica, and inhabit all habitats. As a rule, they are very prolific. They play a huge role in the life of nature and humans. They are the most important food source for many predators. Among the rodents there are fur-bearing and hunting species, agricultural pests and vectors the most dangerous diseases, domestic and laboratory animals. OK. 50 species of rodents are included in the Red Books of the IUCN and Russia.

.(Source: “Biology. Modern illustrated encyclopedia.” Chief editor A. P. Gorkin; M.: Rosman, 2006.)

See what "RODENTS" are in other dictionaries:

Rodents Siberian chipmunk (Tamias sibi ... Wikipedia

The most numerous order of mammals with about 1.6 thousand species (over 1/3 of all mammals). 33 families: flying squirrels, squirrels, porcupines, dormouse, jerboas, mole rats, mice, etc. The teeth are adapted to feeding on solid plant foods. Incisors... ... encyclopedic Dictionary

RODENTS

Rodents- Rodents. Rodents: 1 chipmunk; 2 forest dormouse; 3 thin-toed ground squirrel; 4 squirrels; 5 red rat (pasyuk); 6 black rat; 7 common hamster; 8 house mouse; 9 small jerboa; 10 … … Veterinary encyclopedic dictionary

Rodents- Rodents. Hamster. RODENTS, order of mammals. About 1.6 thousand species (over 1/3 of all mammals), including flying squirrels, squirrels, porcupines, dormice, jerboas, hamsters, mice, etc. The teeth are adapted to feeding on solid plant foods. Strongly… … Illustrated Encyclopedic Dictionary

RODENTS, order of mammals. About 1.6 thousand species (over 1/3 of all mammals), including flying squirrels, squirrels, porcupines, dormice, jerboas, hamsters, mice, etc. The teeth are adapted to feeding on solid plant foods. The incisors are highly developed... Modern encyclopedia

The most numerous order of mammals is ca. 1.6 thousand species (over 1/3 of all mammals). 33 families: flying squirrels, squirrels, porcupines, dormouse, jerboas, mole rats, mice, etc. The teeth are adapted to feeding on solid plant foods. The incisors are very... Big Encyclopedic Dictionary

- (Rodentia s. Glires) constitute a special order (order) of the class of mammals, containing more than a third of the total number of species of this class. Most characteristic feature G. makes them up dental system.They never have fangs, in the upper and lower... ... Encyclopedia of Brockhaus and Efron

RODENTS- (Rodentia), order of mammals, b. including small or medium sizes; herbivorous. Of the teeth, the incisors are especially strongly developed; they wear away when gnawing food, but have unlimited growth; there are no fangs at all; molars with folded... ... Great Medical Encyclopedia

Rodents- Rodents, the most numerous order of animals among mammals, with about 1,600 species. They are divided into 32 families, including squirrels, mice, dormouse, jerboas, mole rats, etc. Distributed throughout to the globe, some … … Encyclopedia "Animals in the House"

Nobody knows when people first became acquainted with rats; this animal always lives next to us.

The rat belongs to mammals, to the order - rodents, suborder - mouse-like. The most common animal on the planet is the rat.

Appearance of the rat, description and characteristics

Rat body oval shape stocky. The body of the animal is from 8 cm to 30 cm, weighing up to 500 g, there are small ones weighing 37 grams.

The eyes and ears are small, the muzzle is sharp and elongated. Is the tail longer than the size of the rat's body, hairless or covered with fine hair? invisible to the human eye (a type of black rat has a tail with a thick coat of fur). There is a species of short-tailed rodents in the world.

A rat's teeth are arranged tightly together in rows and are designed for chewing food. These animals are omnivores; they differ from other predators in the absence of fangs and diastema - this is an area on the gums where there are no teeth.

There are no dental roots, so growth occurs continuously throughout the rat's life. For convenience, they need to constantly grind down their teeth, otherwise she will not be able to close her mouth.

The teeth are strong with hard yellow enamel, which makes it possible to easily chew through concrete, cement and hard various metals.

The rodent's body is covered with a thick, dense coat of guard hairs. The color range is varied, gray with different shades of dark or light, red, orange and even yellow.

These amazing animals have movable toes on their paws, so they easily climb trees and prepare nests in hollows for habitat.

Rats are very active and agile animals, running 17 km a day and jumping up to 1 meter in height. They swim well, are not afraid of water and can catch fish.

Rats often turn their heads in different directions because they have a small visual angle, the world see in shades of grey.

Hearing functions perfectly, rats distinguish sounds with a frequency of up to 40 kHz (humans up to 20 kHz).

Life expectancy is from 1 year to 3 years. In laboratory conditions, rats can live 2 times longer.

Difference between rats and mice

Rats and mice are representatives of the same suborder, but they differ significantly in appearance and behavior.

The body of a mouse is small, up to 20 cm, weighing up to 50 grams, rats are twice as large, they are dense and muscular, weighing up to 900 grams.

Pronounced distinctive shapes of the head and eyes, in mice it is triangular and slightly flattened with large eyes, in rats the muzzle is elongated with small eyes.

A strong body and powerful toes allow rats to jump high up to 1 meter; mice cannot do such tricks.

Mice are cowardly animals and are afraid to appear in front of people, but this does not bother rats; they can defend themselves. There are many cases where they attacked a person.

Rats are omnivores, eating meat and plant foods. On the contrary, mice have a greater preference for cereals and seeds.

Habitat of rats and lifestyle

Large rats live all over the world except Antarctica and the polar regions. They live in groups, very rarely living alone.

Most often, groups consist of hundreds of individuals with one male at the head and two to three females. The territory of residence for each group is its own, extending up to 2 thousand square meters.

The diet depends on the habitat. Omnivorous rats eat approximately 25 grams of food per day, but without water it is difficult for them daily norm moisture up to 35 ml.

Gray rats mainly feed on protein foods of animal origin, small rodents, toads, and chicks.

Black rats prefer food plant origin: green plants, nuts, fruits, cereals.

Rats are wary of pigs, hedgehogs, ferrets, dogs and cats - these are the main land enemies. Among the birds, the most feared and avoided rodents are the hawk, owl, eagle and kite.

Reproduction and lifespan of rats

Rats do not have a mating season; they can breed year-round. But the peak of sexual activity comes in spring and summer. The female mates with different males, pregnancy in rats lasts up to 24 days, and the lactating female carries the cubs for up to 34 days.

Rats prepare nests in advance and cover the bottom with soft grass, cloth, and paper for the birth of offspring. The cubs emerge naked and blind. When dead rat pups are born, the mother devours them; the number at birth can be up to 20.

The male can eat all the offspring if there are non-viable rat pups; he does not take part in caring for them. The female, on the contrary, provides meticulous care, feeds milk, licks the babies and removes debris from the nest.

After 17 days, the little rats open their eyes, and a month later they lead a full life on their own. Puberty begins after 3-4 months, and they can reproduce 6 months after birth. Life expectancy is up to two years.

Gray rats breed up to 8 times a year, but black rats breed only in the warm season. Today, experts estimate that there are 2 rats per person in the world.

Why are rats dangerous?

Rats are a disaster for all humanity. They gnaw through walls in the basements of houses, sewer pipes, damage electrical mains, and damage crops.

Rats are carriers of more than 20 infectious diseases, such as leptospirosis, plague, salmonellosis, pseudotuberculosis and others. Many are dangerously fatal to human life.

It is difficult to exterminate rats using chemicals because the animal’s body quickly adapts to the poison and develops protective immunity to toxins.

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.

Type of rat, name and photo

There are about 70 species of rats in the world, most of of which are little studied, below are common species of rodents with brief description and a photo of a rat.

The gray rat (pasyuk) is one of the larger species, up to 25 cm long, the tail is not taken into account. Weight from 140 grams to 390 grams, with a wide, elongated muzzle. The gray coat of young animals becomes orange with age. It lives near water, in dense vegetation and digs holes up to 5 meters.

The black rat is smaller in size than the gray rat, with a much smaller muzzle and rounded ears. Body length up to 22 cm, weight about 300 grams. A significant difference between this species of rodent is the tail, which is densely covered with hair and 4-5 times longer than the size of the body.

Lives in Asia, Africa and Europe. For a long time can live without water, so it lives in dry places. The wool is black with a green tint.

The small rat differs from its fellows in size. Body length up to 15 cm maximum with body weight up to 80 grams. It has a brown coat color, a sharp muzzle and inconspicuous small ears. The tail is as long as the body without any signs of fur. Lives in Southeast Asia.

The long-haired rat is distinguished by its long fur and high activity. Males grow up to 18 cm, and females up to 16 cm in length. The tail is 4-5 cm smaller in size from the body. Habitat in arid deserts.

The Turkestan rat lives in China, Nepal, Afghanistan, and Uzbekistan. The fur is red, the belly is pale yellow, the body length is up to 23 cm. This variety is similar to the gray one, but has a denser body and a wide head in size.

Black-tailed rat or rabbit. It has average dimensions up to 22 cm, weight about 190 grams.

An interesting feature of this type of tail is a tuft of hair at the tip.

The back is painted gray and Brown color with noticeable black hairs.

They live in Australia and New Guinea mainly in eucalyptus forests, dense grass and shrubs. They lead an active lifestyle at night and hide in burrows during the day.

Interesting and educational facts about the life of rats

In India there is a Karni Mata temple where rats are revered, cared for and protected. If the rules for caring for a sacred animal and killing it are violated, this person is obliged to bring a golden figurine in the form of a rat to the temple.

In some American states Hitting a rat with a baseball bat is prohibited and will result in a $1,000 fine.

In Asian and African countries, rats are considered a worthy delicacy for a festive dinner. Rat meat is considered a delicacy.

A gray rat eats up to 12 kg of various cereal products per year. Experts have calculated that every year about 6 kg of one farmer’s harvest is spent on feeding one rat.

Squad Rodents

The squad unites different types squirrels, beavers, mice, voles, rats and many others. They are distinguished by a number of features. One of them is the peculiar structure of the teeth, adapted to feeding on solid plant foods (branches of trees and shrubs, seeds, herbaceous plants). All rodents, unlike lagomorphs, have one pair of incisors in the upper jaw. They are rootless and grow continuously throughout the animal's life. In addition, they grind unevenly and have the appearance of a chisel, since their front side is covered with harder and denser enamel than the back. Molars have a wide surface and are adapted for grinding plant foods.

Most rodents are highly fertile: they bear numerous offspring several times throughout the year.

Rodents are widespread on our planet and very diverse; there are about 2 thousand species of these animals.

Common squirrel

Common squirrel- a small animal with a somewhat elongated body and a long fluffy tail. She lives mainly in old conifers and mixed forests, in trees, can climb a trunk, deftly jump from branch to branch, from one tree to another. Movement through trees is facilitated by such structural features as strong hind legs, sharp claws on the toes, long fluffy tail, which acts as a parachute during a jump. In summer the squirrel is red, and in winter it is light gray, the color change has protective value. Summer color makes it unnoticeable on trunks coniferous trees, and the winter one hides the animal against the background of snow.

The squirrel lives in hollows or roosts in trees, at a height of 2 to 6 m, spherical sockets made of twigs, moss with a side entrance. In summer, squirrels are born in them (from 3 to 10), which after two months become independent.

In summer, the squirrel feeds on seeds of coniferous trees, mushrooms, insects, and can attack small birds and their chicks. For the winter, the squirrel collects large supplies of food, as it does not hibernate. In severe frosts, she climbs into a hollow or nest and sleeps there all day long, curled up in a ball.

The squirrel is of great commercial importance; the winter fur of the Siberian squirrel is especially valued.

Beaver- one of the largest rodents (body length reaches 80 cm). It is adapted to life not only on land, but also in aquatic environment. On land it seems clumsy, but in water it moves superbly thanks to its streamlined body shape. When immersed in water, the beaver's auditory openings and nostrils close, and the lips close behind the incisors. The tail is wide and flat, covered with scales, and acts as a rudder when moving in water. Swimming is also aided by the hind limbs, the toes of which are connected by a swimming membrane. Fur with a thick undercoat that does not allow water to pass through.

Beavers live along the banks of rivers and lakes with thickets of aspen, willow, and birch. They dig holes on steep banks with an exit under water, and on low, marshy banks they build huts from thick branches, twigs and earth, which are well cemented with silt, durable and also have an exit under water. To maintain the water level in the river, dams are built from sticks and branches held together with silt and earth. In summer, beavers feed on succulent parts of aquatic plants; in autumn and winter they eat young bark and shoots of various deciduous trees. Beavers breed once in the warm season. The cubs are born sighted, covered with thick dark brown hair, swim well, but cannot dive. The beaver has many enemies; wolves, wolverines, lynxes and foxes are especially dangerous for it.

The beaver was once a valuable game animal; its beautiful fur has long been valued. Currently, beaver hunting is prohibited everywhere.

Wood mouse

Rodents also include the gray rat, mice, voles, etc. In the European part of our country, in Central Asia And Western Siberia lives a small animal - wood mouse By appearance it is similar to a field mouse, but somewhat larger, it has a different color: the back is red, the belly is white, and there is a yellow spot on the chest between the front legs.

The wood mouse lives in mixed and deciduous forests, in places with well-developed undergrowth and an abundance of dead wood. Active at night, during the day it is found in burrows under tree roots or in hollows.

It feeds mainly on seeds of deciduous trees, hazelnuts, berries and even insects, and eats tree seedlings. Wood mice are considered pests forestry, since they are destroyed in large quantities tree seeds, preventing their regeneration.

Bank vole

Lives in the forest and forest-steppe zones of our country bank vole.

It is also small, but unlike the mouse, it has a less blunt muzzle, a short tail, covered with short, sparse hair.

The color of the fur is dominated by red tones.

In winter, the vole lives in haystacks or in buildings, in summer - under the roots of uprooted stumps, hollows, and piles of brushwood. Here she makes nests with branched passages. The vole feeds mainly on green parts of plants, seeds, berries, and mushrooms. Many predatory animals and birds feed on it. During the years of mass reproduction, the vole destroys great amount seeds of forest trees, as well as stocks of vegetables in warehouses. Therefore, it is considered a pest of forestry and agriculture.

Gray rat

Most major representative mouse-like rodents - gray rat. It is widespread throughout our country and lives in a wide variety of conditions, in residential and outbuildings, in basements, and in barnyards. In summer it is often found in vegetable gardens, wastelands and fields. The rat is very dexterous, agile and fearless. At the same time, she is very careful and skillfully avoids various obstacles.

Gray rats are omnivorous rodents, as they feed on small animals, such as voles, small birds, and eat human food supplies, carrion, grain, etc. They are agricultural pests and carriers of many diseases.

Jerboas

Very peculiar rodents live in the steppes, semi-deserts and deserts - jerboas. They have short front legs and very long hind legs, and a tail with a flat tuft of hair at the end. Jerboas move by jumping, with the tail serving as both a rudder and a support (see textbook illustration, p. 231).

Jerboas lead night look life, live in burrows, and hibernate during the winter. They feed on seeds, leaves, stems of cereals, tubers and bulbs of wild plants. In turn, they are prey for desert predatory animals, birds, and reptiles.

Porcupine

Porcupine- the largest rodent, body length from 60 to 90 cm, and weight about 27 kg. He has small eyes and ears. The front part of the body is covered with bristles, and the back with needles. The tail is covered with short spines (see textbook illustration, p. 231).

The porcupine is distributed in the south of Central Asia and Azerbaijan, living in desert foothills and hilly areas. Spends the day in a hole or cave, and at night leads an active lifestyle. It feeds on plants: green parts, roots, bulbs and tubers, fruits and seeds of trees and shrubs. In some places it causes damage to agriculture, eating potatoes, corn and melons.

Rodents in the house I first got a hazel dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius) while still living in a private apartment. Then I had too little experience in handling these animals, and I placed her together with the forest dormouse (Dryomys nitedula) that lived with me. All night I watched them