A rat with a fluffy tail. Squad of rodents. housing requirements

30.10.2019

Saw a mink on personal plot- it means that pest rodents have come to visit you. There are many digging species of animals, and all of them are dangerous for the economy in their own way. Depending on belonging to a particular species, it is necessary to build a method for combating rodents. The description and photo will help to identify them.

Signs of rodents. What you need to know about them

Rodents are hares, rats, mice, etc. There are more than 1700 species of them. All wild species also belong to the category of rodents, pests, but not all of them can be found on the site. Those that you find in the country will be medium-sized (8-35 cm). All rodents are capable of causing serious damage to the crop on your site. If they start up in the garden, it is easy to determine this by the following signs:

damaged (gnawed) bark on the trunk and shoots, branches, buds, roots;
a network of holes in the ground, eating underground elements of bulbous plants;
destruction of the crop in the process of ripening and its stocks during storage.

Attention! Pests of the garden are also considered shrews with moles, which are not included in the category of rodents. They are insectivorous and cause damage to garden crops by digging up the root system. On the other hand, along the paths of these pests, mice massively penetrate the site, which attack the crop.

Pest mice: classification

Mice do not like people and rarely settle in houses, but willingly come for food to inhabited and well-groomed areas. Varieties of rodent pests:

Forest mouse. It has a body 9-11 cm long and a short tail, up to 10 cm. Natural habitat: forests, gardens, fields, meadows. For life digs a deep hole. Moves by jumping. The diet of the rodent includes greens of garden crops, seeds, insects.
Yellow-throated mouse. Body length 10-12 cm with quite long tail, up to 13 cm. In the region of the abdomen of the rodent there is a characteristic yellow spot. This mouse also does not run, but jumps, climbs well. It lives in a nest, which it builds in hollows or burrows. It feeds in the same way as the forest.
Harvest mouse. Short body (average 10 cm), short tail (up to 9 cm), black line on a gray back. In winter, it lives in warehouses and barns, in nature it settles in fields, forests and gardens. The rodent is characterized by average fertility (4 litters of 6-8 mice per year). It feeds on earthworms and productive horticultural crops.
House mouse. Body length - 8-11 cm, tail - no more than 9 cm. Very prolific (up to 7-8 litters of 8 cubs per year). A group of mice lives in large families that unanimously attack people's plots and dwellings. They live in fields, in gardens, in autumn they move to residential buildings. Rodents pests feed on plants and invertebrates.

Voles: varieties and harm

The vole has similar characteristics to other mice. Its feature is a dark stripe on the back, slight differences in the muzzle, and a shorter tail. Classification of the type of rodent pests with names:

Vole ordinary. The body is about 9-12 cm long and has a very short tail (4 cm). The fur is grey. The rodent multiplies intensively. Young mice reach sexual maturity very quickly. On the basis of family ties, colonies arise, for which individuals build an extensive network of tunnels with pantries and other compartments. The rodent feeds exclusively on plants and grain.

Field vole. The length of the calf is about 11 cm, the tail is about 4 cm. It has looser and longer fur than common vole. Color - brown. Rodent minks should be looked for in dense grass. He loves plants and can covet the succulent bark of young trees.
Red vole. Length - up to 11 cm, tail - up to 6 cm. It has a characteristic red coat. It can live both underground and in some kind of shelter on the surface. The rodent is not very fertile as for mice. Eats bark, plants and grains, insects and invertebrates.

Other rodents garden pests

From the category of rodents, pests are especially dangerous rats. Many of them can attack domestic animals, damage property, carry diseases and be aggressive towards humans. For example, a gray rat (pasyuk) reaches 27 cm in length and has a tail up to 23 cm. The coat can be gray and black. This rodent builds passages in almost any terrain.

Attention! The offspring of one female gray rat is 6-9 individuals 2-3 times a year.

The black rat is slightly smaller and less prolific. The color of the fur contains brown colors. The rodent can build a dwelling even on a tree, because it climbs well. Less dangerous than gray, because it prefers plant foods.

Rats are sometimes referred to as water vole. An adult reaches 20 cm. The tail lengthens the body by another 6-13 cm. The color of the rodent is brown-gray, sometimes black. It swims well (including under water), so it often settles near water bodies. Dimensions allow the rodent to eat not only garden greens and seeds, but also roots with root crops. Water rat builds its branched network of passages under the surface of the earth. Offspring - about 14 cubs 2-3 times a year.

Methods of struggle against mice and rats differ from each other. Therefore, by correctly identifying the type of rodent pests, you will find the best way to solve the problem.

Rodents on the site: video

The first representatives of the order Rodents appeared in the Cretaceous era. And they became known to science from the beginning of the Paleocene. Paleontologists believe that the ancestors of rodents were insectivores.

Squad Rodents: general characteristics

Among the animals of this order there are representatives of completely different weight categories. The body length of the mouse is 5 cm. The capybara can reach 130 cm in length, and its body weight varies from 6 to 60 kg. Because of great variety species, the external structure of the body of rodents may differ. For example, the limbs may have a different appearance. Rodents have 5- or 4-toed forelimbs and 3-, 4-, 5-toed hind limbs. The hairline is very diverse - from thick and soft to sparse, bristle-like or even forming needles. Coloring is also varied. There are no sweat glands on the body, only the presence of sebaceous glands is characteristic. The location of the sweat glands are the soles. The number of nipples varies from 2 to 12 pairs.

Representatives of numerous families also differ in type of nutrition. It is possible to distinguish herbivorous, omnivorous, insectivorous and fish-eating rodents.

Structural features

Features are smooth large hemispheres brain; imperfection of thermoregulation; the presence of two pairs of strongly enlarged middle incisors that grow throughout life and do not have roots. In shape, these teeth are chisel-like and very sharp, with incisors inside covered with soft dentin, while the front part is covered with hard enamel on top. This feature of the structure allows the cutters to self-sharpen if necessary. Canine teeth are absent in rodents, and there is a diastema (empty space) between the incisors and molars. In total, the number of teeth in different species varies from 12 to 20.

Depending on the lifestyle and type of nutrition, molars may differ in the structure of the tooth surface. It can be tuberculate or comb-shaped. Lips perform a protective function, protecting the mouth from various kinds of unnecessary particles. The structure located behind the cheeks and closing the jaw, allows, if necessary, to protrude the front jaw. It was the differences in the configuration of these muscles that served as a sign by which rodents are classified. The stomach can be simple or multi-chambered. All but dormouse are characterized by the presence of a caecum, but there is no spiral fold in it.

Classification of the order Rodents

The order Rodents has not been definitively classified. Until recently, the lagomorphs, now singled out as a separate detachment, also belonged to it.

To date, more than 40 families are known, 30 of which include modern representatives of this order. Species diversity It is represented very widely, in the order Rodents, according to various sources, there are from 1600 to 2000 species.

The ubiquitous distribution of various rodent species allows us to speak of the numerical dominance of their representatives among mammals. 150 species from 11 modern families, including Flying, Squirrel, Beaver, Hamster, Slepyshovye, Mouse, Dormouse, Jerboa, etc., inhabit open landscapes of temperate and subtropical zones, especially arid zones. Many species are characterized by a semi-underground lifestyle, when only food is provided on the surface.

Wild and domestic rodents, nocturnal and diurnal, small and large - a great many of their representatives are settled all over the world.

The meaning of rodents

Rodents are known to take Active participation in soil formation. Their burrowing activity has a positive effect on plant productivity.

Life expectancy depends on size: small rodent animals live from 1.5 to 2 years, and large ones - from 4 to 7 years. The onset of puberty in small species occurs in 2-3 months, and in large species - in 1-1.5 years. The number of rodents of the smallest size, which are able to give birth to 6-8 times 8-15 cubs per year, can increase hundreds of times in some of the years. Then rodents cause enormous harm to agriculture. Among the animals of the detachment there are dangerous ones, those that are carriers and pathogens serious illnesses. These are, for example, ground squirrels and marmots. Squirrels, muskrats and nutrias have valuable fur, in this regard, they became an important object of the fur trade. Two species and 5 subspecies of rodents are listed in the Red Book.

Typical representatives of the detachment

The families that make up the order Rodents, the list of which is presented below, include the most diverse animals in appearance and lifestyle.

Sem. Squirrels: common squirrel, ground squirrel, chipmunk, mexican marmot.
Sem. Flying: flying squirrel.
Sem. Gopher: plain gopher.
Sem. Beavers: beaver.
Sem. Long-legged: long-legged.
Sem. Hamsters: Djungarian hamster, common zokor, vole, hoofed lemming, Siberian lemming, great gerbil.
Sem. Slepyshovye:
Sem. pasyuk.
Sem. Dormouse: garden dormouse.
Sem. Selevinia: Selevinia.
Sem. Mouser: forest mouse.
Sem. Jerboas: fat-tailed jerboa, large jerboa.
Sem. Porcupines: Indian porcupine.
Sem. American porcupines: prehensile-tailed porcupine.
Sem. Mumps: guinea pig, Patagonian mara.
Sem. Capybara: capybara.
Sem. Chinchillas: chinchilla, viscacha.
Sem. Nutria: nutria.

The evolutionary path of rodents

Fossilized remains of ancient rodents, most of which were found on the territory North America and Eurasia, were very small and outwardly resembled modern mice. Only a few species were slightly more developed than most and reached the size of a beaver.

The first feature that appeared that began to distinguish rodents from other similar animals was the structure of the jaws, or rather, the appearance of characteristic incisors. These animals were quite unpretentious and gradually adapted to different conditions habitats, while the features of the structure, depending on the way of life, began to stand out more and more clearly.

Ancient small rodents moved by running, and then there were species that learned to jump. In parallel, a group of underground rodents became isolated, the structure of the skull, paws and claws of which began to have characteristic features.

One of the most common rodents today - mice and rats - appeared much later. Representatives of the ancient species of these animals were present in the European layers of the Pliocene.

The resettlement of the representatives of the detachment is mainly associated with humans, because the rodents were "stowaways" on ships on sea voyages, and later traveled with camel caravans in the desert, and trains along railways. They live next to man to this day. Feel very comfortable at home and on livestock farms, in grain warehouses and in pantries with provisions.

Rodents: names of genera of the main pests

Rats are members of the genus rattus, with 63 species. These animals are scattered throughout the globe. But 2 types of rats are particularly damaging to humanity, damaging crops, destroying food and being carriers of disease. It's about about black and which is often called pasyuk. And those and others - prominent representatives parasites of man. In terms of lifestyle, some differences between representatives of these species can be identified. Black is a more "capricious" rat. The rodent loves warmth and lives, as a rule, in human habitation, while the pasyuk feels quite comfortable outside of housing, plowing the expanses of villages and villages. The black rat gained its ubiquity by traveling on ships. In Britain, it was these rodents that became carriers of the plague that claimed millions human lives. China is considered the birthplace of Pasyuk, from which in the first half of the 18th century. the rodent came to Europe, pushing back the black rat. Both species are very dangerous rodents. They can be carriers of plague, typhoid, leptospirosis, toxoplasmosis.

Mice are relatively small rodents. Species with this name are found in several families at once. The most typical representatives of the moderate climate zone- baby mouse and wood mouse; African continent- grass mouse and striped Australia - Asian tree mouse and spiny rice hamster. But the most famous is still the house mouse, despite its small size, which poses a serious threat to human health. Other mice affect economic situation countries, damaging crops and food stocks. This problem is especially acute in the tropics. Almost all mice are omnivores, but they prefer plant foods and only occasionally eat insects. Mice are among the most small mammals. A prime example is a dwarf hamster, whose weight is not more than 10 g.

Voles are close relatives of hamsters, rats and mice. Voles and lemmings are part of a characteristic subfamily whose representatives inhabit the cold regions of the Northern Hemisphere. In external structure there is characteristics: short tail and rounded nose. The largest animal of the 99 species of this genus is the American musk rat, which is also called the muskrat. These mammalian rodents have adapted to life in the water, acquiring special characteristics in the course of evolution. morphological features. Being mostly herbivorous, voles become a threat to Agriculture and food industry. These rodents feed on many mammals and predator birds indicating their ecological importance.

Rodents have spread so widely on the planet that they have invaded all continents with the exception of Antarctica.
Most big rodent lived in the area South America 4 million years ago. The weight of individuals could reach 1 ton. To date, the largest representative of the detachment is the capybara.
One Malayan porcupine was in the Guinness Book of Records, having lived 27 years and 4 months.
Japanese geneticists have developed a species of mutant rodent. Distinctive feature laboratory mutant is that he is able to chirp like a sparrow.
The image of a chipmunk is on the emblems of two cities of the Sverdlovsk region - Volchansk and Krasnoturinsk.
AT Chinese calendar there is and in Zoroastrian - the year of the Beaver and the year of the Squirrel.
The most popular rodents are the team of cartoon rescuers from the work of Walt Disney: chipmunks Chip and Dale, Rocky the rat and Gadget the mouse. Also widely known are rodents with funny voices from the comedy film Alvin and the Chipmunks.
Professor Jenny Morton of the University of Cambridge has done research on the effects of methamphetamine on mammals. The experiments were carried out on mice. It was accidentally found that loud music enhanced the toxic properties of the drug. Of the group of 40 individuals who listened to Bach, only 4 died during or immediately after the experiment. But out of 40 mice that listened to the music of The Prodigy, 7 died immediately on the spot. The point, of course, is not at all that individuals aesthetically distinguish what they heard, but in the action of rhythmic pulsating noise, which provoked an increase in the toxic effect.
Smart rats are alcoholics. This feature really sets this species apart. Rodents that are more successful in navigating the maze cannot resist a shot. Such an unusual conclusion was made by professors at Concordia University of Montreal. Those individuals who were well oriented in the maze quickly realized the connection between alcohol and the feeling of euphoria that it causes. This is indicated by the fact that they, smelling the smell of alcohol, began to lap it. But the less intelligent rats did not catch this connection and did not even approach the glass, frightened bad smell alcohol.
With the help of a virus that originated from HIV, scientists at the California Institute of Technology conducted interesting experiments, transferring certain genes with certain properties to animals from other creatures. In particular, such an impressive experiment was carried out: a jellyfish gene was introduced into a single-celled mouse embryo, which causes its glow. Surprisingly, but mice with a foreign gene were born with glowing green fluorescent light organs. Luminosity developed into a stable property of these mice, and further offspring also had this feature.

Domestic rodents

Children often dream of having a pet. But only a few have the patience, strength and time to care. The most unpretentious in this regard can be called domestic rodents. Care for these funny animals is minimal. Not required for content special conditions and their prices are quite affordable.

As the first pet for small child you need to choose just rodents. After all, the baby can feed the funny little animal himself, and take part in cleaning the cage.

Pet stores offer a great variety of pets such as rodents. The list of the most common ones is given below.

A huge number of hamsters, rats, mice, guinea pigs, gerbils, chinchillas, decorative rabbits, chipmunks, ferrets and even squirrels are sold in stores. The most “comfortable” are, of course, hamsters, which are distinguished by a calm and complaisant character. In addition, they are very easy to tame. Squirrels, chinchillas, rabbits and ferrets need more space and are more difficult to care for.

Rats in New York

Despite the fact that mammals are the most evolutionarily developed class, rodents (like rats) are a by-product of civilization. They developed together with us, and the larger the human settlement, the more beautiful rodents feel among people. Perhaps that is why the rats have chosen New York as the world capital.

According to approximate data, in this city the number of rats is eight times greater than the number of people. Whatever ways the city authorities came up with to deal with rodents, these mammalian rodents still found a way to survive.

Unwanted neighbors grow larger, stronger, and more prolific over the years. It is also amusing that urban rats are much more cunning than rural ones. They have learned to understand many things. For example, if one of the individuals died after swallowing the bait, her relatives would never eat it. They have studied underground communications and are able to move around the city along certain routes.

Rats have lived side by side with humans for centuries, multiplying at lightning speed. A rat at the age of 8 weeks is still asexual. And a year later, she is able to produce 50 offspring annually. They, like circus performers, can slip through a narrow hole, climb perfectly on a vertical surface and swim. They have an excellent sense of smell and touch, are able to make jumps several meters long and move in social formations.

It has recently been found that many cats have stopped attacking rats. Now they peacefully coexist with them, eating together and coexisting side by side. The reason for this is the equation of forces, which in the process of evolution in rats have increased significantly.

Even New Yorkers themselves have stopped paying attention to rats, they now complement the city's look. Rodents have ceased to hide, they imposingly walk along the edges of the sidewalks, generously leaving their central part to people.

Yes, rat bites are no longer carried mortal danger but still harmful to health. Children are very often victims of their bites. More than a hundred people bitten by rats are admitted to New York clinics every year.

The characterization of rodents only as pests is still not entirely correct. Indeed, among them there are malicious pests that deserve to be exterminated in every possible way. But there are also such species, without which there would be a catastrophic imbalance in the vital activity of many ecological systems. And many mouse-like rodents play the role of experimental animals in laboratories.

Thus, rodents, whose names are so diverse, and the number is so large, are very different in their meaning, bringing both catastrophic harm and enormous benefits to the life of man and the planet.

RODENTS (Rodentia), detachment of the class of mammals. Fossils are known from the Paleocene. Small and medium-sized animals; body length from 5 (mouse) to 130 (capybara) cm; weight from 6 g to 50 kg. Externally, rodents are very diverse; among them there are various life forms: underground (diggers, gophers, zokors, mole rats), arboreal (squirrels, flying squirrels), aquatic (beavers, nutrias, muskrats), adapted to fast running (jerboas, maras, agoutis). The hairline of rodents is represented by soft uniform fur (mole rats, zokors), fur well divided into guard hairs and underfur (beavers, nutrias), quills (porcupines) or is completely absent ( naked diggers). The forelimbs are 5-4-toed, the hind limbs are 5-3-toed. Common to the detachment is the structure of the dental system. All rodents have strongly developed incisors (1 pair in each jaw), which do not have roots and grow throughout the life of the animal; their cutting edge self-sharpenes when abraded (due to the different hardness of enamel and dentin). In some rodents ( gray voles) constant growth is also characteristic of molars. Canines are absent, resulting in a large gap (diastema) between the incisors and cheek teeth - premolars or molars. The brain is relatively large, the surface of the hemispheres is smooth.

Rodents are the largest (about 355 genera, more than 1600 species) and diverse order of mammals. It contains 30-35 modern families, 3 of which are the most numerous and include up to 2/3 modern species: squirrels (about 40 genera and 230 species), hamsters (6-8 subfamilies, up to 100 genera, about 500 species) and mice (up to 17 subfamilies, about 120 genera, more than 400 species). A number of families consist of a single genus of the same name with 1-2 species (beaver, long-legged, capybara, pacarnidae).

Rodents are distributed everywhere, except for Antarctica; inhabit all natural areas - from the tundra to the desert, from lowland swamps up to the highlands. The sharp incisors of rodents are used not only for chewing solid food, but also for digging. Most rodents are active around the clock; there are species that are active only at night or only during daylight hours. A number of species fall into hibernation of varying duration, accompanied by a decrease in the level of metabolism and body temperature (marmots, ground squirrels, dormice, etc.). Rodent shelters are very diverse: deep, complex burrows (viscaches, diggers, tukotukovy), nests above ground, ground or in soil voids (black rat, house mice, mice), huts with an underwater entrance from branches (beavers) or grass (muskrat) , hanging nests made of grass (baby mouse) or on trees (squirrels). Rodents feed vegetable feed(seeds, fruits, succulent green parts of plants, bark and wood), many include small vertebrates and invertebrates in the diet, some are exclusively insectivorous (grasshopper hamsters), fish-eating (fish-eating hamsters) or predatory (a number of species of large rats). They can lead a solitary or colonial lifestyle, including those with a division of functions, like social insects (naked mole rats).

In all natural areas rodents predominate in numbers among mammals. As a rule, rodents are characterized by high fertility: several litters per year (usually 2-4), up to 8-15 cubs in each. Many tend to be early puberty(on the 2-3rd month of life). The number of small rodents (mice, voles) can in some years increase by 100 or more times, often giving way to years of their almost complete extinction over large areas.

Great everywhere ecological role rodents. For example, in the tundra, changes in the number of lemmings largely determine the dynamics of the entire ecosystem; in deserts, the burrowing activity of rodents supports the existence of many animals, promotes soil mixing, determines the regime of moisture and species composition vegetation; creating dams and swamping vast areas, beavers form a specific landscape.

Some rodents (including chinchilla, beaver, coypu, muskrat) are valuable objects of the fur trade. Many rodents (forest voles, lemmings, gray voles, etc.) serve as the main food for valuable fur-bearing predators (Arctic fox, sable, marten, etc.). Among rodents, there are species that cause great damage to crop production, agriculture and forestry, as well as food supplies (rats, mice, ground squirrels, hamsters). Many species of rodents are distributors infectious diseases human (including plague, tularemia, rickettsiosis, leptospirosis, leishmaniasis, tick-borne encephalitis, hemorrhagic fevers, etc.). Gray and black rats and house mice have spread all over the world together with humans, forming populations that are entirely dependent on human activity. Some rodents can cause significant damage to various technical devices and structures.

Among rodents, there are species with a small range, adapted to unique regional ecosystems (viscacha, Patagonian mara, pacarna). Many species of rodents have become rare or have steady trend to a decrease in numbers. About 700 species of rodents are listed in the IUCN Red Book, 7 species - in the Red Book Russian Federation. There are examples of successful population recovery (beavers).

Lit .: Sokolov V. E. Systematics of mammals. M., 1977. Part 2: Detachments: lagomorphs, rodents; Gromov I. M., Erbaeva M. A. Lagomorphs and rodents. SPb., 1995.

At least once in a lifetime, every person caught himself thinking about the need to start pet. However, the lack of space or time often causes the purchase of a cat or dog to be postponed indefinitely. For those who have little free time and a fear of mess, buying a pet rodent is a great way out.

Popular domestic rodents

Domestic rodents are very popular pets, especially with children. However, before buying an animal, you need to weigh all the pros and cons of each animal and choose the perfect little friend for yourself.

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 tones. It is customary to start hamsters one at a time, because this is how they live in wild nature, 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 get thanks to the goodies that must be given from hand to paw.

Guinea pigs are also quite common as a pet. Cute large rodent has many colors and most often several colors are combined in the form of shapeless spots on the fur coat of the animal.

Pigs are very sociable animals that are always glad to their owner and willingly show him their feelings. They say if something happened to the owner, - little friend knows how to sympathize. And to make a pet happy in return is quite simple: pigs do not tolerate loneliness, so it is better to buy a pair at once, and in order to avoid the appearance of unwanted offspring - a same-sex one.
It is important to remember that this animal is very emotional and sharp sound or severe stress, the heart of a pig can literally burst.

Decorative rabbits have been very popular since the last century. It is a domesticated relative of the wild European rabbit.

Did you know?The spiny mice, which live in the Middle East and Africa, have unique regeneration abilities for mammals: in case of danger, they shed their skin, which then grows back along with their hair.

Long ears, a cute muzzle and a variety of colors depending on the breed will not leave anyone indifferent. The owners of these animals literally they will melt with tenderness when communicating with rabbits, because the nature 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 devoted animals, but for this the owner needs to be given to the beast a large number of time and endlessly stroke, and treat your pet. If desired, these animals can be trained, but this must be done in the form of a game.

Chinchillas have become popular relatively recently. These incredible animals are originally from America, but, unfortunately, in many countries they are bred for commercial purposes - fur coats are sewn from their fur. But many people get this animal as a pet and often buy them a pair or more, because these rodents are incredibly cute, friendly and watching them play is a real pleasure.

Chinchillas come in several colors: the most popular are gray and black representatives, the more rare ones are 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 really dislike being squeezed against their will. If the animal wants affection, he will easily let you know about it, and if you forcefully try to keep him, you can get a well-aimed stream of urine (the animal expresses its displeasure with this).

Chipmunks are a rarity in pet stores in Russia and Ukraine, but with great desire You can buy them at special farms. These babies are very similar to squirrels, however, there are five characteristic black stripes on their back, thanks to which it is simply impossible to confuse a chipmunk with any other rodent.

Chipmunks are very sociable, active pets, often not afraid of a person if he behaves quietly, neatly and without sudden movements. Taming a baby is quite simple: you need to constantly give him a treat and always from your 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 one will beg for more nuts and other goodies.

Many do not like rats, because they think that these animals tolerate dirt and dangerous infections. So 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 they can even follow many commands. Rats are animals that differ in intelligence and ingenuity. They know their nickname, they easily remember the command “come to me” or “no”.

The colors of these animals are many, but the most popular are albino rats (white with red eyes).

Important! A serious drawback of this pet is quite short term his life is 2-3 years.

The Chilean degu squirrel is a representative of South American rodents. The appearance of this animal combines several of its brethren: squirrel, chinchilla and jerboa. The color of the coat is usually dark or light brown, less often gray.
These squirrels are very popular as pets because they are extremely friendly., quickly become attached to a person and become his real friends. With the right upbringing, degus can be trained.

Start a degu better in pairs because in the wild they live in families. The ideal option would be to buy from two to five individuals.

The gerbil is a small rodent with a long, hairy tail. The color of this animal is very diverse: from light to dark tones of brown. This animal is very active and inquisitive, and caring for it will not be difficult.

Gerbils in the wild move quickly so as not to become the prey of 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 clavicles, so the animals can crawl into rather narrow places.

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 used to think 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 highly undesirable for these pets. The chipmunk, being a tropical rodent, loves warmth and also cannot stand drafts.

housing requirements

Rodents can be conditionally divided into terrestrial 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 is suitable for them, but it is desirable that it has a couple of floors (the beast cannot 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.
Rabbits can live in small enclosures, but they must be given time when they can walk around the room. Locked up, this animal will quickly wither away.

Chinchillas and squirrels are skilled jumpers. They need tall cages with wooden shelves (whatnots) on different height 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 not in vain called rodents, it is important that the walls of the dwelling are not made of painted or chemically treated material, since the animal can simply get poisoned and die.

Food

Most rodents can do just fine with the food that is sold at the pet store, because it is balanced and contains all the microelements necessary for health and life. However, kids need to be pampered with something. For example, raw carrots and dry apples will not harm the pet, but cabbage should be discarded. Dried fruits are suitable for both large rodents and small ones (except for raisins).

Also, various nuts (peanuts, hazelnuts, almonds, cashews) will be an excellent delicacy (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 those who hide food in their bosoms.

Rodent in the house: is it worth getting a pet

If a child asks for a pet, and a cat or dog is too troublesome a friend, a rodent is a great alternative.

Advantages

Among positive sides keeping rodents at home can be noted:

The main advantage of rodents is their hypoallergenicity, because most of them do not cause allergies at all. For example, the chinchilla is one of the few animals that sheds, but the coat does not cause allergic reactions even the most severe allergies.
The rodent takes up little space and does not require round-the-clock care.
All animals choose a place for themselves "under the toilet" and do not crap anywhere.
Pets will quickly become tame if you give them as much free time as possible for the first few days.
Watching these adorable kids play is a pleasure.

Did you know? The largest rodent in the world is the capybara. Its weight can reach 91 kilograms.

Flaws

There are bad moments too:

The main disadvantage of the rodent is its natural reflex to gnaw everything. When releasing a pet, you need to make sure that wires and other important items are not available to him.
Not all inhabitants of cells can boast of high intelligence.
These mammals have a very short life.

So, having studied the lifestyle and character of all domestic gnawing mammals, we can conclude that these animals are a great alternative for those who want to make a friend and do not have the opportunity to constantly go for a walk or clean the tray. A domestic rodent is a guarantee of a great mood, and even a child can take care of it.

In the article I will consider different kinds and which rodent to choose as a pet, their maintenance and breeding. I will tell you about the features of caring for each type of animal from the list.

The most popular types of rodents for home keeping

Hamsters

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

This is a cute nocturnal animal. It is quite difficult to tame him, but it is possible. For its maintenance, you will need from strong rods with a house, a pair of ladders or tunnels and feeders.

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

Or the Chilean squirrel weighs an average of 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 this is a protein, then the corresponding cell is needed. The cost of a cage for squirrels is 3000-3500 rubles.

Degu is a pack animal, so it does not get along well with other animals. Alone, the Chilean squirrel lives much less. They are comfortable to keep in pairs.

The degu's coat is dense and coarse, so it should be brushed regularly. The animal will cope with 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 pinch his tail, the skin will peel off and the animal will run away. The exposed section of the tail bleeds and dies.

Degus are very sensitive to heat and high humidity, cold and noise. The optimum temperature for it is 24-26 degrees. Pungent odors also adversely affect the condition of the animal.

Also, a cage with an animal cannot be placed next to such indoor plants how:

Sanseviera;
Room feces (Spathiphyllum);
Feronia;
threader;
Flamingo flower.

The main quality of degus is their sociability. Walking is one way to bond with your baby.

Degas should be released into the apartment under exceptional supervision. He will chew on anything that gets in his way.

In this article, we examined several types of rodents and their breeds. They also learned how to care for each of the species. Noticed some features of the breeds.