Types of Rodents| Their Characters, Food Habits and Pictures

Rodents are small animals that are classified as mammals.

They are called rodents due to their long front teeth, which are fit for a strong bite.

Also, interestingly, most of them are active at night, so they are also considered nocturnal animals. But not all nocturnal animals are rodents.

They are generally mild animals which means they do not attack other animals or feed on them for a living.

They are herbivores and mostly feed on grass or other vegetarians’ grains and nuts. But they act as prey to many wild animals and other carnivores.

In fact, they form the largest class of mammals. They are very large in number and present in most parts of the world.

Types of rodents

1. Rats

Rats are different-sized rodents that have long tails. They vary in color, like brown, black, and even plain white rats.

They are some of the most robust and tough animals. They can sustain harsh conditions and live in small burrows. They are common rodents that affect human home life. They tend to destroy the stored food grains and even cause the spread of dreadful diseases like rabies. They generally feed on vegetarian items like nuts, grain, etc. But they can also eat anything like their own feces and even flesh.

Their weight varies from 50 grams to 500 grams. They are widely used in pharmacological studies and in drug development process research due to their robust characteristics. They tolerate harsh pains and surgical procedures. Further, their physiology is comparable to humans. So their use is very common in new drug development.

Check the video below for different kinds of rodents.

2. Mice

They are quite similar to rats and one might easily confuse them with baby rats. They are 10 times smaller than rats and quite active than rats.

They can run and jump swiftly. They are also common home rodents that destroy stored food grains. They also live in burrows in soil or in human areas.

Both rats and mice are not easy to catch and hold. They can bite objects, even their hands. So one should be careful while handling them. They eat grain and cereals. Like rats, they too could et anything but prefer a vegetarian diet.

3. Squirrels

These are cute rodents that are quite shy. They tend to run away at the slightest sound of animals or humans. They mostly tend to live on trees. They prefer eating nuts and are pure vegetarians.

They are so shy animals that they can rarely harm others and are even weak to defend themselves. Unlike rats and mice, they are less problematic to humans. They do not like to stay in human residences.

4. Guinea pigs

Another very mild and shy rodents are the guinea pig. They can be easily grown as even pets due to their sensitivity and gentle behavior. They eat grass and also fruits, radishes, etc.

They are pure vegetarians and rely mostly on grass. Also, they are very poor defenders against predators. But like rats and mice, they are widely used in drug research processes. Even its meat is consumed by humans in a few countries.

5. Porcupines.

These are quite interesting rodents. Unlike others, they are strictly nocturnal.

They have a powerful defense that can scare even wild animals. They have sharp spines that can prick predators. These spines are natural skin hair that is modified for its defense.

In normal states, these spines are laid down. But when the animal senses danger, the spines get erect, which can cause severe pain on pricking. They eat bark, leaves, fruits, and newly growing buds.

6. Hamsters

Hamsters are similar to rats or mice in appearance, with the exception of the long tail.

They are easy to rear and used as common pets by humans. They eat seeds, fruits, and also a few insects. They are nocturnal animals, and during the daytime, they keep hiding in the burrows.

7. Marmot

By physical appearance, these rodents look like giant squirrels.

But unlike the squirrels, they live in burrows in the soil. They eat roots, flowers, grass, berries, etc.

8. Prairie dogs

These rodents are found only in the American continent. As the name indicates, they look like a small dog pups.

Even their sound resembles dogs. They primarily feed on grass, seeds, and a few insects. They can be grown as pets.

9. Gopher:

These are also called Pocket gophers and show extensive burrowing behavior in the garden and farms. They are seen exclusively in North America and Central America.