4 Species Of Rodents That Can Be Pets
Rodents are small mammalian animals, friendly and expressive, as well as intelligent. For a few decades they have started to become popular because they are easy to care for and clean and do not take up much space at home; That is why we present you 4 species of rodents that can be pets.
Characteristics of rodents that can be pets
Rodents are a class of mammals that are characterized by their teeth : they have four large incisors, two in the upper part and two in the lower part, which never stop growing. For this reason, it is necessary that they are gnawing continuously, to wear them down and stay healthy.
There are rodents of many different sizes: the smallest in the world are pygmy gerbils, which weigh just 3 grams. The largest, on the other hand, are capybaras, also known as capybaras: they can weigh 35 kilograms and be about the size of a German shepherd dog.
Rodents that can be pets do not go to these extremes; These two examples are wild animals that are very difficult to care for in captivity. In a veterinary practice, domestic rodents are treated like exotic animals, but they are adapted to living in our homes.
This class of animals are herbivores, that is, they only eat fruits and vegetables; in some cases, such as hamsters or gerbils, they can also consume seeds and nuts. Your food should always be fresh, washed and raw: they cannot consume oil, salt, sugar or other additives.
If you want to live with one of these species of rodents that can be pets, first find out how to prepare to receive it at home: what food does it take, what cage is the most suitable and what toys it can enjoy.
Hamster
Hamsters, the image of which this article illustrates, are the most popular pet rodents. There are different species of hamster that vary in size and colors, but there are several characteristics of this species:
They are nocturnal animals. That is, they have their busiest hours at night: if you play with them during the day they will probably be in a bad mood and at night they will gnaw, run on their wheel and make noise. Despite being so small, they have a lot of energy to expend and they use it to run on their wheel.
Except for a specific species, they are very territorial animals and they do not like to share their cage with other hamsters. They prefer to live alone, or they will fight and hurt each other a lot.
Guinea pig
On the contrary, guinea pigs are gregarious animals that, with few exceptions, love to have the company of their peers. They do not usually have territorial behaviors and are able to share even food.
Guinea pigs can weigh between one and three kilograms and depending on their breed, they have different types of hair; the differences between them are minimal. Guinea pigs love to eat and are very sleepy; Unlike hamsters, they are diurnal and twilight.
Guinea pigs are very expressive animals, having a great repertoire of sounds that they can make. They are also very intelligent and create very important bonds with people and other animals with which they live.
Gerbil
Gerbils are about the same size as hamsters, but they have a few differences that allow us to identify them. The most striking are their large and strong hind legs, with which they jump and run: if you prepare a terrarium for them as a cage, you must take into account that they could jump and escape.
Also, gerbils enjoy burrowing and sleep in burrows. You must take this into account when preparing his cage: you must satiate his instinct to dig and make tunnels in which to take refuge.
Chinchilla
Perhaps, of the rodent species that can be pets, it is the least known on this list. Chinchillas are similar in size to guinea pigs, but weigh less: females, which are larger than males, weigh up to 800 grams.
There is only one species of chinchilla that is domestic, the result of careful genetic selection over generations; Chinchillas that live in the wild cannot survive in captivity and will not be happy as pets.
Chinchillas are characterized by their large round ears and a short furry tail, unique to rodents that can be pets. They are extremely social animals are people they know, but shy and fearful of strangers. Despite this, caresses and manipulations overwhelm him and cause him stress.
Rodents are excellent pets, if we respect their instincts and provide them with food or objects that they can gnaw on. Each species is unique and has its own characteristics, so if you want to adopt a rodent, first find out which ones they are so that both of you will be happy from day one.
