Rodents

[Desert Arabian]

Originally posted by WWFanz
I like rabbits. But you can't bring any around my house. They'll go missing and you'll never find them, unless you watch the dog poop.

That is nowhere near funny. That is just plain disgusting.

[tikeyas_mom]

Originally posted by Dogz
For the thread anyways, I would say RATS! wolfsoul has gotten me addicted.

wolfsoul got me addicted to lol

[Dogz]

Who will get addicted next? lol

[wolfsoul]

LOL I'm very proud of getting you all addicted!

[binka_nugget]

She got me addicted too lol

[Amber]

Im addicted to Hamsters!!!! I wuv those little critters!!

R.I.P
Nibbles
Gizmo
Jingles
Dewy!! my old hamsters~

[GoldenRetrLuver]

wolfsoul got me addicted....lol. Rats!!!

[magcpen]

Okay, I'm being way too lazy to read all the repsonses, lol , (I'll go back and read them later), but ratties of course, lol!

[wolfsoul]

Hehe, must...addict....more..PTers....

:P

[Tonya]

I have owned all of the above except a Guinea Pig. I am now officially obsessed with the abbsyinian (sp?!) guinea pig. aka afro. I will sweet talk my husband until I get one!

[luckies4me]

Of course RATS, because I own around 30 of them!


They are sweet, intelligent, loyal and cute! Just look at my Count Chocula in my avitar, who could resist a face like that?

[Angel]

I like them all..but if I have to choose ..then it's Hamsters..

[Aspen and Misty]

Bunnies ::hugs my two babies:: I just wov these lil guys!

I also love my ratties though! I could NEVER choose between them!


Ashley

[curiosityrats]

Why argue over guinea pigs when ferrets and rabbits are most certainly NOT rodents in any way shape or form!

(Pay attention to the "orders" here... Rodentia is an order...)

Rodents' defining feture is a single pair of rootless incisors and no canines. Ferrets are related to the skunk closely. The dog and cat are cousins. No way are they rodents! (They are "carnivora") Rabbits have two pairs of incisors and a different digestive tract with other features that separate them from rodents. (They are "lagomorpha")

Ferret taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Mustelidae
Subfamily: Mustelinae

Rabbit taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Lagomorpha
Family: Leporidae




Just for kicks/comparison...

Rat/mouse taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Muridae
Subfamily: Murinae

Gerbil taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Muridae
Subfamily: Gerbillinae

Hamster taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Sciurognathi
Family: Muridae
Subfamily: Cricetinae

Guinea Pig taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Hystricognathi
Family: Caviidae
Subfamily: Caviinae

Chinchilla taxonomy:

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Rodentia
Suborder: Hystricognathi
Family: Chinchillidae



Courtesy of Animal Diversity Web: http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/

Conclusions: Rabbits and ferrets are NOT rodents at all. The others are classified as rodents, but Chinchillas and Guinea Pigs are in a different suborder from the others. (Meaning they aren't as closely related to rats and mice, but do have the shared characteristics of the rodent dentition and other features...)





P.S. Rats are the best rodents... I daresay rabbits are the best lagomorphs. But cats are the best carnivores.

[curiosityrats]

Originally posted by YellowLabLover
Yes, they are rodents. They are called hystricomorph (looked up the spelling, lol) rodents, just like porcupines and chinchillas. I have no clue what hystricomorph means, I would love to know.

The Guinea Pig's cousin, the Capybara, is the worlds largest rodent. They live in South America, and look like giant Guinea Pigs.

The suborders of rodents have to do with the way their jaws and jaw muscles connect. That's why their faces look different. LOL!

I had a class in mammalogy last term. We had to learn how to classify/identify EVERY kind of mammal based on skulls, coats, habits, etc.