Rodents

Question 1

What are the types of small pocket pets?

Answer 1

Rats,mice,gerbils, and hamsters

Question 2

What are mice considered to be?

Answer 2

Small busy rodents; long hairless tail
20-63g

Question 3

Rats are considered what?

Answer 3

Large, intelligent rodents ; long harmless tail
225-500g

Question 4

What are gerbils considered as?

Answer 4

Desert adapted rodents but need fresh water access: produce concentrated urine, long hairy tail
46-131g

Question 5

What are hamster?

Answer 5

Stocky small creatures

Question 6

What is the dental formula for rats, mice, hamsters, and gerbils?

Answer 6

2(I 1/1, C 0/0, P 0/0, M 3/3)

Question 7

Do hamsters have incisors when they are born?

Answer 7

Yes

Question 8

Are the teeth open rooted or close rooted?

Answer 8

Open rooted and grow continuously
Molars do not

Question 9

What is problematic when weaning?

Answer 9

Malocclusion, can lead to starvation or death

Question 10

What are the tail like?

Answer 10

Rats, mice , and gerbils tails posses long tails
Hamsters have really short tails

Question 11

What can gerbils get with their tails?

Answer 11

Tail slip

Question 12

Is the mammary tissue extensive?

Answer 12

Yes
Mammary masses can be located well away from teats

Question 13

What are the Harderian glands?

Answer 13

Located behind each eye
Secrete a substance containing porphyrin
Reddish tinge substance
Red tears

Question 14

What are the bilateral flank glands?

Answer 14

Hamster
Ventral gland in gerbils
Sebaceous glands are brown colored
Play a part in mating, territorial behavior, and marking of pups

Question 15

What estrous are rodents?

Answer 15

Seasonally polyestrus
Spontaneous ovulations
Mating= copulatory plus ( white tan collection of secretion)

Question 16

Do hamsters have big cheek pouches?

Answer 16

Yes they extend back to scapulae, transfer food and bedding from one point to another

Question 17

True or false do you mess with a mother and her babies while they are in their cage?

Answer 17

False if you mess with their cage or home the mom will eat her babies

Question 18

Do hamsters have an esophageal pouch?

Answer 18

Yes, pre-gastric fermentation

Question 19

True or false rodents are monogastric?

Answer 19

True

Question 20

What is coprophagy?

Answer 20

Assimilate certain nutrients
Vitamin b

Question 21

True or false rats have a gall bladder?

Answer 21

False

Question 22

What is the proper housing of rodents?

Answer 22

Escape proof
Chew proof
Easily cleaned
Metal or plastic cage
Adequate ventilation, ammonia build up

Question 23

What is te proper bedding for rodents?

Answer 23

Ash and pine shavings
Corncob
Paper products are safer
Wood shavings= too rough
Causes lesions/abrasions leading to pododermatits
Produce too much dust

Do not use cedar shavings- aromatic oils are irritation and cause pododermatis

Question 24

Is corncob okay to go in the cage?

Answer 24

Yes, it s the most absorbent but can lead to impaction so use caution or avoid
Prone to fungal infections as well
Paper bedding is preferred and safest
Do not use old towels for bedding
Animals can get tangled in cotton fibers

Question 25

Do rodents need extra bedding for nesting?

Answer 25

Nesting material Lack of nesting material can lead ro death of offspring Abdominal/ canabalism

Question 26

True or false you should handle young?

Answer 26

False Cannibalism

Question 27

Should rodents have exercise wheels or balls?

Answer 27

Yes avoid sharp edges on wheel Keep ball away form stairs and other pets

Question 28

Rodents are nocturnal animals?

Answer 28

Yes Keep cage in area away from your bedroom to avoid loud noises

Question 29

What is the correct nutrition of rodents?

Answer 29

Monogastric Omnivores- eat anything Offer fresh pellets daily Preferred over seed mix Can offer small amount of fresh food Carrots, apple slices, greens

Question 30

What bowls should you give them?

Answer 30

Not plastic may chew them

Question 31

Walter should supplied daily?

Answer 31

Yes Water bottles are preferred

Question 32

What are the common disease of rodents?

Answer 32

Acarisis- skin condition Barbering- female mice Mechanical abrasions Mange Endoparasites

Question 33

What is the common disease for skin?

Answer 33

Acarisis- mite infestations Signs: alopecia, dermatitis, rough hair coat Skin lesions

Question 34

What is barbering?

Answer 34

Most common in female mice Can be seen in breeding pairs Unknown males can fight

Question 35

What is mechanical abrasions?

Answer 35

Self trauma abrasions on cae, bars, equipment,etc Husbandry related Commonly seen on the muzzle

Question 36

What is mange?

Answer 36

Demodex nanus Rare in rats and gerbils

Question 37

What type of Endoparasites do rodents get?

Answer 37

Pinworms Tapeworms

Question 38

What is malocclusion?

Answer 38

Neoplasia Signs; weight loss, drooling, oral trauma Genetic Moist dermatitis

Question 39

What is wet tail?

Answer 39

Hamsters with diarrea Bacterial infection Improper diet Stress

Question 40

What is Tyzzer’s disease?

Answer 40

Hepatoenteric infectious disease Hamster and gerbils- fatal Rats and mice- can overcome it Stress is a major factor Exposure to infected bedding

Question 41

Wha is chronic respiratory disease?

Answer 41

Murine respiratory mycoplasmosis Mycoplasma pulmonis Can have carrier state most common health concern in rats

Question 42

What is the common disease of rodents?

Answer 42

Sialdacryoadenitis Cause cervical lymph nodes to swell and salivary glands become inflamed Sensitive to light- causes ophthalmic lesions

Question 43

What is the behavior of rodents?

Answer 43

They are nocturnal animals Male rodents should not be housed together- they fight

Question 44

True or false hamster love to live alone?

Answer 44

True

Question 45

True or false rats are not that social?

Answer 45

False they are social and enjoy to be housed together

Question 46

True or false hamsters wont eat their children if you mess with the nest?

Answer 46

False they will and so will mice

Question 47

How do you restrain a rats?

Answer 47

Take your pointer finger and index finger and place those around the sides of the neck with out hurting them, rest of the fingers go around the thorax Firm but gentle handling May bite or jump out of fear Scoop into hands when removing from cage Rats and mice only

Question 48

How do you restrain a mouse?

Answer 48

Lift at te base of the tail, same can be done to rats

Question 49

What are some other restraints?

Answer 49

Use a towel or a cage lid for rodent to hold onto during exam Hold under the head firmly without restricting breathing and second hand under rear

Question 50

How do you restrain a hamster?

Answer 50

Scruff them Look for a smile to know you scruffed enough skin- they can still bite if loose scruff

Question 51

How do you know if a rat is a female or a male/

Answer 51

Males have teticles at te rear females do not Distance from anus to the genitalia papillla is greater in the male than the female Difficult if no other animal as are presented to compare

Question 52

Where can you administer medication?

Answer 52

IV injection- tail vein is safest IM injection- quadriceps IP injection- Rats- left quadrant Rest= right quadrant Sub q injection- skin tent behind neck

Question 53

Where can you get blood on a rodent?

Answer 53

All except hamsters- tail vein Saphenous vein Micro- hematocrit to the eye- capillary tube

Question 54

How much can be given per route?

Answer 54

I/m Volume= 0.05ml/site No more than 2 injections sites per day