Rabbits, Rodents, and Ferrets Lecture Notes

Flashcards capturing key vocabulary and definitions covered in the lecture on rabbits, rodents, and ferrets.

Altricial

Refers to young that are born hairless and with poor sight, such as baby rabbits.

Precocial

Refers to young that are born with hair and good /

eyesight, such as baby hares.

Warrens

Underground burrows or tunnels where rabbits live.

Cecotropes

Special type of fecal material that rabbits eat for improved nutrient uptake.

Obligate herbivores

Animals that primarily eat plant material and rely on it as their main food source, like rabbits.

Induced ovulators

Female animals that only ovulate after mating, a characteristic of rabbits.

Pododermatitis

A common rabbit problem characterized by sore hocks, affecting the back feet.

Pasteurellosis

A disease in rabbits caused by the bacterium Pasteurella multocida, leading to significant morbidity.

Viral Hemorrhagic Disease (RHD)

A highly contagious and fatal disease in rabbits caused by a Calicivirus.

Francisella tularensis

The bacterium that causes Tularemia, also known as Rabbit Fever.’

Myomorpha

A sub-order of rodents that includes mice, including the common house mouse (Mus musculus).

GFP transgenic mice

Mice genetically modified for research purposes, often involving the green fluorescent protein.

Bubonic plague

A disease caused by Yersinia pestis, characterized by swollen lymph nodes (buboes).

Epidemiologic forms

The two main forms of plague, sylvatic (wild) and urban (domestic).

Monogastric

Referring to animals with a single-chambered stomach, like ferrets.

Canine distemper

A highly contagious viral disease in ferrets that is often fatal and affects multiple body systems.