Small Companion Mammals: Rodents, Lagomorphs, Ferrets, and Hedgehogs

Comprehensive vocabulary flashcards covering the taxonomy, biological traits, reproduction, husbandry, and common pathologies of small companion mammals: rodents, lagomorphs, ferrets, and hedgehogs.

Order Rodentia

The largest mammalian order, comprising about $1{,}500$ of the approximately $5{,}000\text{ to }6{,}000$ mammal species; characterized by four specialized chisel-like incisors ($2$ upper and $2$ lower), no canines, and molars adapted for grinding and chewing.

Cecum (Rodents and Lagomorphs)

A specialized digestive pouch housing microorganisms that ferment and digest high-fiber plant material, which mammals cannot digest efficiently on their own.

Altricial

Born in an underdeveloped state requiring intensive parental care, typically hairless, blind, and helpless; describes the young (pups/kits) of rats, mice, hamsters, gerbils, rabbits, and ferrets.

Precocial

Born in an advanced state of physical development with open eyes, fully formed fur, and the ability to move and eat solid food shortly after birth; characteristic of guinea pigs, chinchillas, and hares.

Rattus norvegicus

The scientific name for the brown or Norway rat; a non-indigenous species in North America that inflicts severe damage on food supplies and can transmit pathogens including bubonic plague, typhus, infectious jaundice, Salmonella food poisoning, and rabies.

Sendai Virus

A respiratory virus affecting rats, mice, and hamsters that causes flu-like clinical symptoms.

Sialodacryoadenitis (SDA) Virus

A coronavirus affecting rodents that manifests with swollen eyes, ocular drainage, cervical lymphadenopathy, and immune suppression.

Mongolian Gerbil

A desert-adapted rodent belonging to the same taxonomic family as hamsters; noted for producing very little odor, conserving water, and having a high natural seizure prevalence estimated at $20\%\text{ to }40\%$.

Golden (Syrian) Hamster

A solitary, strictly nocturnal rodent species featuring large internal cheek pouches for food hoarding; adults (particularly females) will aggressively fight if co-housed.

Cavy (Guinea Pig)

A tail-less, short-legged South American rodent (Cavia porcellus) whose males are called boars and females are called sows; requires supplemental dietary Vitamin C and has a long gestation period of approximately $68\text{ days}$.

Abyssinian Cavy

A breed of domestic guinea pig characterized by a rough, harsh coat that forms distinct swirling patterns known as rosettes; boars generally make superior show animals because their hair remains stiffer.

Chinchilla

A native rodent of the Andes Mountains characterized by extremely dense, soft fur and a bushy tail; requires routine dust baths every few days and cool ambient temperatures to thrive.

Order Lagomorpha

The taxonomic order comprising rabbits, hares, and pikas; distinguished from rodents by possessing four upper incisors, consisting of two primary chisel-like teeth with two smaller peg teeth situated directly behind them.

Coprophagy

The natural and healthy behavior in rabbits and other hindgut fermenters involving the direct ingestion of nutrient-rich cecal pellets from the anus to assimilate microbially synthesized B-vitamins and amino acids.

Cecal Pellets

Soft, clustered, mucus-coated fecal pellets produced via cecal fermentation that rabbits consume directly; contrasted with hard, round, dry waste fecal matter.

Kindling

The act of giving birth (parturition) in rabbits, which is typically preceded by the doe plucking fur from her chest and dewlap to insulate a nest.

Induced Ovulator

A female animal that experiences regular estrous cycling but does not release ova spontaneously; ovulation must be stimulated mechanically by the physical act of mating (e.g., rabbits and ferrets).

Kit

The specific term for the altricial neonate of a rabbit or a ferret.

Leveret

The specific term for the young of a hare, which is born precocial with fur, sight, and mobility.

Rex Fur

A rabbit coat mutation where the guard hairs are shortened to the exact same length as the underfur (about $\frac{1}{2}\text{ in}$ long), giving the pelt a plush, velvety texture.

Angora (Rabbit)

A breed of domestic rabbit bred for very long, woolly hair that can be harvested and spun into commercial textile fiber or cloth.

Satin Fur

A hair variation in rabbits characterized by flattened hair shafts that reflect light, imparting an intense glossy sheen to the coat.

Lop

A variety of domestic rabbit distinguished by long, drooping ears that hang down on either side of the head rather than standing erect.

Myxomatosis

A fatal viral disease of rabbits transmitted by biting vectors (mosquitoes, fleas) and direct contact; causes fever and severe edematous swelling of the head, lips, eyelids, vent, and scrotum ('big head disease').

Snuffles

A prevalent bacterial respiratory disease in rabbits caused by Pasteurella multocida; initial signs include thick nasal discharge and matted, wet fur on the front paws from nose-wiping.

Wry Neck

A persistent, severe head tilt (torticollis) that develops in rabbits when a Pasteurella multocida bacterial infection penetrates the inner ear.

Mastitis (Rabbits)

Bacterial inflammation and infection of the mammary glands in does, frequently caused by Staphylococcus aureus and treatable with targeted antibiotics.

Malocclusion

A condition in rodents and lagomorphs where continuously growing incisors fail to meet properly ('buck teeth'), leading to abnormal elongation that requires mechanical trimming so the animal can eat.

Sore Hocks

Ulcerative lesions on the ventral surfaces of a rabbit's hind feet caused by inappropriate housing management, such as rough wire mesh flooring or contact with urine-soaked bedding.

Ear Mites (Rabbits)

Parasitic mite infestation (Psoroptes cuniculi) that triggers intense pruritus, persistent head shaking, and thick, brown, crusty buildup within the ear canal; managed by massaging treatment oil into the ear.

Mustela putorius

The scientific name for the domestic ferret, an obligate carnivorous mammal belonging to the family Mustelidae that was historically domesticated for rodent hunting and control.

Jill

An intact female ferret, weighing approximately $1.5\text{ to }3\text{ lbs}$ at maturity.

Hob

An intact male ferret, typically weighing between $3\text{ to }5\text{ lbs}$ at maturity; exhibits intensified odor and aggressive fighting behaviors during the long-day breeding season.

Gib

A castrated male ferret.

Sprite

A spayed female ferret.

Business (Ferrets)

The collective term used to describe a social group of ferrets.

Sexual Dimorphism

Any notable physiological, morphological, or phenotypic distinction (such as differences in adult body weight, size, or shape) between males and females of the same species.

Aplastic Anemia (Ferrets)

A fatal non-infectious condition in intact jills resulting from sustained elevated estrogen levels during prolonged unbred estrus, which causes severe suppression of bone marrow blood cell production.

Order Eulipotyphla (Insectivora)

The biological order to which hedgehogs belong, distinguishing them taxonomically from rodents and lagomorphs.

Self-Anointing

A distinctive hedgehog behavior where the animal generates frothy, aromatic saliva upon detecting unfamiliar scents and distributes it onto its dorsal quills, likely linked to the sensory Jacobson's organ.

Wobbly Hedgehog Syndrome

A progressive, degenerative neurological disorder causing ataxia, loss of motor coordination, and eventual complete paralysis in captive African pygmy hedgehogs.

Salmonella tilene

A specific bacterial serovar commonly carried subclinically by pet hedgehogs that presents a notable zoonotic disease hazard to human caretakers.

Canine Distemper (Ferrets)

A viral disease that is uniformly fatal to domestic ferrets; preventable by administering a vaccine formulated and labeled specifically for ferret use.