Small mam exam

describe rodent dentition

open rooted incisors and 3 sets of molars, the open space between teeth is called “diastema” the incisors grow continulously, worn down by bruxing, naturally orange/yellow because of increased minerals (iron)

what is malocclusion

incorrect position of teeth, prevents alignment and proper wear

describe rodent vision

larger field of vision, less binocular/depth perception, majority rods, rods degenerate with exposure to light, are sensitive

What type of vision do rodents have

trichromatic, blue green and uv,

what is porphyrin

red brown secretion by the harderian gland, excessive amounts suggest dehydration, illness, secretion can drain down eyes and nose

what is vibrissae, and describe the importance

whiskers, used to navigate and explore, muscles around each follicle sweep whiskers back and forth, grow from a follicle sealed by a capsule of blood, whiskers movement pushes blood, triggers nerves that send message to brain

what is the somatosensory area in the brain of rodents

barrel cortex, processing touch, organized into a map identical to placement of whiskers on face, map is shaped by experience, cutting a whisker will cause a barrel to atrophy, to waste away, disappear

describe rodents hearing

range from 200 Hz to 80/90khz, 20khz is ultrasound, location of the ears decrease localization ability of sound, short distance between ears= sound arrives at similar time for both ears, rodents may use whiskers for hearing, since whiskers vibrate at certain freq, long whiskers vibrate at lower freq at back

describe rodents olfaction and what its called

air flows through patch of skin with scent receptors, the olfactory epithelium, rodents have a vomeronasal organ to detect pheromones, chem signals, critical for comm, mate attraction, courtship, aggression, paternal care

what is the difference between domesticated rats and wild ones

larger ears, smaller body, variations in color, tamer, more friendly to humans

what is the perspective of rats

considered pests, as food for humans, for pets, for odor detection, subjects for scientific research

describe the history of pet rats

during the 18th and 19th century, rats were sold by catchers for rat baiting, now there are societies for rat lovers

describe the rat as a pet

sociable, interactive, inexpensive, live 2/3 years, variety of color markings

what are type of emotions that rats show

emotional contagion, like fear, pro social behaviors, will free trapped rats even if there is food or detractions

describe rat tails

tail is longer than body, hairless

what are the two things rats use their tails for

thermoregulation: serves as a heat loss organ, no hair, large surface to volume ratio, lots of blood vessels, can lose 17% of body heat

balance: allows them to adjust and maintain center of gravity, and rotational inertia, stopping from rotating around a rope,

what is it called for loss of body heat

vasodilation, higher tempers-=blood vessels will dilate and get closer to surface for cooling

what are problems for tailless rats

do not lose heat well, core body temp rises higher, tapes longer to thermoregulate, no tail vertebrae and modified sacral vertebrae, so pelvic girdle sags and rounded rump appearance

describe rat hands and feet

musculature mimics human hands, substantial muscle responsible for adducting, movement of limb toward midline, the first digit, enables ability to grab objects

how long is the gestation of a rat

21-22 days, has 6-14 offspring

what type of estrus do rats have, what does that mean

have postpartum estrus, in estrus again 10-24 hours after giving birth, if fertilized, the pregnancy is 10 days longer due to delay in implantation, lactation induced delay

what state are pups born in

altricial, underdev state, required parental care and feeding,

describe the stages of pups for dev

hair coat: 9 days, eyes and ears open” 12-14 days of age, leave nest” 14-16 days of age, weaning: 2—21 days

what are rats, and describe their diet

omnivores, commericial diets are available, block diets provide with gnawing opp, avoid seed and grain mixes, do small amounts of fruits/vegetables

what can’t rats do and why

throw up, lack esophageal strength, and diaphragm muscles contractions necessary, do possess food avoidance learning, will consume clay which binds some toxins to dilute their effect

describe rat behaviors and habitat

very sociable, tend to live near humans, burrowers, nocturnal

describe rat housing

should be min 2 square feet, should have mult tiers, ramps, solid flooring, litter box, bar spacing skinny, hide space, toys, are sociable

what are the natural habitat for hamsters

dry rocky areas, tunnels deep underground,

what kind of sleepers are hamsters

crepuscular, nocturnal, very territorial

what are hamster environments like

well adapted to cooler temp, they have thick body fur, compact body, short strong legs, short tails

what do hamsters go into when its cold

pseudo hibernation, metabolic rate declines, body temp declines, heart rate descreases to 4-15 BPM, rr decreases to .5, when temps are below 40F

nutrition of hamsters

omnivorous, 15-25% protein, 35-40% carbs, 4% fat, in wild they eat seeds, grains, nuts, fruits, vegetables, insects, as pets they eat pelleted diets and fresh vegteables, insects and cereal seeds, treats are oil seeds and nuts

how much do hamsters travel in the wild

up to 5 miles/night while foraging

describe the use of hamsters pouches

carry food around, have no salivary glands, so salvia doesnt break down food, food hoarding is a survival instinct,

what is the hamster scent gland

on the bilateral of hips, or stomach, used for comm purposes

describe the reproduction of hamsters

reach sexually mutuality at 5/6 weeks, gestation lasts 15/16 days, litter size is 5-14, no paternal care from males, babies are altricial

how should hamsters be housed and interacted with each other

are solitary, kept away, infanticide can occur, separate kids from mom at 4 weeks

describe hamster human interactions

hamsters should have acclimation period, 12-24 hours, handle in neutral territory, dont handle unless fully awake, support with two hands, speak gently

how should the housing be set up for hamsters

sturdy materials, chewing opp, thin bar spacing, substrate to burrow, exercise wheel, large enough so hamsters do not arch back,

describe some hamster health problems

obesity, skin diseases and abscesses, respiratory infection, avoid temp fluct and substrates of cedar and pine, overgrown teeth, wet tail bc of diarrhea, lethargy, anorexia, bacterial diease, certain antibiotics can cause fatal toxicity,

what are the orgins of gerbils

native to mongolia, mountains, plateaus, cool winters, hot summers, strong hind legs, fur covered tail, agouti coloration,

how do gerbils live

in extensive burrows, many exits, sep rooms for food storage, sleeping, spend most winter in burrows, very social, only dominant pair will mate

what is the gerbil natural living life

diurnal/crepuscular, desert adapted omnivore, grains, seeds, grasses, fruit, roots, flowers, worms, insects, low water requirements

what do gerbils do less of

urinate, so their cages smell less than rats, less cleaning, but provide water

describe gerbil diet

if fully consumed, seed mixes, treats and supplements can be added to diet include fresh fruits and vegetables

when do gerbil reach sexual maturity

3 months old

how long is the gestation length for gerbil

24 days

what do gerbil male and female form

monologious

describe fatherhood for gerbils

males withdraw during labor, then play active role

describe gerbil pups

born in altricial state, active by 8 days, furred by 10, eyes open at 16-18 days, indep by 21 days,

are gerbils social

yes, can be housed 2-3, same sex litter, introduce young if not same litter

how should the housing be for gerbils

1 ft square per gerbil, out of direct sunlight/drafts, not plastic, deep, hides,

what should bedding be for gerbils

paper products, aspen shavings, NOT cedar or pine, can cause irritation

what is tail slip

degloving, caused by picking up the gerbil by the tail, hair slides off, exposed portion becomes necrotic, has to be amputated

what is the gerbil scent gland

ventral scent gland, rub their belly over surfaces to leave scent marks, small bare patch of skin on belly

what tumor can gerbils get

scent gland tumors, in elderly and males, small hard lump then grow

what is a guinea pig

short stocky rodent with no tail, short legs, unfurred ears, 4 digits on front feet, 3 on back, constantly growing teeth

what is another name for guinea pig

cavies

what are the purposes of guinea pig

initially meat, later companionship/pets, lab animals

are there any wild pop of dom guinea pig

no, but there are relatives still thriving in south america

what are the vital signs of guinea pig

body temp-99-103.1, HR 150-400, RR 42-150, LS 4-8

what are the names for each sex of guinea pig

male- boar female-sow insant-pup

what are the reproduction of guinea pigs

boar- 3-4 months sow-2-3 months

how long is gestation for guinea pigs

59-72 days, litter size 2-5 pup, weaning age 14-21d

what type of mating do guinea pigs have

monogamous or polyamorous mating, 1 boar to 10 sows

when should sows be breed, what can that cause if not

before 7 months, can cause dystocia, pelvic bone may be fused making birth dangerous

what type are guinea pig offspring

precocial, eating solids less than 24 hours, weaned 14-21 days, fully formed

what is the cycle of guinea pigs

crepuscular, dawn and dust

do guinea pigs burrow

no, dont store food, seek shelter in crevices or burrows from other animals or tunnels formed by vegetation

what is the social structure of guinea pigs

if mixed, males dominate hierarchies, little fighting unless new males mixed in

what type of eaters are guinea pigs

monogastrict herbivore, enlarged cecum, hindgut fermenter

what deficient are guinea pigs in

vit c, leads to scurvy, put in diet, do not feed too much ca bc can lead to calcium stones

what are some of the play social behaviors of guinea pigs

zoomies, standing up, licking, popcorning

what are some of the fear defense behaviors of guinea pigs

flee, hide, aggressive, freeze, head throw

how do guinea pigs calean themselves

very clean, groome themselves, scent marking is important,

how is the hearing of guinea pigs

most important sense, very good, 54hz-50khz, can know if in danger or if predators are present

what are some vocals of guinea pigs

chut, chutter, whine, whistle, squeal, scream, purr, drr, chirrup, tweet

what are chinchillas native to

andes mountains of south america

describe chinchilla fur

very dense, 50-80 hairs per follicle, very fine, 10-15 mm thick

what can chinchillas do when frightened

shed in clumps, fur slip, escape from predator

what happened when chinchillas were first attempted at domestication

many died because of the temperature changes, and stress, were exported for clothing in 1500s

how were they domesticated

in 1918 by mathais chapman, 3 years to catch 11, he slowly went down the mountains and made sure the cages were correctand cold

what is the natural habitat of chincillas

adapted to cold dry climates, can tolerant to -35f, can overheat easily, very agile, live at high altitudes, live in rock crevices or small burrows at rock base

what type of cycle are chincillas

nocturnal/crepuscular

how do chinchillas live together

in herds, 2-5 share smaller burrows within larger residence

how do chinchillas bathe and why

in ash bathes 2-3x/week, water can get trapped in their thick water and not dry causing mold

describe the ears and hearing of chinchillas

large ears, inner ear anatomy and ear physiology are similar to humans, 100hz-20khz, important models for eat related research

how are the feet of chinchillas

each paw has 4 digits, no hair on soles, front paws can grasp food using adductor muscle

how are chincillas similar to rats

open rooted incisors, somatosensory map in brain

describe chincilla mating

males are polygynous, females are not, seasonally polyestrous breeders, estrus for 2-3 days

how long is chinchilla gestation

111 days long

describe when kits are born

small litter size 1-2, born in precocial state, start eating solid food in 1 wl, weaned by 8wk

what are things chinchillas do when stressed/threatened

chatter, stand on hind legs, pee

describe some behaviors of chinchillas

light sleepers, may sleep with eyes open, stand on hind legs to look around, bounce and jum around when playful, make lots of sounds

what is the wild chinchilla diet like

grass, cactus fruit, dry roots, tubers, bark, leavves of small shrubs, high in fiber, little fat, sugar or protein

describe the digestion of chinchillas

hindgut fermenters, most occurs in large intestine and cecum, lots of SA for digestion, need a high fiber diet to feed gut bacteria and prevent gas acc

what is housing like for chinchillas

active, spacious, tall, sturdy materals, can house socially

what are some health issues for chinchillas

gastrointestinal stasis- constipation, bloat, gastric trichobezoars- hair balls
fur chewing/barbering of fur, ringworm cuases hair loss, fur ring, prolapsed penis caused by hair wrapping, fur prevents retraction

describe hodgehog living

nocturnal, active and travel miles in wild, solitary, territorial, prefer temp of 75-88F

when did hedgehogs begin to gain popularity

since 1980s, retained natural behaviors, sensitive and varied responses to humans