9 Pets That Look Like Rodents But Aren’t

Animals Like Rats

Rodents are one of the most diverse groups of mammals on Earth, and they are also popular as pets for many reasons. Although there are exceptions, such as the capybara, most rodents are smaller, and many adapt easily to life in captivity.

Some rodents have characteristics of species they are not related to, such as springhares, which are designed like kangaroos, and Patagonian maras, which resemble small deer. This is thanks to convergent evolution, and subsequently, there are many species in the animal kingdom that are not related to each other despite the similarity in appearance. Here are nine animals that are sometimes kept as pets that look like rats but aren’t.

9 Rodent-Like Animals

1. African Pygmy Hedgehog
2. Skunk
3. Tenrec
4. Rabbits
5. Short-Tailed Opossum
6. Hyrax is stone
7. Sugar Glider
8. Bettong
9. Opposite Virginia

1. African Pygmy Hedgehog

Hedgehogs are very popular in the exotic pet industry because they are relatively easy to care for, not too large, and make interesting pets. Hedgehogs are pets that come in a variety of colors. They are said to be a hybridized species that recently entered the pet trade in the 1980s and quickly gained popularity.

These exotic animals are unique because of their short quills that they use as a defense mechanism. Porcupines are rodents that are very familiar to humans, and several species can be kept as pets. However, hedgehogs are completely unrelated to porcupines and other rodents.

2. Skunk

Many people have trouble classifying the taxon skunks belong to despite their popularity as exotic pets, and many mistakenly suggest that they belong to the rat family because they don’t seem to fit into the well-known groups. of animals that are often familiar to humans. together.

A glance at their teeth, however, should make it clear that they are not rats. In reality, these iconic animals are classified as being in the family Mephitidae along with stink badgers and the superfamily Musteloidea. One species of polecat, the zorilla, closely resembles skunks but is distantly related.

3. Tenrec

Oddly enough, in addition to not being rodents, while these animals are very similar to hedgehogs, they are completely unrelated and separate species. Tenrecs are the only other quilled mammal in the pet trade besides porcupines and hedgehogs. While hedgehogs are classified as insectivores, tenrecs are in their own group, the Tenrecidae.

This unique species actually has one of the lowest body temperatures for a mammal. Tenrecs are less common than hedgehogs in the pet trade, and while the latter can cost around $100–350, tenrecs run around $1,000 in the United States.

4. Rabbit

Sometimes considered strange pets, rabbits, despite sharing the characteristic of incisors that grow over the course of their lives, are actually not rodents. They are called lagomorphs along with their relatives, although they were previously classified as rodents until 1912. This is because they have four upper incisors instead of two. However, they are the closest living relatives of mice.

5. Short-Tailed Opossum

Marsupials are a group of animals with a remarkable range in their morphology. Kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, bandicoots, and the extinct Tasmanian tiger are related despite their differences in appearance. Short-tailed opossums are quite popular small pets that resemble rats and other rodents, but they are marsupials. There are other small species of opossum that are less common as pets.

Unlike kangaroos and wallabies, they don’t have pouches, but they still give birth to young that are attached to them for a long period of development. It’s easy to tell opossums aren’t rodents when you see their teeth; instead of the buck teeth-type molars characteristic of all rodents, they are equipped with rows of sharp teeth suitable for their carnivorous diet. Short-tailed opossums are capable hunters.

6. Stone Hyrax

This animal is definitely the rarest on the list and the least likely to be encountered as a pet, but sometimes they are kept by lovers of exotic pet owners. Rock hyrax are not cheap animals, and for good reason. Rock hyraxes are the elephant’s closest living relatives, and like those pachyderms, they have a very long gestation period.

Compared to the very short gestation period of most mice, this is amazing. They also only give birth to one young at a time, as opposed to the litters that rats usually have. Hyraxes have many unique features, including small ‘tusks’ (like elephants) that protrude from their mouths, cube-shaped droppings, and very odd-looking paw pads. Rock hyraxes are expensive and more challenging pets, in addition to being difficult to find.

7. Sugar Glider

Sugar gliders are very popular exotic pets and have been bred so widely that they also have different color morphs. These small pets have an unfortunate (but deserved) reputation for being smelly, and are often bought on a whim despite requiring more care than many other traditional pets. pets that are in their size.

Like opossums, sugar gliders are marsupials, despite the fact that they look like flying squirrels. This is just one bright example of convergent evolution at work. Like flying squirrels, they must have a spacious cage so they can maneuver and jump from branch to branch.

8. Bettong

It is a very rare species to be seen as a pet, and most of them exist in petting circles as “animal ambassadors,” but they are pets in one way or another. Bettongs have one critical characteristic that will keep them in relative obscurity; they are critically endangered in the wild, and because of the Endangered Species Act, they cannot be sold or transported across state lines.

If you want to have a bettong as a pet, you will need to purchase it in the state where you live. Although bettongs are shaped like wallabies (or springhares) and hop twice for locomotion, they resemble rats and other rodents.

9. Virginia Opossum

These North American natives look like large rats with white heads, which may annoy some people, but they are actually the only naturally occurring marsupial in North America and beneficial for the environment. They consume “pest” species such as ticks and are one of the few mammals that resist rabies. Their teeth may look scary, but they are easy to handle, and many people enjoy keeping these surprisingly affectionate animals as pets.

This article is accurate and true to the best of the author’s knowledge. It is not intended to replace diagnosis, prognosis, treatment, prescription, or formal and individualized advice from a veterinary medical professional. Animals showing signs and symptoms of distress should be seen by a veterinarian immediately.

© 2018 Melissa A Smith

Comments

Penny Leigh Sebring from Fort Collins on May 28, 2018:

Very interesting information!

Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on May 23, 2018:

Barry Oswold Skunks are quite popular for exotic mammals. They remove their scent glands.

Barry Oswold from London on May 20, 2018:

Well, I’ll be…can you keep a skunk as a pet? Wouldn’t that really stink? To each their own, I guess!

Melissa A Smith (author) from New York on May 20, 2018:

Thanks Larry yes they are not for most people.

Peggy Woods from Houston, Texas on May 19, 2018:

We see wild opossums in our yard quite regularly. I do not want to keep any of these animals as pets. Most of them would probably be happier if allowed to roam the wilderness. Our pets only consist of dogs and cats.

Larry W Fish from Roxboro, NC on May 19, 2018:

Melissa, I can say that the only pet I like is the rabbit. I had bunnies when I was a kid and I still think they are the cutest animals. Just the others, not for me.

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