When we think about rabbits, the image of a furry, long-toothed animal that likes to gnaw comes to mind. Perhaps, for this reason, many people still refer to rabbits as rodents. But are rabbits rodents?
The answer is a resounding no; rabbits are not rodents. They belong to the order of lagomorphs. But even so, many people tend to confuse them. In fact, for many years, practically until the end of the 20th century, rabbits were mistakenly classified as rodents.
Although nowadays, their classification as lagomorphs is increasingly well known, since some different traits and characteristics distinguish them from rodents, it is still common to confuse both orders.
Regardless of whether our pet is a rodent or a lagomorph, it is crucial to have basic knowledge about the correct handling of these small mammals.
Main Differences Between Rodents and Lagomorphs
There are many differences between rodents and lagomorphs, although some of them are more evident than others. Let’s review the most important differences:
Teeth Differences
The main difference between these two groups of animals lies in their teeth:
- All lagomorphs have six incisors: 4 in the upper jaw and 2 in the lower jaw.
- Rodents, on the other hand, have a total of 4 incisor teeth: 2 in the upper jaw and 2 in the lower jaw.
The main confusion about this characteristic is because both rodents’ and lagomorphs’ teeth are very sharp and never stop growing, so these animals tend to gnaw and feed on dry and hard food to undergo a natural wearing process.
Both species wear out their incisors in a similar way, to ensure that they remain the right size and to prevent them from overgrowing. Overgrowth can lead to mouth injuries and other health problems.
Upper Lip
There is another difference between rodents and lagomorphs, their upper lip. Several rodents have their upper lip divided into two, which is known as cleft lip.
Lagomorphs also exhibit this trait, but it is more pronounced than in rodents. In lagomorphs, both parts of the lip are fully separated from each other.
Here, it is pertinent to point out that lagomorphs further subdivide into two distinct families: the Leporidae, which includes rabbits and hares, and the Ochotonidae, which includes pikas. That is why everything related to rabbits and hares is called Leporidae.
Ears
Lagomorphs have long ears in proportion to their body. The ears play an active role in the self-regulation of body heat in lagomorphs. They are the primary organ with which they control their body temperature.
Rodents, on the other hand, have small, rounded ears. The size of a rodent’s ears is proportional to its body size.
Amount of Hair
One of the most striking characteristics of the rabbits is their soft and beautiful coat. The lagomorphs are characterized by having all their extremities covered with hair.
Such is not true of rodents. Many rodents are characterized by having ears, legs, and tails which lack hair. However, the chinchilla stands out among them because it has one of the most beautiful and softest coats in the animal kingdom.
Musculoskeletal System
Generally speaking, rodent’s skeleton does not differ much from that of other mammals. However, the rabbit’s bones are weak and lightweight, which renders them vulnerable to breakage as a result of rough manipulation. Also, their hind legs have stronger muscles in adaptation to jumping.
Natural Habitat and Burrows
One other important distinction that we can point out between lagomorphs and rodents relates to the way they make their burrows. In the wild, lagomorphs always make their burrows underground. Nevertheless, not all rodents live underground.
Rodents have different ways of making their homes and nests, and not all of them are underground. These small creatures can make their nests in various places like bushes, pipes, in elevated areas, at ground level, or even in people’ s houses.
As for their natural habitat, we can say that we can find lagomorph species in forests, deserts, and even in the Arctic. Rodents, on the other hand, are global. We can find these ingenious animals scattered all over the planet, except for Arctic regions.
Nutrition
The nature of their digestive tracts determines the type of nutrition in both of these animal species. Lagomorphs are herbivores. They have a diet consisting of hay, vegetables, and fruits.
Lagomorphs are also coprophagous. Their digestive system degrades plant matter at the level of the cecum in the large intestine, as there are colonies of specialized microorganisms that also provide protein and vitamin B12. However, their large intestine can not absorb these nutrients, so they are excreted through primary stools called cecotropes. Lagomorphs then ingest these cecotropes reincorporating these substances into the body.
Unlike lagomorphs, rodents are omnivores. Although many people consider them as herbivores, some species such as rats, mice, and hamsters eat everything from seeds, vegetables, fruits, crickets, worms, and even meat.
The Most Numerous
Rodents are the most numerous mammals on the planet. They include 2,280 species like rats, mice, porcupines, gerbils, squirrels, hamsters, beavers, chinchillas, dormice, marmots, and prairie dogs, among many others. Lagomorphs, on the other hand, are comprised of only 78 different species, including rabbits, pikas, and hares.
Of all the rodent species, only a few have managed to earn a place as pets, although they are now highly valued and loved animals that come to form part of the family.
More About Rodents
In other publications, we have highlighted the main characteristics of the rabbits. On this occasion, we think it is pertinent to know a little more about the rodents.
Rodents, like lagomorphs, are highly intelligent mammals. For some years now, they have been gaining popularity among pet owners, as they are easy to look after, to keep clean, and they do not take up much space in our homes.
Their high capacity for reproduction and adaptation to the environment is what has possibly made them proliferate in all corners of the planet.
As we have already mentioned, rodents are mammals, and they characterize by their teeth. They have four incisor teeth, two in the upper jaw and two in the lower jaw, which never stops growing. Therefore, rodents must keep gnawing continuously to wear their teeth out and keep them healthy.
There are many types of rodents, and they come in many sizes and colors. The smallest rodents in the world are the pygmy gerbils, which weigh barely 3 grams. The largest is the capybara that can weigh up to 35 kilograms and reach the size of a medium-sized dog. To be considered as pets, they do not need to go to these extremes. The examples just mentioned are considered wild animals and are exceedingly difficult to care for in captivity.
Basic Rodent Care
Domestic rodents are considered exotic animals. However, a wild rodent may have little chance of surviving or adapting as a pet.
Unfortunately, many smaller rodents such as mice and rats have a short lifespan, between two and three years. Others, like chinchillas and hamsters, however, can live up to fifteen years, depending on our cares.
Rodents are omnivorous. Many feed on seeds or plants, although some have more varied diets. Although they mostly feed on fruits and vegetables, in some cases such as mice, rats, and hamsters, they may also consume worms or meat that provide them with protein. Their food should always be fresh, washed, and raw. They should not consume oils, salt, sugar, or foods that contain additives. Also, they should have a permanent water supply.
The cage should be of an adequate size to fit the animal. It should also contain an area where the animal can rest and feel safe. We must clean the cage at least once a week.
Final Thoughts
Despite the many similarities that we can find between rodents and lagomorphs, and the mistakes that many people still make when classifying rabbits, there is a lot of differences between them as we have already seen.
Rabbits have always had a good reputation among pet owners because of their beauty and charm. Humans have been domesticating rabbits for many years, so it is more common to find a rabbit as a pet than a rodent.
Even though rodents are the most common and widespread mammals in existence, there are still many misconceptions about them. There are many things that pet owners still need to know about these creatures. Only a few types of rodents are usually seen as companion animals. Throughout history, many rodents have been seen as terrible pests, feeding on stored seeds, or disseminating disease. Although very few rodents have spread as companion animals, these are the ones that have given the correct image of the group in general.
The truth is that, just like rabbits, there are many species or breeds of rodents that can make good pets. You only have to consider their physical and social needs, so that they can have a good life, and can offer all their love and attention to their owners.
It is crucial to understand the nature of our pets. Knowing their needs is the only way we can provide them with everything they need to enjoy a happy life.
