Rodents
Nearly 40% of mammal species are rodents, and they are found on every continent except Antarctica. Rodents include mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks and beavers, among others.
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Ah, the great marmot vs. groundhog distinction. These two burrowing, chubby members of the squirrel family that are often mistaken for the same animal.
By Talon Homer
When you think of rodents, you might think of tiny mice running through your cellar or the adorable hamster that was your 5th grade class pet.
By Ada Tseng
The naked mole rat (Heterocephalus glaber) is found in the dry regions of East Africa. These hairless, wrinkly rodents live in underground colonies that function more like insect hives than typical mammal groups.
By Mack Hayden
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A study at the University of Exeter in January 2020 found that squirrels that strongly favored a paw - whether right or left - perform less well at learning tasks. Ah ... OK. So. Many. Questions.
Determining whether you're dealing with a rat vs. mouse infestation is the first step in solving the problem.
By Yara Simón
Pinning down chipmunk vs. squirrel identification is trickier than you might expect. The differences between the species largely come down to size and habitat.
By Sascha Bos
There are tons of squirrel species around the world. Do they all have the same life span?
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Don't freak out with worry if you see a splooting squirrel - he's just cooling off in the best way he knows how.
Hibernating mammals like ground squirrels can build some muscle mass during their big sleep, with the help of gut bacteria.
Leucistic squirrels are rare, but Brevard, North Carolina has a thriving population.
With a little pig snout and the locomotion of a kangaroo, these tiny desert rodents hardly ever drink water and rarely urinate.
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They look a lot like beavers and the two rodents have a lot in common. But muskrats are their own species with their own signature scent.
By Meg Sparwath
Red squirrels have a big attitude, which might have to due with their small size. They have to act big. And they do so with noisy and aggressive behavior.
By Mark Mancini
These chunky little guys aren't dogs at all. They're actually part of the rodent family, and they're shockingly smart.
By Meg Sparwath
Lemmings don't commit mass suicide as is popularly believed, but they are aggressive and have even been known to charge larger predators.
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It's an age-old question. How much wood would a woodchuck chuck? Turns out, none at all. So what would a woodchuck chuck if it couldn't chuck wood?
By Katie Carman
But, squirrels that strongly prefer one hand over the other aren't as good at learning, one study suggests. What does this mean for you and me?
Beaver attacks get a lot of media attention but are beavers really crazed killers that we should be afraid of? And what good do they really do?
Groundhogs don't actually make great weathermen, but they are pretty cool in every other respect.
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Arguably the most charming rodent in the world, the capybara is also the largest.
These adorable little rodents are popular as pets, but they require some special care.
There doesn't seem to be much of a gray area. Most people are a hard yes or yard no.
By Meg Sparwath
Perhaps it's a mating signal. Or meant to confuse owls and other predators. Or maybe it's just for looks.
By Jamie Allen
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The old saw about cats being good catchers of rats was finally put to scientific study - and the results were pretty sad.
It's a natural phenomenon known as a 'squirrel king.' But what's the deal and why do squirrels get tangled up?
By Jamie Allen