Rodents

Few phenomena are as strange, grotesque and captivating as the rat king — a creature that has fascinated and unsettled people for centuries.

By Nico Avelle

You’ve seen them pop up on Groundhog Day, predicting six more weeks of winter or the coming of spring. But what do groundhogs eat?

By Ada Tseng

These furry, acrobatic foragers can be found leaping through trees, raiding gardens, and even showing up at your squirrel feeder. But what do squirrels eat in the wild versus in urban areas?

By Mack Hayden

Rats are nature’s ultimate survivors. But what do rats eat? These highly adaptable rodents will chow down on just about anything they can find, from meat scraps to fruit trees.

By Yara Simón

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

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.

By Patty Rasmussen

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?

By Kristen Hall-Geisler

Don't freak out with worry if you see a splooting squirrel - he's just cooling off in the best way he knows how.

By Jesslyn Shields

Hibernating mammals like ground squirrels can build some muscle mass during their big sleep, with the help of gut bacteria.

By Jesslyn Shields

Leucistic squirrels are rare, but Brevard, North Carolina has a thriving population.

By Jesslyn Shields

With a little pig snout and the locomotion of a kangaroo, these tiny desert rodents hardly ever drink water and rarely urinate.

By Jesslyn Shields

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.

By Jesslyn Shields

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?

By Patty Rasmussen

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?

By Nathan Chandler

Groundhogs don't actually make great weathermen, but they are pretty cool in every other respect.

By Jesslyn Shields

Arguably the most charming rodent in the world, the capybara is also the largest.

By Jesslyn Shields

These adorable little rodents are popular as pets, but they require some special care.

By Jesslyn Shields