What are your favourite rodents ?
- Thread starter Onychorhynchus coronatus
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- favourite species rodents
Well I thought my pick would be more popular but apparently it’s squirrel? Maybe because I grew up seeing them as pests? Anyway mine would have to be the Jerboa, just such an interesting species. Another would be Malagasy cloud rats.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
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Thanks for your comment @Westcoastperson !
Jerboas are another fantastic little species and from a fascinating habitat too.
Malagasy cloud rats
?I'm not extremely familiar with the mammalian biodiversity of Madagascar but though there are rats (one of which my favourite rodent species) I wasn't aware of cloud rats.
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Sorry I got mixed up with Malagasy jumping rats, no it’s just cloud rats. Cloud rats are from the Philippines I don’t know why my brain added Malagasy.Thanks for your comment @Westcoastperson !
Jerboas are another fantastic little species and from a fascinating habitat too.
Malagasy cloud rats
I'm not extremely familiar with the mammalian biodiversity of Madagascar but though there are rats (one of which my favourite rodent species) I wasn't aware of cloud rats.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
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No it's ok don't worry
Yes I agree they are very interesting looking and generally quite interesting too.
For me personally I am very interested in the conservation of this group of rodents in particular.
Have you seen these before at a zoo in the USA?
TheChukaulorian
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I have a soft spot for Degus, native to my country and also I've seen them in the wild. Same as chinchillas.
My favorite exotic rodents would be the Indian giant squirrel (its colors are amazing) and prehensile-tailed porcupine . I'm also fascinated by beavers because of their architectural and engineering abilities, so sad that they're an invasive species here in southern South America.
My favorite exotic rodents would be the Indian giant squirrel (its colors are amazing) and prehensile-tailed porcupine . I'm also fascinated by beavers because of their architectural and engineering abilities, so sad that they're an invasive species here in southern South America.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Thanks for the comment @TheChukaulorian !
Yes you have some really charismatic rodents in your country and I would also add the Vizcacha too ( if they do indeed occur in Chile ? Not 100% sure).
Where did you see the chinchilla wild in Chile and was it difficult ?
I know chinchillas are incredibly endangered across their range and that there are some interesting conservation programs working with the species in-situ.
Actually when you think about it it's suprising just how many iconic rodents kept as pets are either endangered in their wild state or have closely related species of the same family which are (European hamster short tailed chinchilla and the guinea pig with the Santa Catalina Island guinea pig come to mind).
Totally agree about the invasive beaver problem in that it's a pity to have to cull (and hopefully) and erradicate them but deeply necessary.
No I haven’t. Are they common out here? I know the American public isn’t very fond of rodents and I haven’t heard of there being much rodent diversity besides at Bronx.No it's ok don't worry
Yes I agree they are very interesting looking and generally quite interesting too.
For me personally I am very interested in the conservation of this group of rodents in particular.
Have you seen these before at a zoo in the USA?
Pantheraman
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Mine would be capybaras and the extinct Josephoartigasia (hopefully I spelled that right).
TheChukaulorian
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Yes there's the southern vizcacha (Lagidium viscacia) in the Andean slopes. Also seen in the wild
Reserva Nacional Las Chinchillas in the north. They aren't very abundant but relatively confident. They also exhibit a small captive population of chinchillas for conservation purposes iirc.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Im not 100 percent sure but I think I may have seen some pictures in the gallery on this site of cloud rats at zoos in the US.
I don't think most zoo visitors anywhere are very fond of rats or ratty looking rodents unfortunately (their loss IMO).
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Yes there's the southern vizcacha (Lagidium viscacia) in the Andean slopes. Also seen in the wild
Reserva Nacional Las Chinchillas in the north. They aren't very abundant but relatively confident. They also exhibit a small captive population of chinchillas for conservation purposes iirc.
Oh right
that's awesome !That's great that you have seen the species in the wild !
Most of us have only ever seen the chinchilla in pet shops or zoos but it is another thing entirely to see it in it's element in it's natural habitat.
Also great to hear that they have a captive colony on display to the visiting public and this sort of thing at National parks is always impressive to me.
Pantheraman
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Because to me, they're the a great relic from the Pleistocene and are a reminder of the unique animals that lived in South America.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
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Onychorhynchus coronatus
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North Luzon cloud rats at the Central Park Zoo that's the one I'd seen in the gallery.
Apart from that I have no idea if they are common in the US though.
At the moment, the most popular rodents are chinchillas, capybaras, maras and squirrels
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Not very keen on capybara but I can see the popularity of chinchillas and mara and am very fond of these rodents myself.
My significant other is resolved to get a pair of chinchillas soon as these are one of her favourite animals so it looks like I'll become a lot more familiar with these rodents.
felis silvestris
Well-Known Member
I quite like guniea pigs and rats