Rat or mouse, coypu or muskrat, field mouse or dormouse: certain mammals belonging to the order of rodents (
Rodentia
) look similar. They are all linked by one thing in common: they have, on each jaw, a single pair of incisors. This is often useful to them. It allows them to gnaw food, of course, but also to defend themselves in the event of a fight and to dig underground galleries.
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3.6 million domestic rodents in France
Rodents are found on every continent except Antarctica. These animals are mostly small, stocky and have short legs. However, they should not be underestimated: they represent 40% of mammal species. It is thus the most diverse order, ahead of that of Chiroptera (the order of bats), with more than 2000 species. The list of rodents is long and includes many domestic animals (chinchilla, gerbil, mouse, hamster, guinea pig, etc.). A common mistake is to add rabbits, hares, shrews or pikas, which do not belong to
Rodentia
.
Pet rodents appeal to many French people. According to figures from Kantar for the Federation of Animal Food Manufacturers (Facco), France has nearly 3.6 million domestic rodents. This is more than the number of terrarium animals and that of equines, but it is less than cats, dogs, birds and even fish.
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