Small Animal

Rabbits and Hares, common name for certain small, furry mammals with long ears and short tails. Although the names rabbit and hare are often used interchangeably, in zoological classification the species called rabbits are characterized by the helplessness of their offspring, which are born naked and with closed eyes, and by their gregarious habit of living in colonies in underground burrows.

Chinchillas, common name for rodents found in the Andes at altitudes of about 3000 to 5000 m (about 10,000 to 16,000 ft).

Ferrets, small mammal belonging to the weasel family, having a long, slim body with short legs. The two kinds of ferrets are the domestic ferret and the black-footed ferret. When frightened, both types discharge a strong-smelling secretion from scent glands under the tail.

Guinea Pigs, common name for certain small rodents with short, rounded ears and no tails. They have small, stout bodies, about 20 to 40 cm (about 8 to 16 in) long. The hair in some species is long and varies in texture from rough to smooth. Some guinea pigs are solidly white, black, or tawny; others are white, streaked, or blotched with darker colors.

Rats, common name for any large member of a family of rodents, with dull-colored, coarse fur; long tails; large ears; and a pointed snout. Rats have extremely powerful teeth, with which they often gnaw through wooden planks to get at stores of food.

Gerbils, common name for any of several small, burrowing rodents that have soft, sand-colored fur, a mouselike face, and long hind legs that enable them to leap about like rodents such as jerboas and kangaroo rats.

Hamsters, common name for any of several rodents characterized by large food-carrying cheek pouches, thick fur, and a short tail. One species attains a length of about 30 cm (about 12 in). Hamsters live in many-chambered burrows 1 to 1.5 m (4 to 5 ft) below the surface of the ground in fields; they subsist mostly on cereal grains and may extensively damage crops.

Mice, common name for any small member of three families of rodents; large species of one of the families to which mice belong are known as rats (see Rat). The word mouse has no exact meaning in classification systems. Mice are numerous throughout most of the world, but for convenience they are often grouped as the Eurasian mice and the American mice.

Descriptions are from Encarta.com