The Loose Moose and Other Animal Rhymes Quiz

Answer: Nice mice

Mice typically eat between 15 and 20 times a day. Because of their frequent eating habits, they prefer to build their homes near food sources...that's probably your ceiling space! They live about five months in the wild, but if you have them in a cage, it's not unheard of for them to live a couple of years. That's nice, right?

Answer: Shy fly

Most of the house flies I know are not shy. They like to get as close to me as possible when I'm eating, just like a dog. Flies live a couple of weeks, but in that time can lay up to 500 eggs. Observing the development stages of fly maggots is important in forensic detective work, and honestly, they are welcome to all of mine!

Answer: Carrot parrot

Ever wondered how to pronounce' psittacine'? Leave off the P... it's sit-ah-seen. There are four main families of these gregarious birds, including the one that boasts galahs and cockatoos amongst its members. They are found mostly in tropical and subtropical regions.

Answer: Big pig

Pigs are really clever. Research indicates they have a high cognitive ability and they are able to play complex games, recognise their own name, learn basic commands and tricks, and even use tools. Very social creatures, pigs like to be in groups and even snuggle up together for company and warmth.

Answer: Gator dater

American alligators were once so rare that they were placed on the endangered species list in 1967. Since then they have recovered well and are no longer considered endangered. They can live for an incredible 30-50 years, and weight up to 454 kg (1000 lbs). In the wild, alligators are found in the USA and China - the latter are listed as critically endangered.

Answer: Oyster cloister

A cloister is a a covered walk-way in a religious setting such as a convent, monastery, or cathedral, typically with a terrace open to a quadrangle on one side. It may also be called a garth.

Oysters grow in sea beds and occur naturally in bays and rocky outcrops, but can be farmed successfully as well. Due to their breeding habits, in the northern hemisphere there's a saying that eating them should be avoided during any month that contains an 'r' - not because it's unsafe to eat, but because the flavour might be affected. There seems to be no such prohibition in the southern hemisphere, which is a good thing in the mind of this quizzer!

Answer: Baked snake

'Aspis' is a Greek word referring to several species of snake from the Nile region, and to the Egyptian cobra in particular. Though the word 'aspis' gave its name to the entire family of snakes for many years, the word 'asp' has since become rather obsolete. Possibly the most famous asp was the one responsible for the death of Cleopatra VII, the last ruler of Ptolemaic Egypt, who died in Alexandria when she was about 39 years old.

Answer: Merrier terrier

Terriers are bred to hunt and kill vermin, and guard their families. They are loyal, feisty and active, and love to have something to chase; their name derives from the Latin word 'terra', meaning earth. Most terriers were developed in the UK and named for the town or region in which they were bred, such as Yorkshire, Airedale and Irish, among others.

Answer: Remote goat

An ibex is a wild mountain goat endemic to the mountains of Europe, Asia, and northeastern Africa. There are several species including the Siberian, European or Alpine ibex. In Europe they live close to the snow line (that's really remote!) and live in exclusively female or male herds. The males have beards and spectacular ridged horns.

Answer: Beaut newt

The newt is one species of salamander, which is the name for an entire group of amphibians. They are semi-aquatic, and can alternate between aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Most of the species looks like a cross between a lizard and a frog. Although banned in Australia, about ten years ago newts were found in Melbourne.

Their adaptability means they have the potential to spread across the whole of the south-east region of Australia, threatening native wildlife.

Answer: Fat cat

Though commonly associated with ancient Egypt, French archaeologists discovered the 9,500 year-old remains of cats in Cyprus, in 2004.

Usually diminutive and dainty creatures, the longest recorded cat was a Maine Coon called Stewie, who measured 121cm (48.5in). The record for the tallest cat is 48cm (19.05 in) tall. Weighing 18.0 kg (39.6 lb) the fattest fat cat recorded was in 2012 in New Mexico, USA. His name was Meow and he lived just 2 years before dying of lung failure.

Answer: Pale whale

Humpbacks are a species of baleen whale that can grow up to 18.3m (60 ft) long and weigh up to 36.3 metric tons (80,000 lbs). Heard up to 32km (20 miles) away, male humpback whales create and sing songs.

Also, though they are called 'killer whales' orcas are in fact the largest member of the dolphin family. They were called killer whale by ancient mariners who noticed them ganging up to attack and kill whales. It is known that orcas will hunt and kills humpbacks.