A Better Mousetrap Trivia Quiz

Answer: A rat can go without water longer than a camel can.

The rat is an amazing animal. They will take care of the sick and injured in their group. They are very sociable and need other rats with which to interact. So if you see one rat, you can be sure there are others around. When happy, they chatter or grind their teeth, which are harder than iron. Social grooming is a big part of their daily lives.

The intelligent rat can make a very good pet. They are very adaptable, become fertile by the age of five weeks, and can go without water longer than a camel can. Simply amazing!

Answer: Dry desert regions

The gerbil prefers to live in dry deserts, or woodland savannas. Unlike most rodents, it hops instead of running. It has fur all the way down to the tip of its tail to keep it from getting a sunburnt. Gerbils are social animals that love to live in large groups. Gerbils are notoriously bad swimmers and take sand baths instead of water baths.

They prefer to eat seeds, small fruits, and insects. Gerbils make a gentle affectionate pet, and are cleaner and quieter than some other types of rodents.

Answer: Kit

Groundhog kits, or pups, are born helpless and are blind and without hair. They stay with their parents for five to six weeks at which time they are weaned. Groundhogs are excellent diggers and are one of the few rodents that actually hibernate. They do not make good pets as they need to dig regularly and can become aggressive.

They may look sweet and cuddly, but they are not. Groundhogs only live 5-6 years in the wild and it is usually less than that. They are omnivorous and will eat insects, grubs, berries, and wild grass.

The groundhog is also known as a woodchuck.

Answer: Africa

Beavers are one of the most fascinating and important rodents on the planet. Their building of river dams has more effect on the ecosystem than any animal other than humans. Their dams can be quite large and cause localized flooding. While many rodents make good pets the beaver does not.

They need their watery habitat as well as their family to keep them happy. At about three years old, they choose a mate and stay with them for life. They produce a litter of about five every year and both parents assist with taking care of them. Beavers are faster in the water than they are on land and have been known to stay underwater for over ten minutes at a time. Beavers are found in North America, northern Europe and Russia.

Answer: Balance

A squirrel's tail serves three main functions. It uses its tail for protection from bad weather by wrapping its tail over its body. During the summer, squirrels pump more blood into their tails which, in turn, lowers its body temperature. The other main purpose of their pretty tails is as a counterbalance while climbing and jumping through the trees it calls home.

It is also used as a signal to communicate interest or danger. There are many different types of squirrels and they come in a variety of colors, but they all have the lovely bushy tail. Squirrels do not make good pets but some people try to domesticate them with limited success.

Answer: Sight

Hamsters are very short-sighted as well as color-blind. The name 'hamster' come from German and means 'to hoard'. It is probably a reference to their big cheek pouches. Hamsters come in a variety of colors and will eat seeds, nuts, berries, and insects.

A male hamster is called a boar, and the female is called a sow. Their offspring are called pups. Hamsters are nocturnal and they need to have water available at all times. Pet hamsters have a lifespan of two to three years, while in the wild it is much shorter.

Answer: False

For many years, many people thought that this was true, but in reality, this idea is just a myth. The quills lie flat against their soft fur until the animal feels threatened, at which time they stand up. It usually only takes a predator one time to realize he wants to steer clear of this prickly rodent. Porcupines are found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica.

They eat wood, fruit, grass, and leaves. Their quills are soft at birth and harden within a few days. They do not make good pets.

Answer: Jerboa

The tiny jerboa is an unusual looking animal, usually found in arid regions of Europe, Asia, and Africa. Many have long ears, similar to a rabbit. They have long tails like a mouse. They have long back legs with which they hop like a kangaroo. There is not a lot known about these rodents because they are nocturnal, live in desert regions, and are very shy.

They appear to feed on insects which they catch by jumping in the air.

Answer: North Africa

The desert living gundi have large ears, that are not particularly long. Found in arid regions of North Africa, their soft fur covers their whole body including their short tail. They do not drink water, obtaining all needed moisture from the foliage that they eat. Gundis do not make nests nor burrow in the ground as most rodents do.

Instead they shelter in crevices in an attempt to get away from the sun. They are one of most vocal of all rodents, one of the reasons for the large ears.

Answer: True

Found only on the Caribbean islands, the surviving species of hutia are mostly threatened. Many species are extinct, mostly due to habitat loss, but also due to being hunted as food. They usually sit while eating in the same manner that a squirrel does, but without the flamboyant tail.

These small herbivores to have tails of various kinds including two species that have prehensile tails. Most hutia are nocturnal and at night they can be heard running around residential areas feeding on any food they can find while attempting not to become food themselves.

They do not make good pets for most people.