The Truth About. Rodents. by Kate Johanns HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

Transcription

1 The Truth About Rodents by Kate Johanns HOUGHTON MIFFLIN

2 The Truth About Rodents by Kate Johanns PHOTOGRAPHY CREDITS: Cover Arco Images/Alamy; tp Anthony Bannister/Animals Animals Earth Scenes All rights reserved; 3 Arco Images/Alamy; 5 Ethan Meleg/Getty Images; 6 Larry Lee Photography/Corbis; 7 Anthony Bannister/Animals Animals Earth Scenes All rights reserved; 8 Nicholas Bergkessel, Jr./Photo Researchers, Inc.; 9 Tom Lazar/Animals Animals Earth Scenes All rights reserved.; Arco Images/Alamy; 13 Dennie Cody/Getty Images; 14 Altrendo Nature/Getty Images. Copyright by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying or recording, or by any information storage or retrieval system without the prior written permission of the copyright owner unless such copying is expressly permitted by federal copyright law. With the exception of nonprofit transcription into Braille, Houghton Mifflin is not authorized to grant permission for further uses of this work. Permission must be obtained from the individual copyright owner as identified herein. Address requests for permission to make copies of Houghton Mifflin material to School Permissions, Houghton Mifflin Company, 222 Berkeley Street, Boston, MA Printed in China ISBN-13: ISBN-10: RRD

3 Table of Contents The World of Rodents 4 Busy, Busy Beavers 5 The Prickly Porcupine 7 Nothing Nutty About Squirrels 8 Prairie Dog Towns 9 Eek! A Mouse and a Rat! 10 More Pet Rodents 11 Caring for Your Pet Rodent 12 The Truth About Rodents 13 Glossary 14

4 When you tell a friend that you re about to read a book about rodents, he or she might say, Ewww! Rodents are gross! However, the world of rodents is actually very interesting. Once you are familiar with some of the approximately 1,500 species of rodents, you ll find there is a lot to appreciate about these little mammals. Gerbils are a type of rodent kept as a pet. They grow to be about 4 inches long. 3

5 The World of Rodents Rodents can be found in nearly every type of habitat, from prairie to forest to desert. Most rodents are nocturnal, which means that they are most active at night, and many are scared of blaring noises. In addition, rodents can grow anywhere from 4 inches to 4 feet long! All rodents have a pair of incisors in each jaw. These teeth continue to grow throughout their life. The front of an incisor is covered by an extra layer of hard material. This layer helps the tooth keep its chisel shape as the rodent chews on things. 4

6 Busy, Busy Beavers The beaver is the largest rodent found in North America. Most adult beavers weigh between 40 and 70 pounds. They live in family groups near rivers, streams, lakes, and marshes. Beavers have large, nearly hairless tails that they slap against the water when they want to warn others about a predator. Their tails can make quite a racket! A beaver s webbed feet help it swim and work underwater. 5

7 Beavers have a thick layer of fat that helps them stay warm underwater. They make their fur waterproof by coating themselves with an oily substance that their bodies make. Beavers put a lot of effort into building dome-shaped lodges and dams. Some dams are as tall as ten feet. Dams offer wetland habitats for many species, but they can also cause flooding. Beavers use mud and sticks to build their dams. 6

8 The Prickly Porcupine You probably recognize a porcupine by its quills, which are hairs with sharp tips on the ends. The quills are hollow, and they are used to help porcupines float in water. The main purpose of quills, however, is protection. A porcupine can strike a predator with its tail. Then the quills get stuck in the predator, and it goes running! A porcupine may have as many as 30,000 quills! 7

9 Nothing Nutty About Squirrels The rodent we see most often in the wild is the squirrel. There are more than 200 species of squirrels, including the Indian giant squirrel, which grows to be an amazing 3 feet long. Some types of squirrels are ground, tree, and flying. Squirrels eat caterpillars and insects in addition to nuts, leaves, seeds, and roots. The flying squirrel doesn t really fly. It has a loose fold of skin between its arms and legs, which stretches and helps it glide from one tree to another. Flying squirrels can be found in many forests across the United States. 8

10 Prairie Dog Towns The prairie dog is a cousin of the ground squirrel. This very social rodent lives in groups called prairie dog towns. You ll find prairie dog towns on short-grassed prairies in the American West. Prairie dogs don t live in areas with long grass because it would make it difficult for them to spot predators. Some species of prairie dogs are considered endangered or threatened. Unlike most rodents, prairie dogs are most active during the day. 9

11 Eek! A Mouse and a Rat! Some species of mice and rats are bred to be pets. Make sure that your pet mouse or rat comes from a special breeder, pet store, or rescue group. Never touch a wild mouse or rat. Pet mice live about two years, and pet rats live about three years. If you want a pet mouse, consider what other types of pets you have. Rats, ferrets, and cats all prey on mice! Pet rats are very different from rats found in the wild. 10

12 More Pet Rodents Hamsters, guinea pigs, gerbils, and chinchillas also make excellent pets. Hamsters love to collect food and carry it in special pouches in their cheeks. They also perform playful feats on their exercise wheel. Guinea pigs often squeal when their favorite humans enter the room. Gerbils have poor eyesight, but their senses of hearing and smell are highly developed. A chinchilla s soft fur makes it a fun pet. 11

13 Caring for Your Pet Rodent If you choose to adopt a rodent, here are a few tips for taking care of your new pet: Experts suggest that you feed rodents a combination of seeds, grains, and pellets. Rodents need fresh, clean water at all times. Remove droppings and uneaten food each day, and clean the cage every week. Promptly return your rodent to his or her cage after playtime. These pets get lost easily! Rodents need lots of exercise, so make sure your pet has an exercise wheel and can climb around in the cage. Remember always to wash your hands after handling your rodent. 12

14 The Truth About Rodents As you have learned, rodents don t deserve their bad reputation. The 1,500 species of rodents form a group that includes a wide variety of animals. The next time someone tells you that rodents are gross, introduce your friend to some of the interesting information you ve learned about this fascinating group of small mammals. Rodents can make great pets. 13

15 Glossary Endangered At risk of becoming extinct, or no longer existing. Incisor A front tooth used for cutting. Prairie A large area of flat land covered by grass. Predator An animal that eats another animal. The well-known groundhog is a rodent too! 14

16 Responding TARGET VOCABULARY Word Builder Many words have endings added to the end of them. In the word promptly, -ly is added at the end. Think of some other words that have -ly added to the end of them. Copy and complete the word web below. promptly lovely Words ending with -ly?? Write About It Text to Text Write a paragraph about a book you have read that describes a pet or animal and how to take care of it. Use two words from the Word Builder in your paragraph. 15

17 TARGET VOCABULARY appreciate blaring combination effort feats introduce nocturnal promptly racket suggest TARGET STRATEGY Summarize Briefly tell the important parts of the text in your own words. What kind of loud noise does a tennis player make? 16

18 Level: R DRA: 40 Science Strategy: Summarize Word Count: Build Vocabulary HOUGHTON MIFFLIN Online Leveled Books ISBN-13: ISBN-10: