TABLE 6-4.
Useful Information for Rodents and Rabbits
| Hamster | Rabbit | Mouse | Rat | Gerbil | Guinea pig | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weight at birth | 2 g | 100 g | 1.5 g | 5.5 g | 3 g | 100 g |
| Puberty | (F) 28–31 days | 4–9 mo | 35 days | 50–60 days | (F) 3–5 mo | (F) 20–30 days |
| (M) 45 days | (M) 10–12 wk | (M) 70 days | ||||
| (best to breed 70 days) | ||||||
| Duration of estrous cycle* | 4 days | Ovulation not spontaneous; stimulated by copulation; doe ovulates 10–13 hr after | 4 days | 4 days | 4 days | 16 days |
| Gestation (days) | 16 | 28–36 | 19–21 | 21–23 | 24 | 62–72 |
| Separation of adults during parturition and weaning | Yes | Yes | No | No | No (mates for life) | No |
| Number per liter | 4–10 | 7 | 10 | 8–10 | 1–12 | 1–4 |
| Eyes open | 15 days | 10 days | 11–14 days | 14–17 days | 16–20 days | Prior to birth |
| Wean at | 25 days | 42–56 days | 21 days | 21 days | 21 days | 14–21 days or 160 g |
| Postpartum estrus | Within 24 hr | 14 days | Within 24–48 hr | Within 24–48 hr | Within 24–72 hr | Within 24 hr |
| Breeding life | 11–18 mo | 1–3 years (max.6 yr) | 12–18 mo | 14 mo | 15–20 mo | 3–4 yr |
| Adult weight | (F) 120 g | (F) 4.0 kg | (F) 30 g | (F) 300 g | (F) 75 g | (F) 850 g |
| (M) 108 g | (M) 4.3 kg | (M) 39 g | (M) 500 g | (M) 85 g | (M) 1000 g | |
| Life span (yr) | 2–3 | 5–7 | 3.0–3.5 | 3 | 4 | 4–5 |
| Body temperature | 97° –101 °F | 101° –103.2 °F | 96.4° –100 °F | 99.5° –100.6 °F | 100.8 °F | 100.4° –102.5 °F |
| (36.1° –38.3 °C) | (38.3° –39.5 °C) | (35.8° –37.7 °C) | (37.5° –38.1 °C) | (32.8 °C) | (38–39.2 °C) | |
| Daily adult water consumption | 8–12 mL/day | 80 mL/kg body weight | 3–3.5 mL/day | 20–30 mL/day | 4 mL/day | 10 mL/100 g body weight |
| Daily adult food consumption (varies with age and condition) | 7–12 g/day | 100–150 g/day | 2.5–4.0 g/day | 20–40 g/day | 10–15 g/day | 30–35 g/day |
| Diet | Commercial rat, mouse, or hamster chow supplemented with kale,† cabbage,† apples, milk | Commercial rabbit pellets, greens in moderation | Commercial mouse chow | Commercial rat or mouse chow | Commercial mouse or rat chow (lowest fat possible); sunflower seeds | Commercial guinea pig chow, good-quality hay, kale, cabbage, fruits (cannot rely on vitamin C levels of commercial ration) |
| Room temperature | 65° –75 °F | 62° –68 °F | 70° –80 °F | 76° –18 °F | 65° –80 °F | 65° –75 °F |
| (18.3° –24 °C) | (17° –20 °C) | (21° –27 °C) | (24.5° –25.5 °C) | (18.3° –26.6 °C) | (18.3° –24 °C) | |
| Humidity (%) | 50 | 50 | 50 | 50 | <50 | 50 |
*
All species listed except rabbits are seasonally polyestrous.
†
Better source of vitamin C than lettuce.
From Schuchman SM: Individual care and treatment of rabbits, mice, rats, guinea pigs, hamsters, and gerbils. In Kirk RW, ed: Current Veterinary Therapy X.Philadelphia, WB Saunders, 1989, p 739.