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Pet Rodents Trivia Questions and Answers

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Related Questions & Answers:   Domestic Rats    Guinea Pigs (Cavies)    Other Domestic Animals    Pet Birds   

1. "Teddy bear hamster" is a common name for what type of hamster?


Answer: Syrian

Interesting Information:
Teddy bear/syrian hamsters are the largest domestic hamster, ranging in length from 6-7 inches (15-17 cm) in length. They can be easily identified by their particularly fluffy coats which are typically golden brown with lighter bands (an agouti coloration) Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Teddy Bear Hamster Total Care
 
Some incorrect choices:
Syberian, Russian dwarf, Black bear

2. Where do chinchillas sniff to identify the scent of another chinchilla?


Answer: noses

Interesting Information:
Chinchillas sniff each others noses. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Chinchillas?
 
Some incorrect choices:
rumps, ears, paws

3. Hamsters were named from the German word "hamstern" which means:


Answer: to hoard

Interesting Information:
It's because they store food in their cheeks and then hide it in their burrow for a rainy day. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Hamster Knowledge
 
Some incorrect choices:
to gnaw, to burrow, to crawl

4. Mice are nature's :


Answer: acrobats

Interesting Information:
Mice are natural "upside down" climbers and being tiny featherweights can climb obstacles which any other rodent would bend or break. As circus performers, they are "naturals" ! Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Mouse Mania
 
Some incorrect choices:
pets, friends, scavengers

5. When breeding gerbils, if you just want ONE litter, what do you do?


Answer: put the female in the male's cage and take her out right after they've mated

Interesting Information:
If the male is put in the female's cage, she'll eat him. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Gerbil Knowledge
 
Some incorrect choices:
put the male in the female's cage and take him out right after they've mated, put them together in one cage for a few days, put them together in a strange place to mate

6. What is the ideal temperature for hamsters?


Answer: 60 degrees to 72 degrees

Interesting Information:
If the temperature gets below 50 degrees hamsters go into hibernation. And they hardly ever live through temperatures below freezing. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Hamsters
 
Some incorrect choices:
58 degrees to 62 degrees, 74 degrees to 80 degrees, 82 degrees to 90 degrees

7. Where are chinchillas originally from?


Answer: South America

Interesting Information:
They are specifically from Peru, Bolivia, Chile and Argentina in South America. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: For Chinchilla Lovers
 
Some incorrect choices:
Russia, China, United States

8. The most commonly kept hamster is the Syrian hamster. What else is it sometimes known as?


Answer: teddy bear hamster

Interesting Information:
Some other nicknames of the Syrian hamster include golden hamster, standard hamster, and fancy hamster. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Species of Hamsters
 
Some incorrect choices:
common hamster, Brandt's hamster, cuddly hamster

9. Why might a standard wire cage be unsuitable for your gerbils?


Answer: All of these

Interesting Information:
Metal cages, plastic cages and glass aquariums can all be used for housing gerbils. Each of these has its own advantages and disadvantages. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Keeping Gerbils
 
Some incorrect choices:
They can kick the bedding out through the bars, making a mess, They will gnaw on the bars, rubbing away the fur on their noses, The cages are not deep enough for them to dig and burrow.

10. Which type of wood can chinchillas NOT have?


Answer: elderberry bushes

Interesting Information:
Your chinchillas can have wood from beech, willow, spuce, unsprayed fruit trees, or hazelnut bushes. Chinchillas will die from elderberry, as it's poisonous. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Chinchillas?
 
Some incorrect choices:
beech, hazel nut bushes, willow

11. What is the most common type of gerbil?


Answer: Mongolian gerbil

Interesting Information:
Mongolian gerbils are brown with black and white markings. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Gerbils
 
Some incorrect choices:
Albino gerbil, Black with white markings, All black

12. The natural habitat of the Golden hamster is:


Answer: the desert

Interesting Information:
That's why they need their exercise wheel - they have to run miles at night in the desert to find enough food. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Hamster Knowledge
 
Some incorrect choices:
the forest, the grasslands, the mountains

13. What is another name for the common disease chinchillas get, intestinal infection?


Answer: Enteritis

Interesting Information:
Signs of this illness are as follows: depression, loss of appetite, and partial paralysis. Recovery from this infectious disease is difficult. It often results in death. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Chinchillas
 
Some incorrect choices:
Ringworm, Malocclusion, Pneumonia

14. How many babies on average do mice have per litter?


Answer: 8-13

Interesting Information:
Most mice have between 8 to 13 babies per litter. However some genetically modified mice in laboratories have anything up to 26 babies at one time. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: Mouse Mania
 
Some incorrect choices:
1-3, 25-30, 30+

15. Where is the best place for a hamster's cage?


Answer: Table height

Interesting Information:
Hamsters will catch colds easily if exposed to drafts, that's why you shouldn't keep the cage on the floor. A tall book case is too high up, and their cage could easily fall. And a bathtub just isn't practical. Difficulty: Average.

From Quiz: Hamsters
 
Some incorrect choices:
On the floor, On top of a tall book case, In the bathtub

16. When do chinchillas sleep?


Answer: Daytime

Interesting Information:
Chinchillas sleep during the day and are most active during the twilight hours of the morning and evening. They are crepuscular. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: For Chinchilla Lovers
 
Some incorrect choices:
Nightime, Never, All the time

17. During normal activities, Percy Chinchilla makes this type of noise:


Answer: Shrill whistle

Interesting Information:
Occasionally Percy will grunt but these precede his whistles. There is no singing or hooting from a chinchilla.

Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Chinchillas Love Safety First
 
Some incorrect choices:
Grunting, Hooting, Singing a repetitive melody

18. Originally found in the Middle East, this hamster is one of the few that does not have cheek pouches. What is it called?


Answer: mouse-like hamster

Interesting Information:
The mouse-like hamster usually only breeds between March and June, and typically only have one or two litters of three to four young per year. They are not commonly seen in the wild, but recently zoos in the UK have begun importing them. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Species of Hamsters
 
Some incorrect choices:
lesser long-tailed hamster, Ladak hamster, Roborovski hamster

19. What is the average life span of a chinchilla?


Answer: 8-10 years

Interesting Information:
With proper care chinchillas can live up to 18 years. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Chinchillas
 
Some incorrect choices:
3-7 years, 6 years, 2 years

20. After giving birth, a female mouse will come into heat again within:


Answer: 32 hours

Interesting Information:
In the intensive breeding program, female mice come into postpartum estrus within 32 hours of giving birth. If a newly pregnant female mouse is put with a strange male mouse, she will absorb the embyros into her system and come into estrus again to mate with the new male.
However, in non-intensive breeding programs, if the male is removed from the female as soon as mating takes place, after the babies have been weaned, it can be up to five days after she is back with the male before mating takes place again. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Mouse Mania
 
Some incorrect choices:
2 weeks, 1 day, 2 hours

21. Which sex is more aggressive and likely to escape?


Answer: female

Interesting Information:
Females are programmed to protect young. They are more aggressive in most species. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Gerbil Knowledge

22. Although all these can be found, what color of fur on the chinchilla was originally the most common?


Answer: Gray

Interesting Information:
The original dominant color of a chinchilla was gray, but breeders have created new colors. The other choices are less common and are likely to be more expensive to buy. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: For Chinchilla Lovers
 
Some incorrect choices:
White, Violet, Black

23. One behavior problem Percival, my chinchilla, manifests is throwing his food out of the feeder. This is primarily due to:


Answer: Food has nuggets of goodies the chinchilla prefers to the food pellets

Interesting Information:
According to experienced owners and our veterinarian, Percy is searching for sweetmeats in the food I purchased in the past. Now I purchase plain food pellets so he will not throw it. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Chinchillas Love Safety First
 
Some incorrect choices:
Food pellets are too dry, Digging for food is natural for a chinchilla, Percy enjoys flinging his food

24. What do chinchillas bathe in?


Answer: volcanic ash dust

Interesting Information:
I use volcanic ash for my chinchillas even though you can use a mixture. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Chinchillas?
 
Some incorrect choices:
wet grass, water, shampoo

25. What is Fur Slip?


Answer: Loss of hair when handled roughly

Interesting Information:
Chinchillas may appear to be hardy creatures, and they are. But they require their owner to handle them gently. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Chinchillas
 
Some incorrect choices:
When chinchillas shed, When chinchillas sweat and their fur becomes slippery, When chinchillas fight and pluck each other's fur out

26. The most common killer of mice is :


Answer: viral pneumonia

Interesting Information:
Although all three of these illnesses do of course kill mice - particularly cancer - the most prolific is viral pneumonia which is a form of "flu". This can and does sweep through entire colonies, killing adults and young indiscriminately. There is little that can be done to save mice with this illness. By the time they are discovered hunched up with their eyes closed, fighting for breath, it is generally too late. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Mouse Mania
 
Some incorrect choices:
heart disease, cancer, gastroenteritis

27. How much does a chinchilla weigh?


Answer: 16-24 ounces

Interesting Information:
A chinchilla called a lanigera weighs 16 to 24 ounces. A Brevicauda, much larger then the Lanigera weighs more then 24 ounces. The smallest type of chinchilla callled the Costina weighs less then 20 ounces. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: For Chinchilla Lovers
 
Some incorrect choices:
5-10 ounces, 2 lbs, 10-15 ounces

28. What is an example of a good fresh food supplement to add in to a teddy bear hamster's diet?


Answer: None of these

Interesting Information:
Iceberg lettuce offers no nutritional value and if given too much will cause diarrhea. Citrus fruits are known to be harmful and too acidic for hamsters to digest.

Some examples of healthy fresh foods are:
-Kale
-Celery leaves
-Broccoli
-Strawberries
Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Teddy Bear Hamster Total Care
 
Some incorrect choices:
Iceberg lettuce, Orange segments, Grapefruit pieces

29. What mountain range are chinchillas from?


Answer: Andes

Interesting Information:
Chinchillas live in South America in the Andes. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Chinchillas?

30. How many species of hamster are there in the sub family of Cricetinae?


Answer: around 24

Interesting Information:
They range in size from the tiny dwarfs that measure only 2 to 4 inches in length to the common hamster which may reach lengths of up to 8 to 11 inches. Only five species are commonly kept as pets, though. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Hamster Knowledge
 
Some incorrect choices:
around 48, around 36, around 8

31. When having two chinchillas in one cage, the most likely ones to get along are?


Answer: Mother and Daughter

Interesting Information:
If you have chinchillas together, it is better to have a mother and daughter, father and son, two brothers or two sisters combination. If you have a mother and son, father and daughter or brother and sister combination, they will mate. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: For Chinchilla Lovers
 
Some incorrect choices:
Mother and Son, Father and Daughter, Better by themselves.

32. The most ideal cage liner for a chinchilla consists of:


Answer: Newspaper and absorbent bedding material like straw or chips

Interesting Information:
It is all about odor control in my home. Elevate bedding with a cage-type bottom so the waste drops through the screen. All of the other might be used for cage lining but do not control odor as effectively; change the bottom of the cage every week or so. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Chinchillas Love Safety First
 
Some incorrect choices:
Newspaper only, Absorbent charcoal or volcanic material, Cat litter that clumps when there is waste

33. About how many chinchillas does it take to make a fur coat?


Answer: 100

Interesting Information:
Chinchillas are endangered and it is hard to find them, so chinchilla coats run about $25,000. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Chinchillas?
 
Some incorrect choices:
1, 10, 1000

34. What is the normal breeding season for chinchillas?


Answer: Between November and May

Interesting Information:
Female chinchillas come into their estrous cycle every 30 to 50 days. They can be very aggressive towards their mate when in heat. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Chinchillas
 
Some incorrect choices:
Between May and August, Between August and January, Between July and September

35. Gerbils are best described as:


Answer: pack animals

Interesting Information:
They get very sad when they are alone. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Gerbil Knowledge
 
Some incorrect choices:
solitary animals, stinky, poor pets

36. How long can you expect your pet hamster to live?


Answer: Between one and two years

Interesting Information:
Most hamsters live for no more than two years, although there are exceptions. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Hamsters
 
Some incorrect choices:
Around ten years, Less than since months, About five years

37. What type of weather does a chinchilla like the most?


Answer: Cold

Interesting Information:
Being that the chinchillas fur is so thick, they like cold weather. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: For Chinchilla Lovers
 
Some incorrect choices:
Hot, Warm, All

38. Why shouldn't you give your gerbils cardboard tubes to play with?


Answer: There's no reason why they shouldn't play with cardboard tubes

Interesting Information:
Cardboard tubes, such as the kind you find inside toilet rolls, are an ideal toy for gerbils. They have fun running through them, and chewing them into hundreds of tiny pieces. However, you should make sure there's no coloured ink on the tube, which could be toxic. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: Keeping Gerbils
 
Some incorrect choices:
Cardboard contains a large number of toxins, Gerbils often get stuck inside the tube, Gerbils can choke on the cardboard

39. How long can a well-cared-for chinchilla live?


Answer: 15-20 yrs.

Interesting Information:
Chinchillas are some of the longest-living rodents. Difficulty: Hard.

From Quiz: How Much Do You Know About Chinchillas?
 
Some incorrect choices:
1-5 yrs., 5-10 yrs., 10-15 yrs.

40. What is the best thing for a chinchilla to chew on?


Answer: Wood

Interesting Information:
A chinchilla will chew many things, but branches or wooden toys are recommended. They do this to file down their rapidly growing teeth. Difficulty: Easy.

From Quiz: For Chinchilla Lovers
 
Some incorrect choices:
Plastic, Metal, Nothing
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