FOR RODENT LOVERS ONLY 3

One of the newest members of my menagerie is Romeo, a duprasi (Pachyuromis duprasi). Informally known as the African gerbil or short-tailed gerbil, this fuzzy critter is actually quite different from its cousin the Mongolian gerbil (Meriones mongoliensis), which the common pet gerbil is a descendant of. These squat rodents have short, hairless tails which store fat and water, and they have very soft, dense fur. Romeo became mine when his owner couldn't keep him as a pet for her children anymore, because he was biting too much. I later found out that Romeo was originally used as a "stud" male duprasi, given an endless parade of female partners to breed new generations of duprasi. He was unceremoniously retired from breeding. Now, to all the guys out there: If sex was your job, and all of a sudden you're forced to be celibate, wouldn't you be angry enough to bite too? So, I forgive Romeo, even though he still bites me every day. But how can you get angry at this cute critter? Yes, he actually sleeps out in the open on his back like in the pictures. When I broke my ribs playing rugby and couldn't do anything except lay down on my back, watching Romeo sleeping so peacefully nearby made me feel just as peaceful. I feed him live insects, kitten food, and a mix of seeds, dry corn, and fruit he shares with the mice.

I always knew people who had rats as pets and bragged about their virtues as companion animals-- especially when it came to their intelligence and responsiveness to humans. Mortimer (His name is a corruption of the name of an ex of mine) is my first rat, and for the first time ever, I understand why some animal lovers are so dedicated to the domestic rat (a descendant of the wild Norwegian rat, Rattus norvegicus). Once Mortimer got over his initial shyness, he became an incredibly devoted and affectionate pet. I swore never to use the word "rat" in a negative way again... and I go off on anyone who does.

Yeah, they're cute when they're babies, They get big quick!

Two larger rodents (NOT kept as pets!) are porcupines and groundhogs. Porcupines, despite the myth, cannot throw their quills. They are relatively slow-moving and will not attack unless threatened. They defend themselves by flinging their tails, where their barbed quills are loosely attached, towards their attacker. Most of us are familiar with the North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum), but The African Crested Porcupine (Hystrix cristata) -- a common animal at zoos-- is another species. The Groundhog or Woodchuck (Marmots monax) is the only animal in America to have a holiday named after it. These pictures were taken at the ranch of Keystone Exotics, in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. Mike, the owner, also breeds foxes, skunks, red squirrels, raccoons, and beagles: some as pets, some as display or zoo animals. See more at www.KeystoneExotics.com.