Rodents and Shrews

Diet Deficiency Can Lead to Cannibal Hamsters

A new study may explain why the rodents are declining in western Europe

The genetically modified Oncomouse has played a big role in the study and treatment of cancer.

The First Patented Animal Is Still Leading the Way on Cancer Research

Oncomouse was a genetically engineered animal designed to help scientists learn more about tumors

A tickled rat.

What Tickling Giggly Rats Can Tell Us About the Brain

Their laughter manifests in a surprising region of the cerebral cortex

How Giant Rats Could Stop Illegal Wildlife Trade From Squeaking By

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently awarded grants for some innovative ways to combat wildlife trade

The lowly urban rat deserves our attention.

In Defense of Studying City Rats

By placing a taboo on researching these “disease sponges,” we leave ourselves at their mercy

Rats' days are numbered in New Zealand.

For Kiwis' Sake New Zealand Declares War on Rats

The country unveils an ambitious plan to protect its national bird

Brindled Stamiter, Cricetus fasciatus

Audubon Pranked Fellow Naturalist by Making Up Fake Rodents

Annoyed with naturalist and houseguest Constantine Rafinesque, John J. Audubon dreamed up 28 non-existent species

A giant mouse feeds on a dead seabird chick.

A Steady Diet of Seabird Chicks Makes Island Mice Huge

With no predators or competition, rodents can eat baby birds alive

Watch These Giant Rats Sniff Out Landmines

Giant rats can detect TNT decades after it was buried

In Mozambique, rats, like this one shown, have been used to detect land mines. Now they're being put to work to aid the fight against tuberculosis.

Mozambique has “Kitten-Sized” Rats Trained to Sniff Out Tuberculosis

Highly trained rodents are helping doctors better diagnose TB in a region hard hit by the deadly disease

What Can Rodents Tell Us About Why Humans Love?

A relative of the mouse may hold the key to understanding why human beings are one of the few mammals that seek lifelong mates

Madagascar Is Battling a Bubonic Plague Outbreak

Health officials confirmed this week that at least 20 villagers have now died from plague, which likely originates from infected rats

Matina Kalcounis-Rueppell deciphers the ultrasonic chatter, shown here plotted on a spectrograph, of a deer mouse.

The Mystery of the Singing Mice

A scientist has discovered that high-pitched sounds made by the small rodents could actually be melodious songs

Upon discovering Mr. Saddlebags, Aharoni gave them the name, oger. We know them, in English, as the Syrian hamster or, because it is now the most common hamster in the world, simply the hamster.

The Untold Story of the Hamster, a.k.a Mr. Saddlebags

The hamster may be ubiquitous now, but it was a pioneering scientist who brought the rodent into labs and homes across the world

Beavers have long been recognized as the engineers of the forest, constantly reshaping their surroundings.

Beavers: The Engineers of the Forest

Back from the brink of extinction, the beavers of Massachusetts are a crucial component of a healthy ecosystem

Baltimore has been a national hotspot for rat studies for well over half a century.

Crawling Around with Baltimore Street Rats

The “urban ecosystem” serves as a research lab for scientist Gregory Glass, who studies the lives of the Charm City’s rats

A family of black-tailed prairie dogs practices their vigilance from their colony in Highlands Ranch.

Denver’s Street-Smart Prairie Dogs

Researchers explore why members of one species are thriving in urban areas while rural populations dwindle

Muskrat lunch was also available in the school cafeteria.

Muskrat Love

An annual festival on Maryland’s Eastern Shore celebrates an unlikely mascot

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How Squirrels Fly

Fascinated by the graceful gliding of these mammals with "wings," scientists take a close look.

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