There have been many people that asked this question “Is rabbit a rodent?” An average person would say yes, but you will find out in this article that the answer is no. Also in this article, you will find out why to this answer. So, let’s be smarter than the average Joe and know the answer and exactly why!
Characteristics of a Rodent
First, rodents comprise the largest group of mammals because over 1/3 of the mammals are rodents. Rodents live in every single continent except Antarctica. The most common rodents are beavers, hamsters, rats, etc. One characteristic of a rodent is that it has one pair of incisors (sharp teeth) at the top and the bottom. These don’t stop growing until the rodent dies. Why is that useful? You can see it in beavers. They use their incisors teeth to cut trees, which wears their incisors. However, the incisors do not stop growing, so beavers can continue to cut trees throughout their lives!
There are other characteristics of rodents that all members of this family have. The way that they chew, the skeletal structure especially their skulls, and many others! It is very interesting that all these characteristics can be seen from a tiny mouse to a huge capybara that is the size of a big dog!
Characteristics of a Rabbit
So what about rabbits? Do they have characteristics that are similar to rodents or no? From everyday perspectives, rabbits indeed do look like rodents. They have big incisor teeth, and they chew the same. However, there is a major difference that sets the two apart. As mentioned before, all rodents have a pair of incisor teeth in upper and lower jaw. Rabbits, however, have three sets of incisors. On their top jaw, they have an extra small pair of incisors right behind the main pair. That extra pair of incisors in the top jaw is what sets rabbit apart from rodents. There are other characteristic differences as well including chewing pattern and skeleton differences.
So is a rabbit considered rodent?
No, rabbits are not rodents because they have a small pair of incisor teeth in their upper jaw!
I hope that you have enjoyed reading about this topic. If you want answers to frequently asked questions, visit the Q & A page!