A mouse (plural mice) is a small mammal belonging to the order of rodents. The best known mouse species is the common house
mouse (Mus musculus). It is also a popular pet. The American white-footed mouse (Peromyscus leucopus) and the deer mouse also
sometimes live in houses. In some places, certain kinds of field mice are also common. This rodent is eaten by large birds
such as hawks and eagles. They are known to invade homes for food and occasionally shelter.
Rats are various medium-sized, long-tailed rodents of the superfamily Muroidea. "True rats" are members of the genus Rattus,
the most important of which to humans are the black rat, Rattus rattus, and the brown rat, Rattus norvegicus. Many members
of other rodent genera and families are also called rats and share many characteristics with true rats. Rats are typically
distinguished from mice by their size; rats are generally large muroid rodents, while mice are generally small muroid rodents.
Muridae is the largest family of mammals. It contains over 600 species found naturally throughout Eurasia, Africa, and Australia.
They have been introduced worldwide. The group includes true mice and rats, gerbils, and relatives. The family name Muridae
is sometimes used in a broader sense to include all members of the superfamily Muroidea. The name comes from the Latin mus
(genitive muris), meaning "mouse".
The Cricetidae are a family of rodents in the large and complex superfamily Muroidea. It includes true hamsters, voles, lemmings,
and New World rats and mice. At almost 600 species, it is the second largest family of mammals, and has members throughout
the New World, Asia, and Europe.
The Old World rats and mice, part of the subfamily Murinae in the family Muridae, comprise at least 519 species. This subfamily
is larger than all mammal families except the Cricetidae, and is larger than all mammal orders except the bats and the remainder
of the rodents.
Hamsters are rodents belonging to the subfamily Cricetinae. The subfamily contains about 24 species, classified in six or
seven genera. Hamsters are crepuscular. In the wild, they burrow underground in the daylight to avoid being caught by predators.
Their diet contains a variety of foods, including dried food, berries, nuts, fresh fruits and vegetables.
