Small Mammal Anatomy

There are many small mammals across the globe, but this blog will focus on five popular domesticated species. These include members of the Rodent family - the hamster, mouse, rat, guinea pig - and one member of the Leporidae family, the rabbit. These mammals are often kept as pets and studied in veterinary medicine due to their unique anatomical features.

To gain a deeper understanding of small mammal anatomy, our collection of veterinary anatomical charts and posters offers highly detailed illustrations. Whether you’re a vet student, educator, or practicing clinician, these visuals simplify the complexities of small animal structure and are perfect for both clinical revision and teaching.

Rodents share a common body structure but differ slightly in size and adaptations. Rodents are divided into two categories:

• Myomorphs: Hamsters, mice, and rats (omnivores)
• Hystricomorphs: Guinea pigs (herbivores with advanced parental care)
  
  

All rodents possess a single pair of incisors that grow continuously. These incisors, combined with powerful jaw muscles, enable efficient gnawing and chewing. Vertebral structures in rodents are fairly consistent:

• 7 cervical vertebrae
• 13 thoracic vertebrae
• 6 lumbar vertebrae
• 3–4 fused sacral bones
• Tail vertebrae vary between species

Hamsters are natural burrowers with short tails, small sturdy feet, and an exceptional sense of smell. Their eyesight is poor, especially in bright light, but their hearing and olfactory senses compensate.

One standout feature is the cheek pouch, which extends from the mouth to the shoulder, allowing hamsters to store large quantities of food. Hamsters also have nimble front paws used for grooming and feeding.

Guinea pigs are stocky with short legs, large heads, and side-placed eyes, offering excellent peripheral vision. Unique among rodents, guinea pigs are known for their vocalisations, which help them communicate emotions and needs.

They are social, herbivorous animals that live in herds and use a variety of sounds for communication with both other guinea pigs and humans.

Rats are larger than mice, with distinct features like long tails, erect ears , and prominent eyes. They have:

• 4 toes on the forefeet
• 5 toes on the hindfeet
  
  

A rat’s tail plays a role in thermoregulation and balance. Their exceptional sense of smell is due to:

• Highly developed olfactory receptors
• Vomeronasal organs that detect pheromones, aiding in social and reproductive behaviour

Enhance your understanding of rodent anatomy with our detailed veterinary charts featuring rats, hamsters, and mice. Ideal for vet students, educators, and clinicians, these visuals simplify complex structures for easy reference and teaching.

Mice have similar anatomy to rats but are more compact. They are agile climbers, jumpers, and even swimmers. Like other rodents, they rely heavily on their senses of touch, smell, and hearing due to poor vision. The tail supports balance and agility.

Rabbits belong to the Leporidae family, a sister group to rodents. Though once classified as rodents, rabbits differ notably in several anatomical traits.

Rabbits share many skeletal similarities with rodents but differ in the following ways:

• 7 cervical vertebrae
• 12–13 thoracic vertebrae
• 7 lumbar vertebrae
• 4 fused sacral vertebrae
• 16 caudal vertebrae

The key difference is that rabbits have two sets of upper incisors, unlike rodents, which only have one. This double incisor setup aids in effective nibbling and cutting plant material.

Rabbits are built for speed and agility, with:

• Strong quadriceps for jumping and propulsion
• Hamstrings for burst movements
• Plantar flexors and dorsiflexors that control hindlimb motion

Rabbits are alert animals with large ears capable of detecting predators from afar. These herbivores are social, living in groups in the wild. As prey animals, they remain constantly aware of their surroundings and are capable of rapid, sustained movement to escape threats.

Understanding veterinary anatomy can be far more effective with high-quality visual tools. Our range of anatomical models, posters, and digital downloads allow students and professionals to deepen their understanding through both visual and tactile learning.

Whether you're preparing for exams, teaching a class, or working in a clinical setting, our veterinary resources provide a practical and engaging way to study animal anatomy.