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lovemychinchilla · 3 years

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Do Chinchillas Have Food Pouches?

Lots of rodents have cheek pouches, which they store food in for later. This is a clever way of hoarding food so that other animals can't get it.

Chinchillas don’t have cheek pouches, and don’t store food. They do still have stretchy cheeks which can expand outwards, and a small gap where food could go. But a true cheek pouch is a pit that extends along the jaw, even into the neck, which stores lots of food. Chinchillas don’t have these. Behaviorally, they don’t try to store food in their mouths either.

If your chinchilla is pawing its mouth, it may have a health issue affecting its teeth. Read on to find out what it might be...

Do Chinchillas Have Cheek Pouches?

Chinchillas don’t have or use cheek pouches like other rodents do. They do have a gap where food could go, but it’s not as big as those of other rodents. And chinchillas don’t ever try to use it to store food.

This is a cross-section of the cheek pouch. As you can see, it extends backwards towards the neck allowing for lots of food to be stored. Note: this is not a picture of a chinchilla.

You may have thought that all rodents have cheek pouches. But that’s a common misconception. Only select families of rodents do (e.g. Heteromyidae and Geomyidae).

However, your chinchilla does have something like a cheek pouch. It’s difficult to see inside a chinchilla’s mouth. Because they’re so skittish, they don’t like handling, let alone you opening their jaws. But if you ever see one yawn you may see that:

At the front of the jaw are the incisors

Behind the incisors is a gap which extends outwards and downwards on each side

Beyond this section are the premolars and molars

The section of empty space between the incisors and molars figuratively cut the mouth into two sections. On each side is a gap that food could potentially be stored in.

This is what all rodents' mouths look like. So, chinchillas do have a gap that could act as a cheek pouch. But they don’t use it, and it’s unclear how much food your pet could store in there.

What Are Cheek Pouches?

Cheek pouches are a biological development that are found in some rodent families. They vary in size, but not in function. Their purpose is to store food.

They sit on either side of the mouth, and get bigger when food is put into them. The tissue of the cheek can stretch comfortably to take in more and more food. The animal won’t choke because the pouches the food is stored in are on the other side of the teeth.

But cheek pouches are more than flexible cheek tissue. Between the animal’s teeth and cheek tissue is a small gap. People have this too, and you can feel it with your tongue.

In animals with cheek pouches, this pit is bigger. It extends further downwards and upwards past the teeth.

In some species, the gap extends all the way along the jaw to the neck. The neck space around the jaw can stretch outwards too. These species can even hold their body weight in food in their pouches.

Do Chinchillas Store Food in Their Cheeks?

Chinchillas don’t keep food in their cheeks for later. Other rodent species can fit food in their cheeks until they bulge out bigger than the rest of their heads. But a chinchilla can’t do that.

That doesn’t mean that a chinchilla can’t put a lot of food in its mouth. A chinchilla still has cheek tissue that can expand out further than normal. It still has a gap between the incisors and premolars. But it doesn’t have a large pouch to store food in, and other rodents’ cheeks expand further.

Also, chinchillas haven’t learned the behavior of stuffing their cheeks. All other animals that hoard food store it somewhere, e.g. in the ground or a tree. Storing food in the mouth is unusual, as is putting food in the mouth for a reason other than to eat it.

That being said, there are some sources which state that chinchillas have ‘vestigial cheek pouches’. Animal Diversity Web (ADW) state so in their profile on chinchillas. So, what might that mean?

What Are Vestigial Cheek Pouches?

Something ‘vestigial’ is a leftover from previous evolutionary stages. All animals have leftovers like these.

There are some fish or reptiles with vestigial legs, for example, even though they don’t walk on them. Vestigial legs and feet are small and useless. Other animals have vestigial organs which don’t have a clear use any more.

So, a vestigial cheek pouch is a pouch that isn’t used for storing food any more.

What this means is that a chinchilla’s evolutionary ancestors had cheek pouches that they used. But today’s chinchillas don’t use them.

This is what you’ll see when your chinchilla opens its mouth. The stretchy cheeks, large gap between the incisors and premolars, and the pit around the edge of the jaw could all store food. But today’s chinchillas don’t do so.

So, if you see your chinchilla touching its mouth and pawing its cheeks, there's something else going on.

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Why Do Chinchillas Paw Their Mouths When Eating?

What might have led to you asking this question is seeing a chinchilla paw at its mouth while eating. It may move its paw from its mouth to its whiskers. It might also grab its whiskers at the base and stroke them to their tips.

This action may look like it’s trying to store food in its cheeks. It can be difficult to tell, because chinchillas hold their hands up to their mouth when they eat. But it’s not.

This behavior can have several sources, none of which are related to storing food.

Chinchilla Cleaning Its Whiskers

Chinchillas practice good hygiene. That’s why they don’t smell as much as other rodents.

One thing they do is clean their whiskers. This explains why your chinchilla is grabbing its whiskers and stroking them. It’s not pushing food into its cheeks, it’s touching the outside of its cheeks.

It will do this during and after eating. Your pet can get food caught in its whiskers, or behind them. To stop the food staying there and getting smelly, your pet rubs it away.

Besides that, it's important for your pet to keep its whiskers in good condition. Dominant chinchillas will chew off the whiskers of subordinate ones to express their social power. So, it makes sense that your pet would take care of them.

Food Stuck in Vestigial Cheek Pouch

The gap between the premolars and incisors is large. It's filled with lots of skin and gum. Food could easily get stuck here and cause pain.

If you notice your chinchilla rubbing its cheeks, but also reaching into its mouth, this may be why. It may be trying to dislodge food that's stuck there.

Your Chinchilla’s Teeth Hurt

If your chinchilla is pawing at its mouth but not doing these cleaning motions, something could be wrong. The issue could be your chinchilla’s teeth.

Chinchillas are rodents, and all rodents have one thing in common. They have teeth that grow continually throughout their lives. This might be surprising, but all rodents also have claws which continually grow, as do we.

Only a gerbil’s incisors do this. The incisors are your pet’s most important teeth, located at the front of the jaw. They are used both for self-defense and for gnawing at things, e.g. food.

These teeth can grow too long. When they do, the tips of the teeth cause cuts in the gume. Unless corrected, these cuts can get larger and become infected. This could kill your pet. They can also become misaligned, i.e. point in the wrong direction.

Signs that a chinchilla’s teeth are overgrown include:

Incisors are visibly too long

Preference for soft foods

Decreased appetite and resulting weight loss

Excessive drooling, and wet fur around the mouth or front limbs

Increased tooth grinding

Signs of pain: reluctance to move, depression, lethargy, hiding and hunched posture

Ear flicking while eating

Unkempt coat and lack of grooming

Your chinchilla will paw at its mouth because its teeth hurt. If you suspect your pet’s teeth are too long, take it to the vet. Your vet can trim your chinchilla’s teeth while it’s under anesthetic.

Below, you can find our chinchilla quiz, new posts for further reading, and a signup for our Chinchilla Newsletter!

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#chinchillas #chinchillafaqs #diet

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magnusnormal · 4 years

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Geomyidae day (Gopher)

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biologycore · 7 years

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“PROTECTION OF KEYSTONE SPECIES” by Christel A. Zozobrado

INTRODUCTION

Every organism lives in perfect balance with its environment. What happens in the surrounding environment directly or indirectly influences the life and development of the organism. While some thrived in the ecosystem, different external factors – natural or manmade – often harm the organism’s life. This gradually leads to its endangerment and eventually, extinction. Some species are considered very significant in the ecosystem, that when they are removed from it, critical consequences in the environment will occur leading to further reduction of species diversity and significant changes in community dynamics. Such species are commonly referred to as “keystone species”. Keystone species are species of organisms that need to be protected from endangerment because of their crucial role in the ecosystem to maintain community structure and continued existence of other species. KEYSTONE SPECIES The concept of keystone species was first coined by Robert T. Paine, a professor of zoology at the University of Washington, in 1969, in order to explain his observations and experiments on the relationship between intertidal invertebrates. While he was conducting experimental manipulations in the rocky shoreline communities on the Pacific coast in Washington, Paine discovered that the removal of the carnivorous starfish Pisaster ochraceus, the primary predator in the aforementioned local ecosystem, brought about to the local extinctions of several benthic invertebrates and algae, such as a species of mussel, Mytilus californianus. In his paper entitled “Food Web Complexity and Species Diversity”, he argued that “the species composition and physical appearance were greatly modified by the activities of a single native species high in the food web. Paine subsequently formally introduced the concept and term “keystone species” in his paper entitled “A Note on Trophic Complexity and Community Stability”. He stated: “These individual populations are the keystone of the community’s structure, and the integrity of the community and its unaltered persistence through time, that is, stability, are determined by their activities and abundance.” Paine’s field experiments and coinage of the term “keystone species” have been extensively reproduced in many texts and propagated to the scientific community. Because of this, many follow-up definitions have been presented. One classic definition is by Daily et al. stating that “keystone species are those whose removal from a community would precipitate a further reduction in species diversity or produce other significant changes in community structure and dynamics”. Another definition that focused on its disproportionate effect relative to abundance is stated by Power et al.: “Keystone species are species whose impact on its community or ecosystem is large and disproportionately large relative to its abundance.” Moreover, because of the introduction of the concept, a range of species were identified as keystone species all throughout the years. In the marine ecosystems, for example, the sea otter (Enhydra lutris) was found to control sea urchin populations along the Aleutian Islands. It was discovered that sea otters protect kelp forests from damage by consuming sea urchins. The removal of sea otters therefore caused the release of sea urchins from predation pressure, increasing its abundance and the reduction of kelps due to the sea urchins’ rapid consumption. In the freshwater ecosystems, beavers (Castor Canadensis) were found to influence plant and animal community composition and richness in North America. Beavers alter the edges of riparian areas by cutting down older trees to build their dams, thus allowing younger trees to take their place. These dams have shown to be beneficial to various species such as several amphibians, salmon, and song birds. In the terrestrial ecosystems, pocket gophers (Geomyidae) were believed to keep North American prairie soils in a condition that could support higher plant diversity. Keystone species are organisms that are critical to the environment when removed. There are a lot of organisms considered as keystone species. While many of them are thriving in the ecosystem, some keystone species are endangered and in the brink of extinction. ENDANGERED KEYSTONE SPECIES Because the exact number of species on Earth is ambiguous, it is often difficult to accurately quantify the number of species becoming or close to becoming extinct. However, according to the World Wildlife Fund (WWF), scientists approximate between 10,000 and 100,000 species cease to exist every year because of habitat loss, resource depletion, climate change, and other factors. Some of this species that are endangered or in the danger of extinction are keystone species. These species include bees and sea otters, among others. Bees are flying insects of the order Hymenoptera and clade Anthophila that are recognized for their critical part in pollination and for producing honey and beeswax. Bees are considered as keystone species for their natural insect-mediated pollination that they provide in order for several plants to reproduce. In fact, bees are responsible for the pollination of about 250,000 plant species. Without insect pollination, about three-fourths of the crops human kind eat would suffer some decrease in productivity. Bees are the predominant and most economically important group of pollinators in most geographical regions. However, many species of bees are suffering in the present and are threatened by many environmental factors, including lack of natural habitats and increased exposure to man-made chemicals. Due to this fact, bees, which are important keystone species, are considered to be declining globally. Not only bees, sea otters also suffer from endangerment. As mentioned in the previous paragraphs, sea otters are identified as keystone species for their predatory capabilities on sea urchins that feed on kelp forests. Kelp forest ecosystems support a variety of marine species, from the small sea stars to sharks. Apart from this, sea otters also help in restoring aquatic carbon-fighting plants, which helps in fighting climate change. If keystone species would be extinct, ecosystems would possibly collapse and extinction rates of other organisms will dramatically increase. Simply put, the endangerment of these species is a critical problem that needs to be solved. Therefore, several solutions were proposed, including protection programs of the said species. PROTECTION OF KEYSTONE SPECIES Protecting keystone species is a main priority for conservationists. Where a keystone species has been identified, efforts to protect it also will help protect the other species in delicately balanced ecosystems. There are government and non-government organizations that aim to conserve endangered species, particularly keystone species. The National Resources Defense Council, a non-profit international advocacy group, aspires to prioritize in protecting keystone species by pursuing science-based management of these animals and taking the government to court when necessary. They also planned for improved management strategies and more protected wildlife corridors. More generally, acts where passed in order to protect endangered species. In the United States, the Endangered Species Act (ESA) was passed in 1973 in order to protect those plant and animal species that are at risk of becoming extinct. The US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) is responsible for listing, delisting, and reclassifying the species protected by the ESA. The ESA outlines a number of protective measures that are designed to preserve species that have been listed as Endangered or Threatened. These measures include restrictions on hunting, transporting, and trading the species. In the Philippines, the Republic Act No. 9147, also known as the “Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protection Act”, was passed to “conserve the country’s wildlife resources and their habitats for sustainability”. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has jurisdiction over all terrestrial plant and animal species while the Department of Agriculture (DA) has jurisdiction over all declared aquatic critical habitats. CONCLUSION Keystone species are significant species that when removed from the ecosystem, can create imbalance and cause drastic consequences, such as a shift in community dynamics and extinction of other organisms. There are several known keystone species, such as the sea otters, beavers, and pocket gophers. Furthermore, there are other predators considered as keystone species, including tiger sharks and jaguars. However due to external factors in the environment and man-made actions, some of the keystone species have become endangered. Some known endangered species are the bees and the sea otters. Bees are recognized as keystone species for their ability to pollinate, and in turn, the sustainability of many plant species. Sea otters, on one hand, preys on sea urchins which is a main cause of the decline of kelp forests, an important ecosystem for many marine organisms; thus, they are considered as keystone species. The endangerment of these species and keystone species in general, poses a critical problem that needs to be solved. Therefore, government agencies and non-profit organizations established some acts and programs focused in the protection of the aforementioned species.

#blockc #keystone species #biology #synthesis paper #endangered #keystone

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alsamtss · 5 years

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. . 🍁 قال رسول الله ﷺ: ( يدخل أهل الجنة الجنة وأهل النار النار ثم يقول الله تعالى أخرجوا من كان في قلبه مثقال حبة من خردل من إيمان فيخرجون منها قد اسودوا فيلقون في نهر الحيا أو الحياة شك مالك فينبتون كما تنبت الحبة في جانب السيل ) 🍁 . 🌺🌹 رواه البخاري 🌺🌹🍁 . . . . . 🔴 غوفر غربي - Mazama pocket gopher 🔴 . . التصنيف العلمي المملكة : الحيوانية الفئة : الثدييات الترتيب : Rodentia الأسرة : Geomyidae جنس : Thomomys الأنواع : T. mazama الاسم العلمي : Thomomys mazama . . . . . . تواجدها في شمال غرب المحيط الهادئ من ولاية واشنطن الساحلية و عبر ولاية أوريغون إلى شمال وسط كاليفورنيا و يأخذ غوفر مازاما جيب اسمه من جبل مازما البركان القديم الذي انفجر لتشكيل بحيرة كريتر في ولاية أوريغون حيث تم العثور على هذه الأنواع لأول مرة . . Is located in the Northwest Pacific from the coastal state of Washington and across the state of Oregon to north-central California and takes Gopher Mazda Pocket named from Mount Mzma old volcano that exploded to form Lake Crater in Oregon where these species were found for the first time . . . . . . . لا اله الا الله محمد رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم There is no god but Allah and Muhammad is the messenger of God . . . . قران - Quran . . @bosaif_aldhaheri @bosaif_aldhaheri @bosaif_aldhaheri . . . (((أَشْهَدُ أَنْ لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ.أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ مُحَمَّد��ا رَسُولُ))) . 👇🏻 👇🏻 👇🏻 . (((I bear witness that there is no God but Allah and that Muhammad is His servant/slave and His messenger))) . . . . . 🍁 عن أبي هريرة: قال ( سئل رسول الله ﷺ: أي العمل أفضل، فقال إيمان بالله ورسوله قيل ثم ماذا قال الجهاد في سبيل الله قيل ثم ماذا قال حج مبرور ) 🍁 . 🌺🌹 رواه البخاري 🌺🌹🍁 . . https://www.instagram.com/p/BtwKprYgkgH/?utm_source=ig_tumblr_share&igshid=1wuqk3vgt6ynz

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animalids · 3 years

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Botta's pocket gopher (Thomomys bottae)

Photo by Gary Skipper

#botta's pocket gopher #pocket gopher #thomomys bottae #thomomys #geomyidae #geomyoidea #castorimorpha #rodentia #glires #gliriformes #euarchontoglires #boreoeutheria #eutheria #mammalia #tetrapoda #vertebrata #chordata

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animales1-com · 7 years

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La Marmota, Caracteristicas, Donde Vive, Que Come, Reproduccion

La marmota se conoce por muchos nombres. El término marmota no guarda relación con la madera, se cree simplemente que es una interpretación moderna de la palabra americana nativa para el animal.

Esas ardillas de tierra no están en la familia de la ardilla, están en una familia absolutamente de los roedores conocidos como Geomyidae, que incluye el castor.

Caracteristicas

Hay en torno a 35 especies de ardillas de tierra, todas se encuentra en América Central y América del Norte. Las Tuzas son sensiblemente más pequeñas que las marmotas a solo unos 2 o 3 libras menos.

A diferencia de las marmotas, que pasan mucho de su tiempo en la tierra comiendo las hojas y frutos de las plantas, las ardillas pocas veces salen de sus madrigueras. Se alimentan de las partes subterráneas de las plantas, como las raíces y tubérculos. Las ardillas terrestres además tienen bolsas en las mejillas, como los hámsteres, que pueden guardar los alimentos en vacío y para más adelante. De esta forma las ardillas y marmotas son animales diferentes.

El nombre de ardilla de tierra, también se aplica generalmente a otras ardillas como la ardilla de tierra de Richardson. Estas ardillas de color habano claro son más pequeñas que las marmotas, y más ligera en la naturaleza de cuerpo.

La ardilla de tierra de Richardson es común en gran parte del norte de USA, que viven en madrigueras en los pastizales abiertos. Son similares en apariencia y estilo de vida a los perros de la pradera, que están en otro género.

La anatomia de la marmota

Se llaman topos de forma regular y la mayor parte de las personas que están familiarizadas con este animal sabe exactamente a lo que se hace referencia, con lo que desde determinado punto de vista en el lenguaje común, son considerados los topos, pero a nivel científico, solo los miembros de la familia Geomyidae son los topos. De esta manera las ardillas y topos son animales diferentes.

En última instancia, todos y cada uno de los animales de tipo ardilla que viven en madrigueras, tienen dientes de conejo, y comen semillas mientras que están de pie sobre sus patas traseras, están identificadas habitualmente como marmotas, pero solo una especie de ardilla de tierra es verdaderamente una marmota.

Anatomia

Básicamente la marmota tiene una medida aproximada entre los 50 y 58 centímetros de largo, y entre 13 y 16 centímetros de cola, es muy corta en comparación con otros roedores, su peso aproximado es de 8 kilogramos.

La marmota tiene la cabeza y cuerpo gruesos, sus patas son cortas y orejas pequeñas para que se adapten al habitad en el que viven. El pelaje es pardo grisáceo en la espalda, y en el vientre amarillento, en el extremo de la cola es de color negro.

La subespecie de las marmotas de los Montes Tatra se caracteriza por tener menor tamaño y su pelaje tiene un color mucho más claro.

¿Dónde vive la marmota?

A las marmotas les encanta las regiones montañosas, como las Montañas Rocosas, los Alpes, el Himalaya, siempre y cuando también hay hierba alrededor. Nunca se encuentran lejos de terrenos herbáceos, prados, campos y bosques. Las marmotas se encuentran en muchos lugares del mundo. América del Norte, Asia y Europa. A las marmotas les encanta cavar, crean diferentes túneles y madrigueras bajo el suelo, cada una tiene una entrada principal y un túnel de escape. A veces estas madrigueras son utilizadas como por otros animales como los zorros y zorrillos. Las madrigueras también se construyen para la hibernación y pueden ser tan profundas de hasta 7 metros.

¿Qué come una marmota?

Las marmotas principalmente comen hierba, plantas, flores y semillas, esto los convierte en animales herbívoros. Sin embargo a veces en raras ocasiones comen insectos. Las marmotas comen mucho durante el verano para ganar peso y prepararse para la hibernación. Las Marmotas hibernan durante todo el invierno y pierden alrededor de la mitad de su peso corporal.

Alimentacion de la marmota

Estilo de vida

Las marmotas son activas a lo largo del día, se alimentan principalmente en la madrugada y por la tarde. Pasan un buen tiempo en la reparación y ampliación de sus hogares y se alimentan de una diversidad de vegetación, complementada por insectos, caracoles y larvas.

Una de las cosas que distingue a las marmotas de otros animales es que por lo general son animales solitarios. Aunque la mayor parte de las marmotas viven en pequeños conjuntos familiares, la marmota es un animal solitario, e inclusive un tanto anti-social.

Ellos defienden sus madrigueras y territorios de otras marmotas en disputas estruendosas que incluyen saltitos, silbantes en sus colas y castañeteo de sus dientes. Incluso las marmotas bebé dejan a sus madres con bastante velocidad para encontrar su espacio, de salir a la temprana edad de 5 o 6 semanas.

A pesar que viven solos, las marmotas emplean una llamada estrepitosa como advertencia, lo que les da el nombre común desilbatos y alarmas, todas y cada una de las marmotas en la zona de peligro, como un halcón en vuelo bajo.

La marmota es uno de los pocos animales que entran en un estado de auténtica hibernación. Se retira de su madriguera a fines de otoño y entra en un sueño profundo en el que no comerá durante un largo tiempo. La temperatura anatómica de la marmota se reduce de 98 grados Fahrenheit, a tan bajo como 38 grados Fahrenheit, y la frecuencia cardiaca se reduce de 80 latidos por minuto a tan sólo 04 latidos por minuto. La hibernación puede perdurar hasta 05 meses, incluyendo periodos de excitación, durante el cual la marmota puede hacer sus necesidades, Cuando finalmente la marmota sale de la hibernación, que el cuerpo es delgado y agotado.

A lo largo de la primavera y el verano, la marmota debe reconstituirse, además de prepararse para otro largo invierno. Tienen un tipo singular de grasa anatómico conocido como el tejido graso cobrizo, que se forma en torno a su cerebro y otros órganos , que da calor auxiliar. Ellos son comedores insaciables y a causa de esto, pueden destruir las filas de los cultivos al tiempo. Además de los cultivos alimenticios, las largas madrigueras que excavan pueden interrumpir las plantas que crecen desde abajo, y desestabilizar los cimientos de pequeños edificios y cobertizos.

El habitat de las marmotas se despliega por los territorios fríos de Europa, Asia y Norteamérica. En Europa las marmotas estuvieron mucho tiempo en gran peligro de extinción a causa de la casería, que se les atribuía a sus propiedades curativas, específicamente los europeos señalaban que la grasa de la marmota era excelente para curar enfermedades como el reumatismo, sin embargo, estas afirmaciones nunca fueron comprobadas clínicamente por investigadores.

A mitad del siglo XX se comenzaron programas de protección para evitar la caza de estos animalitos, de esta manera se ha podido recuperar en gran parte su población y han dejado de estar en peligro de extinción gracias a su gran capacidad reproductiva; ya que generalmente la gestación de las marmotas dura aproximadamente cinco meses y cada parto pueden generar entre cuatro y cinco nuevas crías.

En la actualidad miles y miles de marmotas se agrupan en sus madrigueras en lugares cercanos para mantenerse a salvo de sus depredadores.

A pesar que las marmotas son roedores de tamaño relevante, sus principales enemigos naturales frecuentan ser otros roedores como el águila, el búho y el cuervo. Sin embargo, pese de estos grandes enemigos naturales que posee, la marmota tiene una extensa perspectiva de vida, logrando llegar hasta los 15 años de edad.

Pese a datos anteriores la esperanza media de vida de la marmota es un dato que va a depender de muchos factores, ya que varía de acuerdo a su forma de vida si está en cautiverio o si vive en libertad, debido a que cuando vive en cautiverios incluye una serie de cuidados que estando en libertad no los recibe, y también se encuentra libre de peligros de sus grandes depredadores naturales.

Básicamente una marmota en cautiverio puede llegar a durar más de 20 años, mientras que si está en libertad su período aproximado de vida va entre los 15 y 18 años.

Reproduccion

La única vez que las marmotas socializan es durante la temporada de apareamiento, a principios de primavera, pero realmente muchos machos van a dejar sus madrigueras en el mes de febrero y marzo para visitar las cuevas de las hembras en su territorio.

Pueden cruzarse durante un día o dos, e igualmente pueden pasarpor unos minutos para familiarizarse y después regresar a sus madrigueras durante ciertas semanas de hibernación. Esta actividad es inusual y puede ser realmente la inspiración para toda la tradición “día de la marmota”, pero verdaderamente sirve como una especie de pre-cortejo, lo que acelera todo el proceso cuando llegue la primavera.

La idea es que los jóvenes marmotasles hace falta dedicar tiempo para prepararse para su primer invierno, y el tiempo de apareamiento justo es esencial para la supervivencia de la especie. Demasiado pronto, y su podría no ser suficiente forraje para ellos, en la medida en que se destetan demasiado tarde y que no va a ser suficientemente fuerte para durar el invierno.

Sin embargo, cuando llega la primavera, los machos pueden pelear, y aún más llamar la atención de las hembras locales. Ellos silban, gritan y sostienen uno al otro por el cuello, moviendo con fuerza. Las contiendas no se habitúan a ser graves, no obstante, el apareamiento es por lo general un acontecimiento veloz.

La marmota está embarazada durante 32 días y da a luz a un promedio de 3 a 5 bebes, llamados cachorros. Los cachorros pesan solo unas pocas onzas al nacer. No tienen pelo, con los ojos y los oídos cerrados, y son absolutamente indefensos.

Las nuevas crías crecen de forma muy rápida y son destetados más o menos a las 4 semanas. Pueden moverse solo unas pocas yardas de distancia del seno de su familia, y excavar su madriguera en solo 05 semanas de edad. En el momento en que cumplen 03 meses de edad, comienzan la marcha y van andando por su cuenta.

El dia de la marmota

Este día es conmemorado de forma folclórica por muchos dueños de granjas de los Estados Unidos, para presagiar la culminación del invierno, basados en la conducta del animal cuando sale de su proceso de hibernación, generalmente es celebrado en el mes de febrero.

Estos granjeros poseen la creencia de que si esta animal sale de su madriguera y no ve su sombra por estar nublado el día, se ausentará de la madriguera, lo que significaría que el invierno estará pronto a terminarse. Ahora bien si la marmota sale de su madriguera y ve su sombra por ser un día soleado, ésta de nuevo se mete en su madriguera y significa que el invierno perdurará unas ocho semanas más.

Básicamente la celebración del día de la marmota se realiza a la mitad del período entre el solsticio de invierno y el equinoccio de primavera, esto quiere decir que señala la mitad del lapso del otoño y el invierno.

Esta tradicional celebración posee orígenes religiosos. Comenzando con el día de la candelaria, celebrada el 2 de febrero como una festiva tradición cristiana durante cientos de años en toda Europa, en donde los sacerdotes repartían y bendecían velas. Miles y miles de feligreses que participaban en esta festividad declararon que si el cielo estaba despejado ese día el invierno sería relativamente largo. Esta tradición fue pasada de los romanos a los alemanes, quienes dedujeron que si el sol se asomaba ese día un erizo podría ver su sombra y el invierno se extendería unas seis u ocho semanas más.

Tiempo más tarde, los alemanes que se trasladaron a Pensilvania, se llevaron esta antigua tradición, en donde la marmota era muy conocida y popular en ese estado y habitaba en muchos lugares. Fue entonces como la marmota reemplazó a él erizo, pasando ella a formar parte de esta tradición de pronosticador meteorológico.

Mas informacion sobre la marmota

La marmota también es conocida como la ardillade tierra. La madriguera marmotas tiene por nombre cuevas. Cuando marmotas hibernan su corazón puede palpitar sólo 04 veces por minuto. Otros animales como zorrillos, emplean las madrigueras de marmota como su hogar.

Las marmotas emplean un silbido agudo como una advertencia. Las ardillas de tierra suelta más del 30% de su peso anatómico a lo largo de la hibernación, La marmota es el único roedor que le celebran su día.

La entrada La Marmota, Caracteristicas, Donde Vive, Que Come, Reproduccion aparece primero en Animales1.

from Animales1 http://animales1.com/marmota/

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b4inwatercooler · 7 years

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Gopher Derps the Vlog on VLOG Bits!

For Cars, Movies and Cool... it's Fireball Tim! Watch here on YOUTUBE! A backyard Gopher makes a run for it… Learn about Gophers on WIKI… Pocket gophers, commonly referred to as gophers, are burrowing rodents of the family Geomyidae.[1] About 35 species of gophers live in Central and North America.[2] They are commonly known for their extensive tunneling activities. http://beforeitsnews.com/motor-junkies/2017/02/gopher-derps-the-vlog-on-vlog-bits-2542281.html?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=tumblr

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lovemychinchilla · 3 years

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Do Chinchillas Have Food Pouches?

Lots of rodents have cheek pouches, which they store food in for later. This is a clever way of hoarding food so that other animals can't get it.

If your chinchilla is pawing its mouth, it may have a health issue affecting its teeth. Read on to find out what it might be...

Do Chinchillas Have Cheek Pouches?

This is a cross-section of the cheek pouch. As you can see, it extends backwards towards the neck allowing for lots of food to be stored. Note: this is not a picture of a chinchilla.

You may have thought that all rodents have cheek pouches. But that’s a common misconception. Only select families of rodents do (e.g. Heteromyidae and Geomyidae).

At the front of the jaw are the incisors

Behind the incisors is a gap which extends outwards and downwards on each side

Beyond this section are the premolars and molars

The section of empty space between the incisors and molars figuratively cut the mouth into two sections. On each side is a gap that food could potentially be stored in.

This is what all rodents' mouths look like. So, chinchillas do have a gap that could act as a cheek pouch. But they don’t use it, and it’s unclear how much food your pet could store in there.

What Are Cheek Pouches?

Cheek pouches are a biological development that are found in some rodent families. They vary in size, but not in function. Their purpose is to store food.

But cheek pouches are more than flexible cheek tissue. Between the animal’s teeth and cheek tissue is a small gap. People have this too, and you can feel it with your tongue.

In animals with cheek pouches, this pit is bigger. It extends further downwards and upwards past the teeth.

In some species, the gap extends all the way along the jaw to the neck. The neck space around the jaw can stretch outwards too. These species can even hold their body weight in food in their pouches.

Do Chinchillas Store Food in Their Cheeks?

Chinchillas don’t keep food in their cheeks for later. Other rodent species can fit food in their cheeks until they bulge out bigger than the rest of their heads. But a chinchilla can’t do that.

That being said, there are some sources which state that chinchillas have ‘vestigial cheek pouches’. Animal Diversity Web (ADW) state so in their profile on chinchillas. So, what might that mean?

What Are Vestigial Cheek Pouches?

Something ‘vestigial’ is a leftover from previous evolutionary stages. All animals have leftovers like these.

So, a vestigial cheek pouch is a pouch that isn’t used for storing food any more.

What this means is that a chinchilla’s evolutionary ancestors had cheek pouches that they used. But today’s chinchillas don’t use them.

So, if you see your chinchilla touching its mouth and pawing its cheeks, there's something else going on.

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Why Do Chinchillas Paw Their Mouths When Eating?

This action may look like it’s trying to store food in its cheeks. It can be difficult to tell, because chinchillas hold their hands up to their mouth when they eat. But it’s not.

This behavior can have several sources, none of which are related to storing food.

Chinchilla Cleaning Its Whiskers

Chinchillas practice good hygiene. That’s why they don’t smell as much as other rodents.

It will do this during and after eating. Your pet can get food caught in its whiskers, or behind them. To stop the food staying there and getting smelly, your pet rubs it away.

Food Stuck in Vestigial Cheek Pouch

The gap between the premolars and incisors is large. It's filled with lots of skin and gum. Food could easily get stuck here and cause pain.

If you notice your chinchilla rubbing its cheeks, but also reaching into its mouth, this may be why. It may be trying to dislodge food that's stuck there.

Your Chinchilla’s Teeth Hurt

If your chinchilla is pawing at its mouth but not doing these cleaning motions, something could be wrong. The issue could be your chinchilla’s teeth.

Only a gerbil’s incisors do this. The incisors are your pet’s most important teeth, located at the front of the jaw. They are used both for self-defense and for gnawing at things, e.g. food.

Signs that a chinchilla’s teeth are overgrown include:

Incisors are visibly too long

Preference for soft foods

Decreased appetite and resulting weight loss

Excessive drooling, and wet fur around the mouth or front limbs

Increased tooth grinding

Signs of pain: reluctance to move, depression, lethargy, hiding and hunched posture

Ear flicking while eating

Unkempt coat and lack of grooming

Below, you can find our chinchilla quiz, new posts for further reading, and a signup for our Chinchilla Newsletter!

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#chinchillas #chinchillafaqs #diet

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