Editing Rodent

{{Status|Canon}}
Rodents are small furry mammals belonging to the order ''[[Wikipedia:Rodentia|Rodentia]]''. On [[Earth]], rodents are the largest and most diverse group of all mammalian [[animals]]. Well-known rodents include rats, mice, [[squirrel]]s, porcupines, beavers, gophers, hamsters, and capybaras. Different species of rodents and other rodent-like creatures could be found throughout the galaxy.

==Overview==
Although various species of rodents are considered vermin by many cultures, they were nonetheless a viable source of [[List of food and drinks|food]] when really needed. Rodents at times were hunted and even consumed by both [[human]] and [[Covenant]] alike. On [[Eayn]], [[Kig-Yar]] snack vendors in [[Tilu City]] sold loops of small rodents that were strung together like beaded necklaces.<ref>'''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]''', ''page 164''</ref>

In his childhood, [[Orna 'Fulsam]]ee often hunted tiny squealing rodents, blooding them with his bare claws.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Flood]]''', ''Prologue''</ref>

==Rats==
Rats are long tailed rodents commonly regarded by many humans as invasive pests. For centuries, rats on earth have lived and thrived in human cities. By continuing to follow humans across great migratory routes by ships, rats have managed to spread offworld to infest settlements on other [[Human colonies]]. They are distinguished from mice in their larger size and some are kept as pets or used for scientific study.
<gallery>
File:Rat.jpg|A live rat in [[Crow's Nest (location)|Crow's Nest]].
File:Dead Rat.jpg|A deceased rat.
File:HINF Rat.png|A rat scurrying in the city of [[Mombasa]]. 
</gallery>

==Squirrels==
Squirrels are a small mammalian species native to Earth on several continents. Squirrels are herbivorous, eating a basic diet of nuts, small plants and seeds. They also live in trees in order to hide from predators and to raise young.

Similar animals, also referred to as "squirrels", have been noted to live on several planets, including [[Reach]] until its destruction by the [[Covenant]]. The young [[Spartan-IIs]] survived several days on squirrels during one of their war game sessions with [[Tango Company]], where they had to capture a flag.<ref>'''[[Halo: First Strike]]''', ''page 161'' (''"Last night Fred had fed the guard dogs a paste made of a few squirrels they'd caught"'')</ref>

[[Janissary James]], musing about food in which milk that came from an unspecified source is used, suggested that the milk could come from squirrels.<ref>'''[[Axon]]''' [http://transmit.ilovebees.com/outbound/apartment_squirrels.wav ''apartment_squirrels.wav'']: "Right now, I'm imagining someone milking those big black apartment squirrels."</ref>

A squirrel-like species, called [[Ghost squirrel]]s, inhabited the colony world [[Dwarka]].<ref>'''[[Halo: Evolutions - Essential Tales of the Halo Universe]]''', ''page 20''</ref>

==Zeta Halo rodent==
The [[Forerunners]] procured a gopher-like species before the firing of the [[Halo Array]] and preserved them on [[Installation 07]]. These short tailed critters possess three toes on each paw with large claws, which they use to dig and burrow into the ground when startled. They are covered in multicolored fur with distinctive white fur markings. Their most prominent feature is their unique segmented hoods on their nasal bridges. The gophers are edible, and were hunted for food by survivors on Installation 07.<ref>'''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]''', ''page 173''</ref>
<gallery>
File:HINF space gopher 1.png|A strolling space gopher.
File:HINF space gopher 2.png|An alert space gopher standing up.
File:HINF space gopher 3.png|Back view of a space gopher.
File:HINF GopherConcept3.jpg|Finalized concept art by Sergey Snegirev.
File:HINF GopherConcept1.jpg|Initial concept art by Roman Semenenko.
File:HINF GopherHoleConcept.jpg|Burrowing animation sequence artwork.
File:HINF GopherConcept2.jpg|Early sketches by Sergey Snegirev.
File:HINF RodentConcepts.jpg|Early concepts by Roman Semenenko.
</gallery>

==List of appearances==
*''[[Halo: The Flood]]'' {{Fm}}
*''[[Halo: First Strike]]'' {{1st}}
*''[[I love bees]]''
*''[[Halo 2]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo 3]]''
*''[[Halo: Evolutions]]''
**''[[Pariah]]
*''[[Halo: Reach]]''
*''[[Halo: Mortal Dictata]]''
*''[[Halo: Smoke and Shadow]]'' {{Mo}}
*''[[Halo Infinite]]''
*''[[Halo: The Rubicon Protocol]]''

==Sources==
{{Ref/Sources}}

[[Category:Animals]]