The Gambian pouched rat has very poor eyesight and so depends on its senses of smell and hearing.

The Gambian pouched rat reaches sexual maturity at 5-7 months of age.

It is related to Cricetomys gambianus, the Gambian pouched rat.

Emin's rat and the Gambian rat have a few very noticeable physical differences:

Emin's rats tend to weigh less and be slightly smaller than the Gambian rat.

Several patients in the American outbreak work for veterinarians or pet stores that sold prairie dogs and Gambian rats.

Health authorities say that at least one sick Gambian rat infected Phil's prairie dogs.

However, other species, notably the Gambian pouched rat, have also been trained to assist humans.

Nationwide, 81 confirmed or suspected human cases of monkeypox have been traced to the infected Gambian rat.

What made the chain of monkeypox infection possible were humans who keep wild animals - prairie dogs and Gambian rats - as pets.