Not all mammals have the same food habits and some of them, in fact, have some very interesting food habits too. The smallest of mammals cannot hunt other animals for their food as bigger ones do. Therefore, they eat tiny insects. Insectivores are amongst the smallest of mammals and they get their name from the fact that they survive by eating mostly small insects. Insectivores include frogs, lizards, shrews and anteaters. They feast on insects, juicy worms, slugs and snails!
Insectivores form the third largest order of mammals after rodents and bats. Most of the insectivores are very small, even smaller than the fist of a child. A few, however, reach a foot long or more. The largest insectivore is the moon rat, which stretches 30 centimetres from the tip of its snout to the end of its tail.
In spite of their many differences, these animals are grouped together because their teeth are alike. Insectivores have many small teeth, and all insectivores have long slender snouts. These snouts are very useful in searching for insects in the earth, or under leaves and stones. Their bodies lose heat easily, so they need to eat frequently.
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