Rodents are the most successful mammals in terms of geographical distribution. Many species are pests that feed on cultivated crops and other human foods. Conversely, only a few species have been deliberately bred for food. Guinea pigs are still a source of protein in the Andes, as they were for the ancient Incas. Capybara are being raised in Venezuela for market and the wild capybara have long been a choice food for natives of the South American tropical forests.
Chinese peasants eat hamsters.
Several species have had great economic influence because of their fur. Rats, mice and guinea pigs have been guinea pigs for human medicines, cosmetics and human food products. Mice have been extremely important in genetic research because of their rapid reproductive rate. The potential for the order Rodentia to cause damage comes from their diversity and adaptability due to high reproductive rate, and their ability to live in close association with man. Some rodents pose a dangerous threat to humans as vectors of diseases such as typhus, bubonic plague, hunta virus and, occasionally, rabies.