A rodent is a rodent is a rodent unless you're talking about Naked Mole Rats. They are so incredibly peculiar that they are not even considered to be of the Mole Rat family. How distinctive are they from other Rodents? Let us count the ways.
First of all they are the only known Eusocial mammal. This means their lifestyle more closely resembles that of ants or termites. They have a Queen who rules the roost and is the only member of the colony who can reproduce. Usually with a couple of males as companions. The other females are sterile, unless of course the Queen passes and then one of them takes over as Queen(sometimes there's even a fight to the finish) and not just for a day. Sort of a, the Queen is dead, long live the Queen situation.
Secondly, like termites the Naked Mole Rat (also called Sand Puppies?) lives completely underground in burrows which can stretch for miles. Inside the tunnels which they call home, they are adept at moving forward or backward with the same agility. This underground habitat is beneficial as they live in one of the harshest areas of East Africa. Also, like many other animals which dwell in the dark, their eyes are almost useless and they rely on their sense of smell instead.
Their teeth on the other hand are long and protruding. This facilitates their being used to cut through the earth in order to forage for tubers, which are their main food source, as well as to extend their realm as the colony grows. When they do find a large tuber a colony can eat on it for an extended period of time. As an added bonus their lips are sealed so they don’t fill up with said earth as they dig. And in keeping with their adaptation to tunnel life their ears are nubby (so as not to get hung up in the passageways) and there noses are similar to a snout and sit back (as opposed to forward as in all other rodents) from their teeth in order to be out of the way when digging.
Thirdly, they adapt to the temperature of their environment rather than regulating a constant temperature like most mammals do. Moving closer to the surface (or each other) when cold and deeper in the burrow when hot. Their lungs have been modified to function in the low level of oxygen of their environment, and they do not feel pain. Something you will have to decide for yourself, is a good or a bad thing. Although pain is painful it's an early warning system that something is drastically wrong. However one of the things which can go wrong, for them doesn’t, as they are highly resistant to cancers. And don't think scientists aren't looking into that.
Fourthly, they are tiny. A full grown adult is about 4 inches long and their bodies are elongated in shape (almost worm like) which of course is perfect if you live in a tunnel. They weigh in at around an ounce and although they appear hairless they do have some hair (they are mammals after all) which aids them in feeling their way through their dark habitat.
Fifthly, they can live over 30 years. More than 3 times the length of Chinchillas and more than fifteen times longer than most mice, which they are slightly smaller than. But of course you do have to ask yourself if this is really a life worth living.
A Naked Mole Rat on the other hand might just say it suits them really well. And you might agree if you were a white, mostly hairless, wrinkled, no-eyed, worm like, bucktoothed rodent with a snout, and termite like tendencies. As you would never feel the pain of your existence. Or really ever think about it either.