Bushy-tailed woodrat

Packrat ( Neotoma cinerea)

The packrat ( Neotoma cinerea ) is a kind of living in North America New world.

Features

Pack rats reach a total length of up to 46 centimeters, of which about one half falls on the tail. Males weigh 300 to 600 grams, while females reach only 250 to 350 grams. The animals in the northern part of its range are larger than the animals in the south in accordance with Bergmann's rule. Their fur is gray brown on the top, the underside is lighter. Named giving characteristic is the tail, which is bushy, unlike the other bush rats.

Distribution and habitat

Pack rats are widespread from northern Canada to the southern United States (Arizona ). They inhabit a range of habitats and occur in both boreal forests as well as in deserts. They are often found in areas with rocky ground, as they require crevices as shelter. Sometimes they also inhabit houses.

Way of life

These rodents build with grasses and other plant material lined nests. They are nocturnal and rarely take off in search of food far from their shelter. Their home ranges are small, they live solitary and react aggressively to conspecifics. Pack rats have been known to collect in their nests numerous objects, often sparkling and dazzling items. Remarkably it a more attractive from their point of view the subject as to what they wear just let the old lie and accept the new with. This property they owe in English the name "trade rats" or "pack rats" - a term that is also applied to people with the compulsive hoarding syndrome.

Their diet consists of roots, stems, leaves, seeds and other plant material. Occasionally, they will also take insects to him.

These animals are very fertile, the females can unsubscribe several litters a year. After a 30 - day gestation, there are about three (sometimes up to six) pups.