Learning Center
Pack Rats
About Pack Rats
Common Names: Wood Rat
Physical Characteristics: Liquid black eyes, fluffy, grayish-brown, Big ears, and long tail; body is 6-9 inches long and its tail 5-9 inches long.
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Behavior:
- In houses, pack rats are active nocturnally, searching for food and nest material.
- A peculiar characteristic is that if they find something they want, they will drop what they are currently carrying, for example a piece of cactus, and they will “trade” it for the new item.
- They are particularly fond of twigs, stones, dog poop, and shiny objects, leading to tales of rats swapping jewelry for a stone.
- Herbivores: Feed on nuts, seeds, fruit, and foliage
Facts:
- There are approximately 22 species of packrats in the Southwest, including Arizona.
- Nests are often called “middens” and have been discovered clear back to the ice age.
- Packrats will make tapping noises with their feet when they are disturbed.
- Females produce 1-2 litters a year, with 2-6 pups in each litter.