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WOODRAT
Other Names: Packrat, Traderat
Earning its nickname "packrat," this rodent is particularly fond of shiny objects and will drop whatever it's carrying to take the trinket instead. Woodrats gnaw on fruit trees, furniture, mattress bedding, wires, conduits and paper products in the home. They can cause serious financial loss for farmers and homeowners. | | | Description of the Woodrat
Scientific Name: | Neotoma SPP. meaning “rodent that cuts with its teeth” | Color: | Ranges – brown, gray, black | Weight: | 10-16 ounces; same size as Norway Rat | Length: | 7 inches | Tail Length: | 7 inches; shorter than the body | Body: | Thick, rounded body; professionals describe as a “giant hamster”; very long, soft, fine fur | Ears: | Large ears | Eyes: | Bulging black eyes
| Lifespan: | 3 years | Droppings: | ½ inch long; oval shaped; found in piles | Reproduction of the Woodrat
Litter Size: | 2-4 pups per litter | No. of Litters: | 1-4 per year | Sexual Maturity: | 2-3 months | Gestation Period: | 38 days; slow population growth
| Breeding Season: | Outdoors: Spring | Diet of the Woodrat
Daily Amount: | 0.1-2 ounces | 
| Daily Water: | 1-2 ounces | Daily Food: | Seeds, vegetation, nuts, berries, twigs, insects, small mammals, birds; Woodrats nesting inside homes often continue to feed outside. | Habitat of the Woodrat Geography: | Throughout US, although absent from New England & Great Lakes states | Nest Location: | Stick “houses” under porches, inside sheds, attics, soffits, hard to reach wall & ceiling voids; similar to roof rats | Home Range: | ¾ of an acre | Active Periods: | Nocturnal; but common to see juveniles during the daytime
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