# Bushy-tailed Woodrat (*Neotoma cinerea*) The Bushy-tailed Woodrat is a small, furry animal with a long, bushy tail. They love to build nests out of sticks and leaves and are great at climbing trees! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 2/5 · Low - **Snaps:** 2 - **Habitat:** Forests - **Also known as:** Packrat ![Bushy-tailed Woodrat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Neotoma_cinerea_%28bushy_tailed_woodrat%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: R. B. Forbes, Public domain · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neotoma_cinerea_%28bushy_tailed_woodrat%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Bushy-tailed Woodrat has soft, gray to brownish fur with a paler belly. Its most distinctive feature is its long, bushy tail, similar to a squirrel's but often flatter, which sets it apart from other rats. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Cricetidae - **Genus:** Neotoma ## Interesting facts - Bushy-tailed Woodrats rarely drink water; they get all they need from the plants they eat. - Their middens can be used by scientists to study past climates for hundreds of years! - These amazing climbers can scale cliffs and trees with incredible agility to find food or shelter. - They use different types of plants to scent-mark their territory and communicate with other woodrats. ## Special abilities - **Midden Builder:** Bushy-tailed Woodrats can construct massive stick houses called middens that protect them from predators and extreme weather. - **Hoarder Supreme:** Bushy-tailed Woodrats have an instinct to collect shiny, unusual objects, which they bring back to their dens for unknown reasons. - **Night Vision Ace:** Bushy-tailed Woodrats have large eyes that help them navigate and find food in the dark, making them expert nocturnal explorers. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 28-46 cm - **Weight:** 0.2-0.6 kg - **Lifespan:** 3-5 years - **Speed:** 15 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-4 - **Gestation:** 27-38 days ## Diet & Feeding These woodrats are herbivores, munching on leaves, twigs, berries, and seeds from various plants. - **Primary Foods:** leaves, twigs, berries, seeds, fungi, cactus pads - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — A primary nocturnal predator of woodrats. - **Eats:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Coyotes hunt woodrats in various habitats. - **Depends on:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — Woodrats feed on needles and seeds, and use its twigs for middens. - **Eats:** [Prairie Rattlesnake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/prairie-rattlesnake) (*Crotalus viridis*) — Rattlesnakes may prey on young or adult woodrats. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Social](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/social): Social animals live in organized groups, cooperating for survival benefits such as foraging, defense, and raising offspring. - [Arboreal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/arboreal): Arboreal animals live primarily in trees, utilizing them for shelter, food, and protection from predators. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Tool Use](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/tool-use): This trait describes organisms that manipulate external objects to achieve a specific goal. - [Forest](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/forest): Forest habitats are terrestrial environments dominated by dense tree cover, supporting a high diversity of plant and animal life. - [Nocturnal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nocturnal): Nocturnal animals are primarily active during the nighttime hours, typically resting or sleeping during the day. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 2/5 · Low Do not try to catch or touch wild animals. It's best to observe them from a distance. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Bushy-tailed Woodrat? Compare ears, muzzle, tail, feet and coat markings. Size is hard to judge without something nearby for scale, and young mammals may not have adult coloring yet. Mammal Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How long is Bushy-tailed Woodrat? 28-46 cm ### How much does Bushy-tailed Woodrat weigh? 0.2-0.6 kg ### How long does Bushy-tailed Woodrat live? 3-5 years ### How fast can Bushy-tailed Woodrat move? 15 km/h ### What does Bushy-tailed Woodrat eat? These woodrats are herbivores, munching on leaves, twigs, berries, and seeds from various plants. ### Where is Bushy-tailed Woodrat usually found? Forests ### How does Bushy-tailed Woodrat hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Rim Village Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/rim-village-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District - [Grand Coulee](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/grand-coulee) — Washington, US · Natural Landmark - [Munson Valley Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/munson-valley-historic-district) — Oregon, US · Historic District [View all places to see Bushy-tailed Woodrat](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/bushy-tailed-woodrat) ## More Mammals - [Eastern Fox Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-fox-squirrel) (*Sciurus niger*) - [Eastern Cottontail](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-cottontail) (*Sylvilagus floridanus*) - [Eastern Chipmunk](https://www.snappit.app/explore/eastern-chipmunk) (*Tamias striatus*) - [California Ground Squirrel](https://www.snappit.app/explore/california-ground-squirrel) (*Otospermophilus beecheyi*) --- Source: [Bushy-tailed Woodrat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/bushy-tailed-woodrat)