# Dusky-footed Woodrat (*Neotoma fuscipes*) The Dusky-footed Woodrat is a small, furry animal with big ears and a long tail. They build cozy nests from sticks and leaves, often in rocky areas or bushes. - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 1 - **Habitat:** Forests ![Dusky-footed Woodrat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/Neotoma_fuscipes_-_Pacific_Grove_Museum_of_Natural_History_-_DSC06663.JPG&width=800) Photo: Daderot, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Neotoma_fuscipes_-_Pacific_Grove_Museum_of_Natural_History_-_DSC06663.JPG) ## Appearance The Dusky-footed Woodrat has soft, brownish-gray fur on its back, transitioning to a lighter grey or white belly. It features large, dark eyes, prominent ears, and distinctive dark feet, contrasting with a long, well-furred tail. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Cricetidae - **Genus:** Neotoma ## Interesting facts - Baby woodrats are born helpless, but they grow up quickly inside their cozy stick nests. - Each woodrat builds its own home, sometimes reaching the size of a small car! - They often collect shiny objects, like bottle caps, to decorate their elaborate stick homes! - Woodrats create latrines in their middens, keeping their living areas very clean! ## Special abilities - **Night Navigator:** Dusky-footed Woodrat has large eyes and sensitive whiskers that help it find its way and avoid predators in the dark. - **Stick Fortress Builder:** Dusky-footed Woodrat can construct massive, multi-chambered nests from sticks and debris, protecting it from danger. - **Dry Food Forager:** Dusky-footed Woodrat can get most of its water from the plants it eats, rarely needing to drink extra water. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 31-48 cm - **Weight:** 0.15-0.3 kg - **Lifespan:** 2-3 years - **Speed:** 15 km/h - **Litter Size:** 1-4 - **Gestation:** 30-38 days ## Diet & Feeding Eats leaves, seeds, fruits, and fungi, getting most water from its plant-rich food. - **Primary Foods:** Oak Leaves, Acorns, Seeds, Fungi, Berries, Twigs - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Owls are common predators that hunt woodrats at night. - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — Coyotes frequently prey on woodrats as a food source. - **Eaten by:** [Western Rattlesnake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/western-rattlesnake) (*Crotalus viridis*) — Rattlesnakes hunt woodrats inside their middens or nearby. - **Depends on:** [Coast Live Oak](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coast-live-oak) (*Quercus agrifolia*) — Woodrats eat its leaves and acorns, and build nests in it. - **Shelter:** Ponderosa Pine (*Pinus ponderosa*) — Woodrats often build their protective stick middens at its base. ## Traits - [Furry](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/furry): Furry describes animals possessing a dense covering of soft hair or fur. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Burrowing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/burrowing): Burrowing animals dig tunnels and chambers in the ground, using these subterranean structures for shelter, hunting, or breeding. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [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. - [Keystone Species](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/keystone-species): Describes a species whose presence and role have a disproportionately large effect on its environment. - [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:** 1/5 · Very low If you see a woodrat, watch quietly from a distance. They are shy and like to be left alone. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Dusky-footed 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 Dusky-footed Woodrat? 31-48 cm ### How much does Dusky-footed Woodrat weigh? 0.15-0.3 kg ### How long does Dusky-footed Woodrat live? 2-3 years ### How fast can Dusky-footed Woodrat move? 15 km/h ### What does Dusky-footed Woodrat eat? Eats leaves, seeds, fruits, and fungi, getting most water from its plant-rich food. ### Where is Dusky-footed Woodrat usually found? Forests ### How does Dusky-footed Woodrat hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Point San Luis Light](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/point-san-luis-light) — California, US · Historic District - [Jack London State Historic Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/jack-london-state-historic-park) — California, US · State Park ## 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: [Dusky-footed Woodrat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/dusky-footed-woodrat)