# Hispid Cotton Rat (*Sigmodon hispidus*) The Hispid Cotton Rat is a small, furry animal that loves to live in grassy areas. They have soft fur and big ears, making them cute and fun to watch as they scurry around! - **Category:** [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/mammal) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Snaps:** 5 - **Habitat:** Grasslands ![Hispid Cotton Rat](https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?title=Special:Redirect/file/HISPID_COTTON_RAT_%28Sigmodon_hispidus%29_%2811-8-13%29_ben-rio_grande_state_park%252C_mission%252C_tx_-01_%2810750151035%29.jpg&width=800) Photo: ALAN SCHMIERER, CC0 · [Wikimedia Commons](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HISPID_COTTON_RAT_%28Sigmodon_hispidus%29_%2811-8-13%29_ben-rio_grande_state_park%252C_mission%252C_tx_-01_%2810750151035%29.jpg) ## Appearance The Hispid Cotton Rat has a coarse, bristly coat of grizzled gray-brown fur, with lighter white or buff fur on its belly. It has a stocky body, short ears, and a medium-length tail, making it look robust. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Chordata - **Class:** Mammalia - **Order:** Rodentia - **Family:** Cricetidae - **Genus:** Sigmodon ## Interesting facts - A mother cotton rat can have up to 15 babies in a single litter, wow! - Cotton rats actually got their name because they love to line their nests with cotton! - They make neat 'runways' through tall grass, like secret highways for their family! - They sometimes 'clip' tall grass stems, leaving little hay piles to dry! ## Special abilities - **Tough Coat Armor:** Hispid Cotton Rat has a stiff, coarse coat that helps protect it from minor injuries and predators. - **Rapid Reproducer:** Hispid Cotton Rat can have many litters each year, allowing its population to grow quickly in good conditions. - **Grass Chopper:** Hispid Cotton Rat can clip tall grass stems with its sharp teeth, creating clear paths and gathering food. - **Expert Nest Builder:** Hispid Cotton Rat builds intricate nests of grass and plant fibers to keep its babies safe and warm. ## Measurements & details - **Length:** 20-36 cm - **Weight:** 0.05-0.25 kg - **Lifespan:** 1-2 years - **Speed:** 13 km/h - **Litter Size:** 2-15 - **Gestation:** 27 days ## Diet & Feeding This rat mostly eats plants like grass and seeds, but also enjoys the occasional insect. - **Primary Foods:** grass stems, seeds, leaves, insects, fruits - **Foraging Method:** Foraging ## Ecological connections - **Eaten by:** [Coyote](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coyote) (*Canis latrans*) — A common predator in its range. - **Eaten by:** [Great Horned Owl](https://www.snappit.app/explore/great-horned-owl) (*Bubo virginianus*) — Hunts cotton rats from above at night. - **Eaten by:** [Timber Rattlesnake](https://www.snappit.app/explore/timber-rattlesnake) (*Crotalus horridus*) — Ambushes cotton rats in grassy habitats. - **Eats:** [Sorghum](https://www.snappit.app/explore/sorghum) (*Sorghum bicolor*) — Consumes seeds and stems of this common crop. - **Eats:** American Grasshopper (*Schistocerca americana*) — An occasional insect part of its varied diet. ## 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. - [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. - [Grassland](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/grassland): Grassland habitats are terrestrial biomes dominated by grasses and herbaceous plants, supporting a variety of grazing animals. - [Herbivorous](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/herbivorous): This trait characterizes organisms whose diet consists entirely or primarily of plant material. - [Speedster](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/speedster): This trait identifies organisms that exhibit exceptional swiftness in movement for hunting, escape, or travel. ## Collections - [Mammals](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/mammals) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Do not try to catch or touch wild animals. It's best to watch them from a distance! ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Hispid Cotton Rat? 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 Hispid Cotton Rat? 20-36 cm ### How much does Hispid Cotton Rat weigh? 0.05-0.25 kg ### How long does Hispid Cotton Rat live? 1-2 years ### How fast can Hispid Cotton Rat move? 13 km/h ### What does Hispid Cotton Rat eat? This rat mostly eats plants like grass and seeds, but also enjoys the occasional insect. ### Where is Hispid Cotton Rat usually found? Grasslands ### How does Hispid Cotton Rat hunt? Foraging ## Where to spot - [Chilocco Indian Agricultural School](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/chilocco-indian-agricultural-school) — Oklahoma, US · Campus - [Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/corkscrew-swamp-sanctuary) — Florida, US · Nature Reserve - [Causeyville Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/causeyville-historic-district) — Mississippi, US · Historic District - [Daniel Pratt Historic District](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/daniel-pratt-historic-district) — Alabama, US · Historic District - [Tennessee Aquarium](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/tennessee-aquarium-tennessee) — Tennessee, US · Aquarium - [Saint Joseph Peninsula State Park](https://www.snappit.app/guides/places/saint-joseph-peninsula-state-park) — Florida, US · State Park [View all places to see Hispid Cotton Rat](https://www.snappit.app/guides/where-to-see/hispid-cotton-rat) ## 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: [Hispid Cotton Rat: Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/hispid-cotton-rat)