Marsh rice rat Facts
Marsh rice rat Facts
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| Interesting Marsh rice rat Facts: |
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| Marsh rice rat can reach 5 inches in length (plus 7 inches-long tail) and 1.4 to 2.8 ounces of weight. |
| Marsh rice rat has grayish brown fur with sparse blackish hairs. Feet and belly are whitish or grey colored. Tail is bi-colored: dark brown on the upper side, light grey on the bottom side. Fur is coarse, dense and water repellent. Males and females look alike. |
| Marsh rice rat has large, flattened head, rounded, furry ears, long, slender body and long, scaly tail covered with sparse hairs. |
| Marsh rice rat is equally well adapted to the life in the water and on the solid ground (semi-aquatic animal). |
| Marsh rice rat uses feet to propel its body in the water. It can swim 1.000 feet without a break and dive 30 feet in depth. |
| Marsh rice rat is nocturnal animal (active during the night). |
| Marsh rice rat is an omnivore (it eats plants and meat). Its diet is based on insects, snails, crabs, eggs, immature turtles, fish, sedges and various aquatic plants. |
| When it is faced with danger, marsh rice rat hides under the water. Natural enemies of marsh rice rats are owls, hawks, minks, raccoons, foxes and snakes. |
| Marsh rice rat is solitary and territorial creature. It defecates and cleans its fur away from the burrow, in specifically designated areas (latrines). |
| Marsh rice rat is active all year round (it does not hibernate during the winter). |
| Mating season of marsh rice rats takes place from March to October. |
| Females can produce up to 8 litters per year. Pregnancy lasts 25 days and ends with 3 to 5 pups. Female is able to conceive immediately after she gave birth. |
| Babies spend first few days of their life in ball-shaped nest (size of a grapefruit) made of grass. Marsh rice rats are blind and helpless at birth. They depend on the mother's milk until the age of 2 weeks. Soon afterwards, they become ready for the independent life. |
| Marsh rice rats reach sexual maturity at the age of 50 to 60 days. |
| Marsh rice rat can survive up to 12 months in the wild (7 months is an average lifespan). |
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