Bushy Tailed Wood Rat

Bushy tailed wood rat hiding behind some rocks.

NPS Photo

The bushy tailed woodrat (Neotoma cinera) is a species of rodent that lives in a vast amount of different habitats, ranging from boreal forests to hot, dry savannahs. Even though these cute, native rodents can live in a variety of environments, they prefer to live in rocky areas like the Oregon Caves.

Bushy tailed woodrats have quite a healthy diet consisting of plant shoots, fruits, seeds, insects, and twigs. These rodents do not ever need to drink water due to the fact that they get all their water requirements from the food that they consume.

These cute rodents can be identified by their large ears, small bodies, and extremely bushy tails. They are usually a brown color with clack hairs peppered in throughout their coat. Bushy tailed wood rats are extremely adept at climbing and have the ability to create nests at high distances such as on the sides of cliffs or high up in a tree within a coniferous forest. These rats are also known as pack rats because they have a tendency to drop whatever they may be carrying for a shiny object on the ground such as a penny or piece of jewelry.

Last updated: August 5, 2018

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Cave Junction, OR 97523

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