Removal
Wood rats, Neotoma spp., also referred to as
"pack rats" or "trade rats",
are widely distributed over much of North America.
One or more species are found in parts of most
states with the exception of a few of the north-central
and Great Lakes area states. They are also absent
from most of the New England area. Some eight
species and many subspecies are usually restricted
to a given type of habitat, but members of this
genus occur from low, hot, dry deserts to the
cold, rocky slopes above timberline.
Wood rats are apparently attracted to small,
bright, shiny objects such as spoons, small pieces
of jewelry, broken bits of mirrors, coins or other
items, sometimes leaving sticks, nuts or other
materials in trade. The common names, "pack"
or "trade" rats, were giving these animals
because of these antics. These characteristics
are frequently the subject of exaggerated stories
from which it is difficult to sift fact from fiction.
Wood rats are rat-sized mammals with large ears,
large dark eyes and fairly long tail which is
sparsely covered with hair or, depending on the
species, well furred with long hair. Their fur
is soft; dorsal fur is colored cinnamon, brown,
gray, yellowish gray or creamy buff; feet and
ventral parts are generally much lighter in color;
the tail is blackish or puff, paler on the ventral
surface. Wood rats are much larger than mice and
tend to resemble the introduced Norway rat or
roof rat in general size and shape. The head and
body length is about 7 to 8 inches and the tail
is 6-1/2 to 7-1/2 long. Their clean appearance,
soft fur and well-haired ears help distinguish
this native species from the Norway and roof rats.
Reproductive activity is most pronounced in spring.
One to five litters a year are reported, with
the number of young varying from one to four,
with two about average. This species is not highly
prolific and annual population increases or decreases
are not great.
Wood rats have been involved in epizootics of
plague and have been found infected with tularemia.
They are reservoirs of the trypanosomes (parasitic,
bloodinfesting protozoans) of Chagas' disease.
Their role in transmitting disease to man is considered
minor, although dead or dying wood rats should
not be handled with bare hands, especially in
plague areas.
Some species such as the dusky-footed wood rat
(Neotomafuscipes) are agile climbers and often
construct bulky stick dens or nests high in the
crowns of trees. More commonly, however, dens
are situated on the ground. Ground dens measure
3 to 5 feet in height and diameter; tree nests
are somewhat smaller. One animal may inhabit several
nests, and in good feeding areas a den may be
occupied for several years or a lifetime. Wood
rats live alone except when mating or rearing
young. The dusky-footed wood rat of the west is
semiarboreal and, when traveling between tree
nests, jumps squirrel-like from branch to branch.
Other lowland and desert-living species are essentially
ground dwellers.
Wood rats climb readily and are chiefly nocturnal;
occasionally they are observed during daylight.
Their food is largely determined by varying local
conditions and consists mainly of a variety of
green vegetation including grass, leaves, fruit,
nuts, small bulbs, bark, dry seeds and fungi.
They also may be attracted to human food supplies
in buildings or in outdoor camps.
When wood rats nest in buildings, they may utilize
available foods within the building, but most
often they continue to feed outside. Visible ground
trails 3 to 4 inches wide may be evident from
the nest to the feeding grounds. In forest they
clip young and debark older conifer trees for
food and nest building, and in backyard or commercial
orchards they will occasionally clip young 1/4-inch
diameter limbs from fruit trees.
Girdling of small trees and shrubs occurs but
is not common. Rarely do they become numerous
enough to cause more than very limited damage
to flower or backyard vegetable gardens. Nationwide
they are considered a pest of very minor occurrence;
however, locally they may be relatively significant
pests.
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