||The Mammals of Texas -
Southern Plains Woodrat
Rodentia : Family Muridae : Neotoma
Description. A large, gray-colored rat
with large ears and relatively short, heavy,
sparsely-haired tail. Differs from Neotoma floridana, to which it is most closely related and which
may occur in the same area, in gray, often bluish-gray,
dorsal coloration. Upperparts pale drab, mixed with
blackish hairs along the back; tail blackish above,
grayish below; underparts and feet white. External
measurements average: total length, 351 mm; tail, 163 mm;
hind foot, 41 mm. Weight, (males) 272-310 g; (females)
Distribution in Texas. Found in western
two-thirds of state eastward to Johnson County in north
and Gulf Coast in south.
Habits. This rat is
characteristic of the brushlands in the semi-arid region
between the timberlands and the arid deserts to the west.
Unlike other woodrats, it is rarely associated with rocks
or cliffs; rather, it is usually found associated with
cactus or some of the thorny desert shrubs. It is at home
in thickets of cacti, mesquite, or thorn bush where it
constructs a house of sticks, joints of cactus, thorns,
and other readily available material. Frequently, an
underground burrow system is added, particularly in
localities where building materials are not abundant.
These houses may be a meter or more high with two or more
openings near the base to which well-worn trails lead
through and over the spiny vegetation. So well protected
are these rats by their spiny fortresses that, when at
home, they seldom are molested by larger animals.
Their food consists almost entirely of
vegetation; the thick blades of the prickly pear and the
juicy fruits of many species of cactus are favored items.
Specific items include the thick basal parts of the
leaves of sotol, blades of agaves, beans and pods of
mesquite, and acorns. Their food also supplies the
The breeding season is restricted to
early spring and there is some evidence that the species
is monestrous and produces only one litter a year. The
usual number of young per litter is three, but ranges
from two to four. The gestation period is about 33 days.
At birth the young weigh about 10 g, but growth is rapid.
They are weaned when about 30 days old and at the age of
3 months are nearly full-grown and weigh about 85% as
much as adults. At the age of 300 days they are sexually
Under suitable conditions the
population density may become high, at which times the
rats may compete seriously with livestock and big game
animals for forage. However, they ordinarily are not
Photo credit: John L. Tveten.