Cotton Rats
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Cotton Rat Information
Cotton rats are found in many parts of the United States, especially in the Southeast. These small rodents have large eyes and thick, greyish fur. These creatures will invade your property if you leave open bowls of pet food on your porch or yard. These animals are always looking for food, so they may be tempted to enter into your home through any open spaces in your structure or foundation.
What does a Cotton Rat look like?
The entire length of a cotton rat is 10 inches on average, with the tail comprising about four inches of that. Their tails are almost completely hairless and appear scaly. Other traits include their stiff, rough fur coats that are usually black, gray, or brown.
What does a Cotton Rat eat?
Unless threatened with limited access to vegetation, cotton rats primarily eat plants, seeds, roots, and stems. Fruits, nuts, and sugarcane are also part of their diet. When the pests are unable to find their preferred meals, they resort to scavenging for eggs and young quail, among other small birds and carcasses.
Cotton Rat habits
Ideal cotton rat habitats range from grasslands and meadows to marshlands, so long as they are densely covered. Cotton rats also nest in embankments, cultivated fields, under logs, and along roadsides. Nests are built from dry grass and other plant materials. The rodents construct paths to and from their nests and other locations.
