Hoary bamboo rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Hoary bamboo rat |
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Rhizomys
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| Species: |
pruinosus
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The hoary bamboo rat (Rhizomys pruinosus) is a cool type of rodent. It lives in parts of Asia, including countries like Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, Vietnam, China, and India. These rats are known for living in bamboo forests.
Contents
Meet the Hoary Bamboo Rat: Appearance and Size
The hoary bamboo rat is a strong and sturdy rodent. It can grow to be about 24 to 34.5 centimeters (about 9 to 13.5 inches) long, not counting its tail. Its tail adds another 9 to 13 centimeters (about 3.5 to 5 inches). These rats can weigh between 1.5 and 2.5 kilograms (about 3.3 to 5.5 pounds).
Their fur is usually greyish-brown or dark brown. It looks a bit "grizzled" because some of the hairs have white tips. Their belly is a lighter greyish-brown. The tail doesn't have much hair. The rat's head is wide and a bit flat. It has strong cheekbones. Its front teeth (incisors) point inwards, and its wide back teeth (molars) are orange.
Where Hoary Bamboo Rats Live: Homes and Habitats
The hoary bamboo rat lives in many places across Asia. You can find them in northern and northeastern India, eastern Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Vietnam, Malaysia, and southern China. They live in many different types of areas.
These rats can be found from low lands all the way up to mountains, as high as 4,000 meters (about 13,000 feet) above sea level! They like places with pine trees, mixed forests, and areas with lots of shrubs next to woodlands. They also live in plantations and, of course, bamboo thickets. They usually avoid very dense forests or farm fields.
Life of a Hoary Bamboo Rat: Behavior and Reproduction
Hoary bamboo rats are active at night. They live alone in simple burrows they dig underground. Each burrow has one main entrance, which you can spot by a small mound of dirt. It also has a secret escape exit. Inside, there's a cozy nest chamber lined with dried grasses and bamboo pieces. They even have a special bathroom chamber!
At night, the rat comes out to find food. They mostly eat parts of plants, especially the stems and roots of bamboo and beard grass.
These rats can have babies all year round. However, they are most active in November/December and again from March to June. When it's time to breed, a male rat will move into a female's burrow. The mother rat carries her babies for about 22 days. She usually gives birth to one to five babies at a time. The young rats are ready to leave their mother when they are about two to two and a half months old.
Images for kids
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A hoary bamboo rat at the Kunming Natural History Museum of Zoology.
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Map showing the wide range where hoary bamboo rats live.
