Long-haired rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Long-haired rat |
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| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Rattus
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| Species: |
villosissimus
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The long-haired rat (Rattus villosissimus) is a type of rodent that lives in Australia. It belongs to the Muridae family, which includes many kinds of rats and mice. These rats are famous for their huge population booms across Australia. Because of this, they are sometimes called "plague rats." Most of what we know about them comes from when their numbers are very high. We don't know as much about them when their populations are small.
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What Makes Long-Haired Rats Special?
You can tell a long-haired rat apart by its very long, rough outer hairs. These hairs protect the softer fur underneath. Generally, these rats are light grey. The black guard hairs give them a speckled, grayish look. This is different from many other rat species, which are often tan or brown.
- Male long-haired rats grow to about 18.7 centimeters (7.4 inches) long. Their tails are around 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) long.
- Female long-haired rats are a bit smaller, about 16.7 centimeters (6.6 inches) long. Their tails are about 14.1 centimeters (5.6 inches) long.
- Males usually weigh about 156 grams (5.5 ounces).
- Females weigh less, around 112 grams (4 ounces).
Where Do Long-Haired Rats Live?
Long-haired rats usually live in areas with mild weather, dry deserts, or grassy plains. However, when their populations explode, you can find them almost anywhere! This includes farm buildings and homes. They might even move into fields where crops like sorghum and oats are grown. When there are fewer rats, they stay in smaller areas. These areas are always close to food and water sources.
These rats use thick plants or burrows for shelter. Their burrows can be simple, shallow tunnels. Some burrows are very complex, with up to 20 meters (65 feet) of tunnels leading to many rooms.
Where Can You Find Them?
The areas where long-haired rats live can change a lot. This depends on whether their population is growing fast. After a lot of rain, when there's plenty of food and water, they can spread out. They have been found across huge areas, up to 130,000 square kilometers (50,000 square miles). This includes parts of New South Wales, Queensland, Western Australia, and most of the Northern Territory and South Australia. During these big population increases, there can be hundreds of rats in just one hectare (about 2.5 acres).
We know less about where they live when their numbers are low. However, they can only survive about 13 days without fresh green plants and water. So, when their population is small, they likely stay very close to water and food.
How Do Long-Haired Rats Behave?
Long-haired rats are active at night. Their activities seem to change depending on how bright the moonlight is. They are mostly ground-dwelling animals. They spend most of their time in and around their burrows. In fact, up to 80% of their time is spent underground! When they move across open areas, they always try to stay close to plants. This helps them hide from predators.
Long-Haired Rat Reproduction
Long-haired rats can have babies at any time of the year. The only condition is that there must be enough food. A mother rat usually has 5 to 10 babies in a litter. But during a population boom, they can have up to 12 babies every three weeks! Pregnancy lasts about 22 to 24 days. Young rats can start having their own babies when they are about 70 days old.
What Do Long-Haired Rats Eat?
Scientists don't fully understand the diet of the long-haired rat. They think these rats mostly eat stems, leaves, and roots from grasses, herbs, and juicy plants. They also eat some seeds and insects. In farming areas, they will eat different crops like rockmelons and sunflowers. While they mostly eat plants, long-haired rats are sometimes thought to eat meat. They might even eat other rats!
Who Hunts Long-Haired Rats?
Many animals hunt long-haired rats. This means they are often prey. Their predators include:
- Birds of prey like the barn owl (Tyto alba) and the letter-winged kite (Elanus scriptus).
- Dingos.
- Pet and wild cats and dogs.
- Foxes.
- Snakes.
How Are Long-Haired Rats Managed?
The long-haired rat is not listed as a protected species under a main Australian law called the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. However, in Western Australia, they are listed as an agricultural pest. This means that special plans can be put in place to manage them in certain areas.
Even though they can be managed, people need a license to remove them. This license comes from the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC). Management plans might include:
- Managing unplanted areas.
- Encouraging birds of prey to hunt them.
- Using poisons.
Images for kids
See also
In Spanish: Rattus villosissimus para niños
