Round-tailed muskrat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Round-tailed muskratTemporal range: Middle Pleistocene – Recent
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| Genus: |
Neofiber
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| Species: |
alleni
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| Geographic range
N.a.alleni N.a.apalachicolae N.a.exoristus N.a.nigrescens N.a.struix |
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The round-tailed muskrat (also known as the Florida water rat) is a small rodent that lives in the southeastern United States. Its scientific name is Neofiber alleni. It's the only species in its group, called the Neofiber genus. These muskrats love to live in swamps and other wet places.
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About the Round-Tailed Muskrat
The round-tailed muskrat is an animal that spends part of its life in water and part on land. This means it is semiaquatic. It is also a nocturnal animal, which means it is most active at night. These muskrats are native to the southeastern United States.
Size and Appearance
Male and female round-tailed muskrats are very similar in size. This is called "limited sexual dimorphism." Adult females usually weigh about 262 grams (9.2 oz). Adult males are a bit heavier, weighing around 279 grams (9.8 oz).
When they are born, baby muskrats have gray fur. As they grow, their fur changes. Young muskrats have a "juvenile molt" between 7 and 30 days old. Then, they have a "subadult molt" between 35 and 50 days old. After these molts, adult muskrats have brown fur on their backs and lighter fur on their bellies. Muskrats can shed their fur (molt) throughout the year, but it happens more often in the fall.
What They Eat
Round-tailed muskrats are herbivores, meaning they only eat plants. They mostly eat plants that grow in the water, like grasses. This includes the stems, seeds, and roots of these aquatic plants.
Who Hunts Them
The main predators of the round-tailed muskrat are marsh hawks and barn owls. However, these muskrats are usually hunted when they are outside their normal homes. This often happens if floods force them to move to new areas.
Where Round-Tailed Muskrats Live
You can find the round-tailed muskrat in most parts of Florida and in southeastern Georgia. They are not found in northeastern Florida. Scientists have found fossils of these muskrats in Florida from a long time ago, which matches where they live today.
Interestingly, you won't find the regular muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) in the same places as the round-tailed muskrat. This is because both animals use the same ecological niche, meaning they need the same things to survive. So, they don't usually live in the same areas.
In their preferred habitats, there are usually about 100 to 120 round-tailed muskrats living in one acre of land.
Their Homes and Habitat
Round-tailed muskrats prefer large, healthy wetland areas in Florida and southeastern Georgia. They like places where different parts of the wetland are connected.
They tend to avoid areas where many cows graze. This is because grazing cows eat a lot of the wetland grass that the muskrats need for food.
Within their home areas, round-tailed muskrats move between 10 to 15 different resting spots. They build their homes, called lodges, slightly above the water level. These lodges are made from woven plant material on top of thick plants. They also build feeding platforms above the water where they can eat their meals.
Scientists used to think that round-tailed muskrats were very social animals. However, it is now thought that they might only live in large groups if there isn't enough good habitat for everyone.
Sources
- Musser, G. G. and M. D. Carleton. 2005. Superfamily Muroidea. pp. 894–1531 in Mammal Species of the World a Taxonomic and Geographic Reference. D. E. Wilson and D. M. Reeder eds. Johns Hopkins University Press, Baltimore.
- Round-tailed muskrat, Field Guide to the Rare Animals of Florida
