Rusty-bellied brush-furred rat facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Rusty-bellied brush-furred rat |
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Conservation status | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Genus: |
Lophuromys
|
| Species: |
sikapusi
|
The rusty-bellied brush-furred rat (also called Lophuromys sikapusi) is a type of rodent. It belongs to the Muridae family, which includes many rats and mice. You can find this rat in many parts of Africa. It lives in countries like Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Central African Republic, Republic of the Congo, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ivory Coast, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Ghana, Guinea, Kenya, Liberia, Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Tanzania, Togo, and Uganda. It likes to live in warm, wet places. These include tropical forests, wet grasslands, and even farm fields.
Contents
Where Rusty-Bellied Rats Live
These rats live across a large area of Africa. Their home stretches from Sierra Leone to Uganda and Tanzania. You can also find them near the Congo River.
Out of all the Lophuromys rodents, these rats cover the biggest area. They are very good at living in different kinds of places. They usually prefer warm, wet areas. They need moist grasslands to survive. You won't find them in very dry places or thick forests. These rodents also live in savannas, especially where there are some bushes.
What Rusty-Bellied Rats Look Like
Rusty-bellied brush-furred rats have dark fur. Their fur feels stiff to the touch. They have a short, strong body with short legs. Male and female rats look very similar. The only real difference is that males are a bit bigger than females.
An average rusty-bellied brush-furred rat weighs about 45 to 90 grams. Their tail is shorter than most other African rodents. For example, its tail is shorter than the L. angolensis rat. Their head and body length are similar to other African rodents.
Compared to Lemniscomys striatus rats, L. sikapusi has a shorter tail and back feet. Their tail is usually about 69 mm long. The longest tail found was 82 mm. Their nose looks a bit like a shrew's nose. It is slightly longer than the nose of L. flavopunctatus rats. Their cheek teeth have three rows of bumps, not just two.
What Rusty-Bellied Rats Eat
The rusty-bellied brush-furred rat eats many different things. Their diet includes insects like ants, small reptiles, seeds, and plant parts. They also eat soft-bodied bugs and other plant materials. These foods are easy to find in tropical areas.
If their habitat becomes too dry, it's harder for them to find food. Dry places also mean less cover, making them easier targets for predators. In wet seasons, there's more food, but also more diseases. About 98% of the food they eat is used to keep their body warm. Only 2% helps them grow new body tissue. This shows they need a lot of energy to stay warm.
How They Digest Food
These rats have a special stomach. It has a unique bump along its curve. This type of stomach helps them digest plant-based foods. It allows them to eat many different things. Their stomach is very similar to the Onychomys mouse.
Their stomach doesn't look like it's made for eating only insects. It might help young rats drink a lot of milk when they are growing. The stomach of L. sikapusi also lacks certain glands. Its large size helps mix food well after eating. Their stomach also keeps a high pH level. This helps enzymes break down carbohydrates and starches from their food.
When there isn't enough water, like in dry weather, these rats save water. They make very concentrated urine and dry poop. This helps them stay hydrated.
Rusty-Bellied Rat Behavior
L. sikapusi rats are territorial. This means they like to have their own space. Like many African rodents, they might fight if other rats get too close. These fights can cause injuries, like torn ears or damaged tails. These rats prefer to be alone. Other types of rats, like the Mastomys rat, can be rivals for food and space.
Growth and Reproduction
These brush-furred rats have small litters of babies, called pups. The mother carries the pups for about 21 days before they are born. The young pups grow very fast. They can gain 8 to 20 grams in just the first five days after birth.
On average, a mother rat has two pups at a time. Sometimes, she can have up to four pups. The baby rats start moving around when they are four to seven days old. Their eyes also begin to open around this time. Their fur coat is fully grown about a week after they are born. By the tenth day, the babies weigh about 25 grams. They can start having their own babies when they are about 2 months old.
