Hispid Cotton Rat
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Sigmodon hispidus
DESCRIPTION: The hispid cotton rat is a moderately large, robust rodent with a scaly, thinly haired short tail.
The Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus) is a widespread and common rodent in the southeastern United States westward into Arizona and south into Mexico. It is common on farms, prairies and overgrown pastures.
Cotton rats are prolific and produce several litters of two to 10 young, averaging about five, a year.
Hispid Cotton Rat (Sigmodon hispidus)
No photo of the Hispid Cotton Rat available.
Hispid Cotton Rat
Sigmodon hispidus
(Say and Ord)
Description: The hispid cotton rat is a relatively large rodent with hispid pelage--that is, dorsal hairs are a mixture of black or dark brown and buffy or gray hairs.
Arizona Cotton Rat
Order: Rodentia
Family: Muridae
Sigmodon arizonae - right (with S. fulviventer)
Click to enlarge. (95 kb) ...
Hispid Cotton Rat
(Sigmodon hispidus)
1 image
The Hispid Cotton Rat is a sturdy rat with grizzled brown fur above and grayish-white fur underneath. The coat also has longer stiff black guard hairs. The tail is shorter than the head and body.
hills 811 South Florida flatwoods 812 North Florida flatwoods 813 Cutthroat seeps 814 Cabbage palm flatwoods 815 Upland hardwood hammocks 816 Cabbage palm hammocks 817 Oak hammocks 820 Everglades flatwoods PLANT COMMUNITIES : Hispid cotton rats ...
hispid cotton rat (Sigmodon hispidus virginianus)
hoary bat (Lasiurus cinereus cinereus)
house mouse (Mus musculus musculus)
Howell's eastern mole (Scalopus aquaticus howelli)
Indiana bat (Myotis sodalis) ...
An investigation followed and "of 1100 'pellets' that were collected and analyzed, it was found that quail parts were present in four only, and cotton rat remains in 925.
Bullsnakes are beneficial snakes because they eat quantities of mice, cotton rats, gophers and small mammals.
Natural predators include bobcats, Cooper’s and Harris’ hawks, cotton rats, king snakes and coachwhips, although the impact these species have on Gambel’s quail populations is not fully understood.
They are larger than the harvest mice (Reithrodontomys), but noticeably smaller than woodrats (Neotoma) and cotton rats (Sigmodon). The deer mouse is about 148-200 mm (seven in.) long, including the tail.
Cottontail and marsh rabbits make up most of its diet which also includes rice and cotton rats, deer mice, insects, songbirds, acorns, and fruits such as persimmons, grapes, hawthorns, and pawpaws.
In south-east Texas, the Red Wolf primarily feeds on nutria, rabbits, Hispid Cotton Rats, Marsh Rice Rats and muskrats. The reintroduced Red Wolf population of north-eastern North Carolina feeds primarily on white-tailed deer, raccoons and rabbits.
They search carefully for a spot with recent rodent activity and position themselves for prey to come within striking distance. Cotton Rats are a favorite prey item and Western Diamondback Rattlesnakes may coil near or even in their nests.
I have never seen them chase any other small birds than those mentioned, or quadrupeds of smaller size than the cotton rat; nor am I aware of their eating frogs, which are the common food of the Winter Falcon.
 See also: Mice, Rabbit, Rat, Burro, Snake
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