Eastern woodrat
Eastern woodrat
By Brandi Guilliams
Animal Diversity Web
University of Michigan
Museum of Zoology
Habitat
Neotoma floridana is an eastern woodland species but has also been observed in the grasslands of the Midwest and coastal areas of the Southeast. Eastern woodrats inhabit deciduous forests in mountainous areas, swamps and marshes in coastal areas, and sometimes inhabit abandoned buildings. (Webster, Parnell, and Biggs, 1985; Wiley, 1980)
Food Habits
Eastern woodrats are known for their foraging and caching habits. They store fruits, seeds, and leaves in their large middens to eat during the winter. They also include many non-food items in midden collections, such as jewelry, paper wads, bottle caps, and other shiny objects, which they seem to be curious about. In one study, Martin et al. (1951) reported that 5 to 10% of their diet was made up of oak (Quercus) acorns. Two to five percent of the diet is made up of greenbrier (Smilax species), goldenrod (Solidago), and prickly pear (Opuntia). Sumac (Rhus), mesquite (Prosopis), and walnut (Juglans), each constituted 0.5% of the diet. Insects are reported as making up a very small portion of the diet as well. (Martin, Zim, and Nelson, 1951; Palmer, 1957)
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