Gnawing Mammals

Mammal Characteristics  Warm – Blooded  Usually have a protective coat of hair and a bony skeleton  Babies are fed milk with mammary glands

Gnawing Mammals  Sometimes referred to as rodents  Have 4 large incisor teeth in front of their mouth  Teeth never stop growing Must gnaw on something or teeth become overgrown  Most diverse group of mammals Many different species that live in different environments  Most are herbivores

House Mouse

 6 – 8” in length .5 to 1 oz in weight  Gray or brown in color  Long, hairless tails  Live in buildings during cold seasons  Live anywhere food and shelter can be found in same place

House Mouse  Begins reproducing at 2 months of age, capable of having 8 litters a year  Litter sizes range from 3 to 11 young  Born naked, helpless, and blind  Important food source for predatory animals and birds

Muskrat

 Grows to 24” from nose to tail at maturity  Nocturnal animal that inhabits the freshwater biomes of North America  Does not hibernate  Flat hairless tail that it uses as a rudder when it swims

Muskrat  7 or 8 offspring in each litter  Young muskrats swim when they are 3 weeks old  Often trapped or are preyed upon by eagles, otters, and minks  Seldom grow to be older than 4 yrs old

Eastern Fox Squirrel

 Largest squirrel in North America  19 – 28” long  1.5 – 3 lbs  Eats nuts, fruits, corn, roots, and insects  2-4 are born in early spring and can live to 6 years old  Range in color from rusty yellow to black

Woodchuck

 A.K.A. Groundhog  20-27” long from head to tail  Weighs 5-10 lbs.  Brown in color  Eats green plants during spring and summer  Hibernates from Sept. until spring  Prefers open woodlands and meadows  Causes problems for farmers Eats crops and mounds up dirt

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog

 Yellowish brown in color with a black- tipped tail  Plains dweller that builds dams around the entrance to its burrow to prevent flooding  Range goes on narrow band from Texas to Canada

Black-Tailed Prairie Dog  14-17” long from nose to tail  Weigh 2-3 pounds  Young are born in litters of 3-5 in March and April  Very social animals Greet and graze peacefully together

Cottontail Rabbit

 Live in different environments in North America ranging from deserts to wooded areas  Diets revolve around grass and other vegetation  Short legs (cannot run well)  Brown to gray in color  14-17” in length  Prefer bushy habitats

Cottontail Rabbit  Hide from prey by sitting very still  4 to 7 young in litter  3 to 4 litters / yr

Porcupines

 Known for its sharp quills  Cause damage to trees and shrubs as they gnaw the buds and bark for food Often kills the trees if bark is gone  Chews on anything that is salty, including human property

Beaver

 Hard-working animal  Dam-building skills prevent soil erosion and stores water  Webbed hind feet  Long, flat tail which helps in swimming  When dangers approach, beavers slap their tails on the surface to signal to other members of the colony

Beaver  Long, flat tail which helps in swimming  When dangers approach, beavers slap their tails on the surface to signal to other members of the colony  3-4 feet in length and up to 70 pounds  Young are not mature until 2 years old  Fur is reddish brown in color