Muskrat in appearance is somewhat reminiscent of a hamster, but at the same time lives in water. Its long tail, partially covered with scales, helps to dive and swim. It is interesting to understand the lifestyle of this funny animal, to find out what the muskrat eats in different periods of the year.
general characteristics
This mammal from the order of rodents, scientists belong to the family of hamsters (voles), highlighting the only species in the genus - the muskrat. It is believed that the birthplace of the animal is North America. It was from there at the beginning of the 20th century that the animal was introduced to the European continent.
Muskrats acclimatized well and spread in different latitudes. This was facilitated by a policy of targeted increase in livestock. Animals were bred to obtain skins. Fur products from them were valued for the quality of the underfloor (did not pass water) and appearance.
The nature of the muskrat depends on the nature of the reservoir. Regardless of the habitat (pond, marshland, river), aquatic and coastal vegetation prevails. Muskrats spend most of their time in water. They also prefer to get food for themselves, since on land they are less agile and can become easy prey for carnivorous predators.
Features
Slowness on land is one of the reasons why muskrats have adapted to live in water. There they prefer to build their homes. The hole exit is usually arranged below the water level, taking into account the thickness of its freezing. Muskrat swims quickly and nimbly. Her webbed feet are well adapted to this. Helps to swim, hold and quickly change the direction of movement of the long tail. It is round and thick at the base, and is flattened laterally at the end. When diving, the muskrat can hold its breath for up to 15 minutes or more. An increased amount of hemoglobin is noted in her blood, and myoglobin, which binds free oxygen, is contained in the muscles.
How and what does the muskrat eat under water? Another feature of the animal is the location of the incisors. They are separated from the oral cavity by the nasolabial septum. This arrangement allows you to gnaw thick and strong stems and rhizomes of aquatic vegetation under water. The muskrat cannot choke. She gnaws off the site of the plant at the bottom, floats with it to the surface, pulls it to a favorite place (feed table), and eats it calmly.
Habitat
The body of the animal is well adapted to life in water. The head is small, the eyes are small. The body is smooth, the tail is long and mobile. The hind legs are longer and more powerful with developed membranes. The ears are small and almost do not protrude from the undercoat (red, brown).
Outwardly, the muskrat can be mistaken for a large pasuk. Its second name is the musk rat. The animal really looks like this rodent. But a long and peculiar tail, as well as thick fur with sparse outer hair, distinguishes the muskrat from the usual gray rat. The size of the animal is larger. An adult weighs up to 1.5 kg with a body length of up to 35 cm. In this case, the tail of a muskrat can reach 25 cm. There is no significant difference between males and females.
Usually the muskrat has enough food in the pond. She takes walks in the coastal area, looking for food and building material for her homes. In the vicinity of vegetable gardens or agricultural land, animals can cause some harm to cultural plantings. In rare cases, when the food in the pond is not enough, the muskrat eats a pond or other mollusks. It is noticed that she can eat fish, frogs and even carrion. With severe overpopulation, there have been cases of cannibalism.
Lifestyle
Muskrat is active mainly at dusk and at night. You can meet her during the courtship during the day. The offspring of muskrats are born 2–3 times a year. The litter is usually 6 - 8 cubs. They are born blind and see only at the end of two weeks of age. For almost a month, the mother feeds the young with milk. The male is allowed to raise offspring only when it can already feed on its own. The female is expelled from the grown-up generation beyond the boundaries of the plot and they are forced to look for a new habitat.
The muskrat's fur does not get wet, although outwardly it seems to be stuck together. After shaking off the land, the animal again takes on a neat appearance. The cushion contains a large amount of air. It not only gives good buoyancy, but also allows you to maintain body heat. Muskrat sheds from spring to late autumn.
Regardless of what the muskrat eats in the pond, it itself is full of enemies (wolves, foxes, stray dogs). During migrations, animals can travel long distances (tens of kilometers). During this period, they become easy prey. Their paws are not adapted for prolonged movement on land. Long tails rip off to the blood. Weakened animals often die without finding a suitable reservoir for settlement.
What the muskrat eats in the summer
The basis of its diet is aquatic and coastal vegetation. In the spring, with the beginning of the growing season, the main food is overwintered and empty stems of sedge and reed. Horsetails, reeds, and rdest are well eaten. Muskrat also eats cattail and watch. Muskrat has a rich diet in summer and autumn. You can choose stems of underwater vegetation that have developed well in warmed water, or eat their rhizomes. If you wish, you can "inventory" the coastal zone. The animal may be interested in young shoots of shrubs. The muskrat can even nibble the bark from the trees, giving preference to willow.
What does the muskrat eat? Animals are not picky. Any suitable greens are eaten: water lily, cattail, water-color, russet, elodea. Muskrats quickly get used to the new environment. When the living conditions change, the most suitable site is chosen, immediately looking for a place for possible burrow equipment. Where they find food, equip feed tables. This is usually a conveniently located dry bump.
What does muskrat eat in winter
The feed base changes with the changing seasons of the year. Muskrat cannot be fat for wintering during the summer period. She does not hibernate. Since autumn, he has been trying to collect a sufficient supply of food, dumping it in different places of the reservoir. At the beginning of winter, she can still calmly find herself food among the dying shoots of horsetail, cattail and reed.
Later, it obtains their rhizomes located on the bottom surface or occurring in the bottom layer of silt. With a lack of food, animal food can also be fed for some time. It gives preference to bivalves and pond. Catches crustaceans, weakened and backed fish, can eat carrion.
What does the muskrat in the lake eat if it freezes almost completely in winter? As a rule, the muskrat does not populate such reservoirs. The usual depth at the exit site of its burrow is more than a meter. In the event of a harsh winter or temporary bad weather, the muskrat eats the walls of its hut. In the fall, she begins to pull together to the construction site branches of shrubs and fallen trees, reeds, sedge, cattail. Binds stems with clay and silt. The height of the house can reach a meter, and the heap is located in a circle with a diameter of up to two meters.
Breeding
Muskrat is grown in private and special farms mainly to obtain skins for fur. Such raw materials make inexpensive fur coats, hats, accessories. The fur is lightweight, repels water well and lasts several seasons. After 4 to 5 years of use, the products still lose their appearance.
The meat of animals is also edible and in some places can be considered a delicacy. To its taste, it is somewhat reminiscent of hare and was formerly called the "marsh rabbit." For grinding in traditional medicine, fat is used. The secret of the glands of males located on the stomach in the inguinal region, has a sharp musky smell. Animals use it to mark the borders of their territory. It can also be used in the perfume industry.
