Arizona White-Throated Packrat
White-Throated Pack Rat - © Greg SmithThe little fellow meant no harm. As packrats go, he was surely an upstanding member of his community. Like most of us, he was working diligently to bring home the bacon (er... seeds) and trying to avoid doing business with any snakes. He didn't realize that the bright, fresh strawberries growing on your porch weren't put there for his dining pleasure or that rustling around in those delightful paper-stuffed boxes in the garage was keeping you awake and jumpy all night.
If only these issues could have been resolved between human and animal neighbor in a civilized fashion. Little CC&Rs could have been posted so that everyone might live together in peace. But of course there was no formal hearing with the Association and Mr. Packrat was roughly evicted without so much as the chance to defend his rights.
Packrat is a common nickname for a woodrat, a fluffy, dark liquid-eyed rodent well known for collecting objects and storing them around its nest area. Gathering items from its environment is the equivalent of going garage-saling, and a packrat may haul home all sorts of interesting finds. Treasured items can include twigs, bones, scraps of paper, bits of trash and other movable objects encountered during its nightly travels.
Active at night, packrats forage for food and indulge their hobby of stockpiling. They are rarely seen during the day and often live unnoticed unless their nesting or feeding activities bring them into conflict with people. When they move into garages, sheds, vehicles or walls, they may be considered pests.
For the most part, people enjoy being surrounded by nature and look to create yards that will attract creatures like birds and butterflies. So a packrat or two moves in. Maybe some rabbits, crickets, a snake or a curious ground squirrel. As long as they are not causing any real challenges, it might be worth letting them stay. They truly help provide the beauty and balance that are found on a desert vista or a mountain trail - those places to which we escape for the purpose of soothing our minds. What a treat to have such wonder just outside the Arcadia door.
If Mr. Packrat Becomes A Pest
As for inside, it seems only fair to ask that Mr. Packrat not live in the walls and steal pillow stuffing. Meeting a Mrs. and raising a family behind the office bookcase is not to be encouraged. But maybe, just maybe, sharing some summer strawberries on the back porch wouldn't be such an inconvenience. After all, it could be argued that it's the neighborly thing to do.
Humanely dealing with animals that are doing damage requires investigating all the options. People often feel they have no alternative, and rush to the store to pick up cruel but well-marketed pest control items. Sticky paper is one product that I particularly dread, since its victims die a slow, agonizing death from dehydration. But poisoning is perhaps the worst, since it is not only an excruciating way to die, but also an excruciating thing to watch or medically treat.
At the crux of poisoning is potential damage to the biological food chain. The key here is that everything is linked. Rodenticides can sometimes poison predators or scavengers that eat contaminated rodents, including hawks, owls, coyotes and other wildlife. For that reason, preventing access to food and shelter and using non-toxic control methods whenever practical can help protect other animals in the surrounding ecosystem.
For packrats or similar animals, prevention and exclusion are often the most effective solutions. Remove accessible food, nesting materials and clutter, seal openings into buildings and protect areas where animals are causing damage. Live traps may sometimes be appropriate, but trapping and relocation should be done only after checking current local wildlife regulations and considering whether the animal can be released safely and legally.
If a packrat must be removed, it is important to understand the species and its habitat needs. Moving an animal to an unfamiliar area can reduce its chances of survival, so professional wildlife-control advice may be preferable when a persistent problem cannot be solved through exclusion.
Packrat Facts
Common Name: White-throated woodrat, commonly called a packrat.
Scientific Name: Neotoma albigula.
Description: Grayish to brown fur on the back with a white throat, belly and feet. White-throated woodrats have large ears and eyes, long whiskers and a well-haired tail that is darker above and lighter underneath.
Size: Head and body are generally about 7-9 inches long, with a tail roughly 5-7 inches long.
Diet: Primarily plant material, including cactus, mesquite beans, seeds, fruits and other vegetation.
Range: Widely distributed across the southwestern United States and northern Mexico, including much of Arizona, New Mexico and neighboring desert regions.
Habitat: Arid desert and semi-desert environments including rocky slopes, cactus flats, scrublands, foothills and pinyon-juniper country.
Nests: Packrats build large nests, or middens, from sticks, cactus pieces, bones, stones, plant material and other objects gathered nearby. Successive generations may occupy and enlarge the same midden over long periods of time.
Socialization: Primarily nocturnal and generally solitary. They spend much of the day sheltered within nests, crevices or other protected locations.
Nifty Fact: Ancient packrat middens can preserve plant remains, bones and other materials for tens of thousands of years. Scientists study these preserved middens to reconstruct past vegetation and environmental conditions in the American Southwest.
About Brooke Bessesen. Brooke Bessesen is an Arizona-based naturalist, author, wildlife researcher, educator and conservation advocate. Her books include Look Who Lives in the Desert!, Zachary Z. Packrat and His Amazing Collections, and the Arizona Highways Wildlife Guide: 125 of Arizona's Native Species.
Arizona Animals
