Even though there is only one visible entrance, woodrat nests have multiple escape routes. Males weigh 357 g (12.6 oz) on average, while females are slightly smaller, weighing an average of … The woodrat is also known as a packrat because it collects objects and takes them back to the nest. Houses can be up to 4 m in length, 2 m in width, and more than 1 m in height. Allegheny woodrat inhabits cliffs, caves and rocky outcrops. The Allegheny woodrat is a medium-sized rodent almost indistinguishable from the closely related eastern woodrat, although slightly larger on average, and often with longer whiskers. We put a … Two species endemic to islands in the Gulf of California — N. anthonyi of the Todos Santos Islands and N. bunkeri of Isla Coronados—are probably extinct owing to the depletion of native vegetation and the introduction of … Woodrats prefer to inhabit cliff line … Once found in 41 of Pennsylvania’s counties, they can only be found in a couple dozen or so mountainous counties today. It can be found in North America. In Indiana, they can be found in small caves or rock crevices … The preferred habitat for the Allegheny woodrat is rocky areas in deciduous forests. • The Allegheny woodrat has a tail that is completely covered in fur, as opposed to Norway and black rats which have scaly, bare tails. Allegheny woodrat is small mammal that belongs to the group of rodents. Toilet areas can be found on flat rocks under small overhangs and consist of scat pellets larger than mouse droppings and smaller than porcupine pellets. The presence of Allegheny woodrats is most often determined by characteristic toilet areas. The Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister), is a species of pack rat in the genus Neotoma. The Allegheny woodrat (Neotoma magister) is found along the Appalachian mountains, from northern Alabama to northeastern New Jersey. Dense populations of Allegheny woodrats can be found on the Allegheny Cumberland Plateau in West Virginia, Tennessee and Kentucky. They have been extirpated from Connecticut, Massachusetts, New York, and parts of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland. Adults typically range from 31 to 45 cm (12 to 18 in) in total length, including a tail measuring 15 to 21 cm (5.9 to 8.3 in). Unusual items that have been found in nests include bits of glass, bones, clothing, flash bulbs, paper, metal scraps, and shotgun shells. Woodrats are usually common within their ranges, but Allegheny woodrat populations are declining, possibly because of forest defoliation by gypsy moths and infestation by parasites. Food - Seeds, nuts, berries; … Their home range is approximately 100 yards in diameter. at maturity. In Indiana, they can be found in small caves or rock crevices and fissures in the steep cliff faces adjacent to the Ohio River. In Pennsylvania woodrats were historically found throughout the mountainous parts of the state, but recent surveys indicate their range here has diminished, with most colonies found west of the Susquehanna River. Since 1928, their distribution has narrowed around this mountain range. The Allegheny woodrat is a small rodent (about the size of a squirrel) that resides in rock outcrops, boulder fields, abandoned mine portals, talus slopes, and caves from southern New York to Tennessee (Wood 2001). In parts of their range (New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania), the Allegheny woodrat population has been in decline over the past 30 years. It avoids people and rarely inhabits areas near the human settlements. The preferred habitat for the Allegheny woodrat is rocky areas in deciduous forests. Once believed to be a subspecies of the eastern woodrat (Neotoma floridana), extensive DNA analysis has proven it to be a distinct species. Allegheny Woodrats (Neotoma magister) have declined over many parts of their range and in Ohio are now only found in one southern county. Each 'house' contains up to 2 nests, but usually only one woodrat will be found in each home. • Allegheny woodrats have large ears, and their feet and venters (bellies) are covered in white fur. The 20th century’s American chestnut blight and gypsy moth invasion — other imports from Asia — and substantial changes in land use have created huge habitat deficiencies and insurmountable barriers in the woodrat’s world.