Wooly Giant Rat (Kunsia tomentosus)

If you’re the kind of person who runs and screams at the sight of a mouse, I don’t recommend the South American Giant Rat as a pet. Don’t worry. It’s not likely that you’ll ever accidentally run across one of the enormous rodents.

The South American Giant Rat can be found in mixed savannah-forest regions from south-central Brazil to northern Argentina. They prefer elevations from sea level to about one thousand meters above sea level. They create burrows in which to live and travel.

The South American Giant Rat is the largest living rat. It can measure up to two hundred eighty-seven mm in length, and carries a tail as long as one hundred sixty mm long. Its dark brown mixed with gray fur is thick on the top of its body, but thins out toward the under parts. The thinner under parts are also lighter in color. The tail is almost always black. The large claws and feet of the rat are perfect digging tools.

There is little known information about this mammoth sized rat in general, and in particular about its breeding and mating cycles.

Underground is where the South American Giant Rat hangs out during the day, but during heavy rainfalls it doesn’t chance being caught underground.

Did you know?

The South American Giant Rat has never been captured in a trap? It may be due to its large size.

South American Giant Rats have been captured by dogs and by humans. It is also referred to as the Woolly Giant Rat

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