![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](IMG_07782a.jpg)
Desert Woodrats seem to prefer to nest in cracks and caves (such as this little hole) where predators can't dig them out. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](IMG_07783a.jpg)
They do, however, still armor the entrance, perhaps to discourage snakes from crawling in after them. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42441a.jpg)
Nest in a crack in a rock wall |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42442a.jpg)
Plant material and woodrat scat at nest entrance |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)](S120_06271a.jpg)
Nest in a hole in a rock wall |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)](S120_06272a.jpg)
Nest in a hole in a rock wall |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)](S120_04397a.jpg)
Rocks and sticks piled up around and on a boulder |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_13909a.jpg)
Nest in the engine of a crashed jet fighter (F-100D) |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_37045a.jpg)
When nothing else is available ... stones piled under a bush |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_37046a.jpg)
When nothing else is available ... stones piled under a bush |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42631a.jpg)
Desert Woodrat nest in an old mine building |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42632a.jpg)
Desert Woodrat nest in an old mine building |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42633a.jpg)
Desert Woodrat nest in an old mine building |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42634a.jpg)
Desert Woodrat nest: details of Joshua tree leaves piled on the nest |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42645a.jpg)
Desert Woodrat nest in old building debris |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42646a.jpg)
This woodrat has been collecting vegetation |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](S120_42722a.jpg)
Small woodrat nest beneath a Joshua Tree |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nests](IMG_20539a.jpg)
With only rock and gravel, pile up the gravel! |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](IMG_04211a.jpg)
In places without caves or cracks, woodrats will pile up stuff to make a fortified nest. In this case, the woodrats used cholla cactus spines. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](IMG_04212a.jpg)
Close-up of cactus spines. I suspect that this would deter most predators from trying to dig out the woodrat. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](D80B_00036a.jpg)
Woodrats build this nest in a pile of stones left along a highway after construction. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](D80B_00037a.jpg)
With all the big stones at the base, this nest looks fairly safe, but there are not cactus spines here. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](D80B_00847a.jpg)
Woodrats built this nest around the base of a Banana Yucca. They mostly piled sticks around the base of the plant. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](D80B_00858a.jpg)
Without lots of cactus spines for defense, this woodrat nest was dug up by predators, probably coyotes or kit foxes. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](DCP_2022a.jpg)
In an unusual example, woodrats built a nest inside the carcass of a cow. I imagine the hide makes for a dry roof and some degree of protection from predators. |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida) Nest](IMG_14699a.jpg)
Woodrats are nothing if not ingenious. Here a woodrat filled an old tire with sticks and cactus spines. It doesn't like anyone wants to
dig into that!
|
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)](D80B_00038a.jpg)
Close-up of rocks, sticks, and cactus on a nest |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)](IMG_31185a.jpg)
Nest of dead sticks and cactus spines |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)](IMG_43488a.jpg)
Nest in fork of tree trunks |
![Desert Woodrat (Neotoma lepida)](IMG_43489a.jpg)
Close-up of nest in fork of tree trunks |