What is a rodent’s mating habits?

Wide Range of Lifestyles and Habits
Wild rodents show an incredible and wide range of habits and lifestyles. However, this entirely depends upon the rodent family and species. You can find rodents that form holes and tunnels, such as moles and gophers; rodents that mainly live in trees, such as flying squirrels; rodents that spend almost their whole day in the bodies of water, such as capybaras; and you can find rodents that mainly live in deserts, such as jerboas and kangaroo rats.

Rodent Behavior
Most wild rodents are highly social animals. They live in large groups and interact with the members of their group constantly. Rodents that usually live in huge colonies include mole-rats, prairie dogs, and ground squirrels.

Other rodent species tend to live in smaller groups. For example, beavers live in a group that only consists of a female beaver and a male beaver, and the couple’s young. Every rodent colony has its own territory.

Solitary Rodents
Although we said that most rodents are social animals, there are some rodents that prefer to be alone. Some solitary wild rodents include pocket mice, pocket gophers, and porcupines.

In fact, most of the wild rodents that live in deserts are solitary animals. Some of the desert rodents that dig burrows can be seen living in their very own burrow system. However, during the mating season of solitary rodents, you can find several rodents living in the burrow of a solitary rodent.

Active Throughout the Year
Most wild rodents are active through the whole year. However, some wild rodent species, such as ground squirrels, can be found hibernating for a couple of months. Wild rodents communicate with other wild rodents using sights, smells, and noises. For example, wild rodents will squeak and grunt to invite other rodents to mate with them.

Mating Behavior
The most interesting thing about rodents is their mating behavior. These animals are notorious for mating several times a year and for producing a huge offspring.

Most of the rodents produce a huge offspring, which makes them the second most populous mammals on Earth. Rodent reproduction is classified into two types - short gestation and long gestation.

Some types of rodents have a short gestation period and they can produce multiple litters of rodent young. Rodents that have a short gestation include mice and rats. Other rodents have a long gestation period and they produce only a few litters per year.

Most of the wild rodents aren’t monogamous, but they are promiscuous.