Wildlifeof Thailand
Ricefield Rat
Muridae
Photo: Jan Ebr & Ivana Ebrová (iNaturalist) · CC BY 4.0 (May be cropped or resized)
Rattus argentiventer
Basic stats
Diet
Rice, seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruit, insects, grasshoppers, termites and snails
Habitat
Rice fields, plantations and grassland
Range
Southeast Asia
Litter size
3–8 young
Gestation period
About 3 weeks
Size
Total length 30.4–40cm; tail 14–20cm
The ricefield rat is a medium-sized murid with grizzled yellow-brown and black fur that does not feel spiny when stroked. The belly is grey along the middle and whiter on the flanks, the hind feet often show a dark mark, and the tail is uniformly brown. Total length is 30.4–40 cm, including a 14–20 cm tail (Animal Diversity Web).
It is closely associated with rice paddies, plantations and grassland across Southeast Asia, sheltering in soil burrows, beneath rocks or logs, and in nests made inside piled material. Its varied diet includes rice and other plant foods as well as insects, termites and snails. Gestation lasts about three weeks and litters contain three to eight young (Animal Diversity Web). It is Nationally Least Concern (Thailand Red Data 2025).
Quick answers
- What does the Ricefield Rat eat?
- Rice, seeds, nuts, vegetables, fruit, insects, grasshoppers, termites and snails
- What habitat does the Ricefield Rat live in?
- Rice fields, plantations and grassland
- Where is the Ricefield Rat found?
- Southeast Asia
- What is the litter size of the Ricefield Rat?
- 3–8 young
- How long is the gestation period of the Ricefield Rat?
- About 3 weeks
- How big is the Ricefield Rat?
- Total length 30.4–40cm; tail 14–20cm