Gambian Pouched Rat Skull

Description

Gambian Pouched Rat Skull measures 3 inches. Gambian Pouched Rat Skull is museum quality polyurethane cast. Made in USA. Cricetomys gambianus is the scientific name. 2-part skull (separate cranium & jaw). Our precise skull can be used as a teaching tool, museum skull exhibit, home decor skull, or office decor skull.

The Gambian pouched rat or Cricetomys gambianus is native to sub-Saharan Africa, these large rats range from 14-18 in. Named for their large cheek pouches, this nocturnal species is omnivorous, feeding on vegetation and invertebrates.

Unlike domestic rats, it has cheek pouches like a hamster. These cheek pouches allow it to gather up several kilograms of nuts per night for storage underground. It has been known to stuff its pouches so full of date palm nuts so as to be hardly able to squeeze through the entrance of its burrow.

The Giant Gambian pouched rat or Cricetomys gambianus burrow consists of a long passage with side alleys and several chambers, one for sleeping and the others for storage. It has up to four litters every nine months, with up to six offspring in each litter. Males are territorial and tend to be aggressive when they encounter one another.

The Gambian pouched rat or Cricetomys gambianushas very poor eyesight and so depends on its senses of smell and hearing. Its name comes from the large, hamster-like pouches in its cheeks. It is not a true rat but is part of an African branch of muroid rodents.

Gambian pouched rat or Cricetomys gambianushas typically weighs between 2.2 and 3.1 lbs. In its native Africa, the pouched rat lives in colonies of up to twenty, usually in forests and thickets, but also commonly in termite mounds. It is omnivorous, feeding on vegetables, insects, crabs, snails and other items, but prefers palm fruits and palm kernels.

The Gambian pouched rat is sometimes kept as a pet, but some have escaped from captivity and become an invasive species in Florida.

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