Desert Woodrats (Neotoma lepida), also called Packrats and Trade-rats, are cute little creatures with big ears, big black eyes, buffy-tan fur (adults), and very long whiskers. The are medium-sized rodents with head and body lengths of about 6 inches and a tail of 4-6 inches. Fresh out of the nest, pups are gray.

This species lives at almost all elevations in the deserts and mountains around Las Vegas. They occur from the Lower Sonoran (Creosote-Bursage Flats) Life Zone up to at least 9,000 feet in the Canadian (Pine-Fir Forest) Life Zone. Look for them anywhere -- but don't expect to see one because they are secretive and only come out a night.

Around Las Vegas area, this is the only species of woodrat.

Called Woodrats, Packrats, and even "Trade-rats," these creatures are known for picking up shiny objects around camps and rural residences and taking them home to adorn their nest. If a woodrat has a nut or something in its mouth, it may drop that item and pick up the shiny new thing -- hence the name "trade-rat."

Woodrats armor their nest with stones, sticks, and cactus spines. They also bring home leaves, shiny things, bones, and other stuff to adorn their nest. When woodrats nest in caves, the stuff can build up for years and even centuries. Woodrats do have one disgusting habit, they poop and pee on everything, and their urine is very sticky -- almost like latex. The poop, pee, and stuff they bring in can build up and harden into a solid mass called a midden.

A "midden" or "midden pile" is a fancy name for a trash heap. When ancient people made middens, they left behind things for archaeologists to dig through. From their trash, archaeologists determine how the ancients lived, what they used for tools, and what they ate. When packrats make midden piles, which are mostly solidified urine, feces, and plant material, biologists can dig through the midden to determine the same things.

Woodrats prefer to build nests in caves and deep cracks in cliffs where predators can't dig them out, places such as this little cave (photo at left). In addition to the protection afforded by the cliffs, woodrats armor their nest with bits of sticks, leaves, stones, and cactus spines to keep predators out. Although woodrats prefer to build nests in rocks and caves, they are quite resourceful and will use a variety of nesting places if necessary. For more examples of woodrat nests, click here.