The Common Muskrat is the largest rodent in its subfamily. Most active at dusk, at dawn, and at night, it may be seen at any time of day in all seasons, especially spring. An excellent swimmer, this aquatic rodent spends much of its time in water. Propelled along by its slightly webbed hindfeet and using its rudder-like tail for steering, the Common Muskrat can swim backward or forward with ease; it dislikes strong currents and avoids rocky areas. Its mouth closes behind protruding incisors, thus allowing it to chew underwater. It can remain submerged for long periods, and will travel great distances underwater. One individual was filmed underwater for 17 minutes, coming to the surface for air for 3 seconds, then submerging for another 10 minutes. The Common Muskrat eats mostly aquatic vegetation, such as cattails, sedges, rushes, water lilies, and pond weeds, along with some terrestrial plants. In some areas, this animal eats freshwater clams, along with crayfish, frogs, and fish. Ordinarily the muskrat tows food out to a feeding platform, which is littered with plant cuttings and other scattered food debris. Muskrat houses, or lodges, are similar to American Beaver lodges but much smaller. The muskrat adds to the house and feeding platform as long as they are used. The house usually shelters only one individual, although several may live together harmoniously except during the breeding season. The house is kept immaculately clean; fecal droppings are deposited on logs and rocks outside. Sometimes rather than build a house, the muskrat burrows into the bank along the water’s edge and constructs a bank den with several entrances, usually below water level except when the water is low. While a house commonly contains one nesting chamber with one or more underwater entrances, a bank den may have several chambers, each with one or more tunnels leading underwater. Scent posts covered with musky secretions from the perineal glands help muskrats identify each other by sex. Naked at birth, the young become furred about two weeks after birth, and can then swim and dive; in a month, they are weaned and are soon driven away by the mother. Droughts and flooding are common hazards faced by the Common Muskrat, leading to periodic population fluctuations. Overcrowding, especially when it occurs during fall or winter, causes fighting among individuals, forcing many to travel several miles overland to seek a new place to live. Common Raccoons, Minks, and humans are this rodent’s major enemies (the first two open muskrat houses to capture the young), although many other animals also prey upon it. Until the decline of the fur industry, muskrat fur was considered extremely desirable because it is durable and waterproof. In the 1980s, nearly 10 million muskrats were trapped annually. Their flesh, sold as "marsh rabbit," provides good eating, although its popularity has declined. Muskrats often cause damage to dams or levees with their tunneling activities; they may also feed upon crops.

description A large rodent. Dense, glossy fur, dark brown above, lighter on sides; finer, softer, and paler below to nearly white on throat. Small dark patch occasionally on chin. Long tail scaly, nearly naked, laterally flattened (higher than wide) and tapering to a point. Hindfeet partially webbed and larger than forefeet. Eyes and ears small. L 16 1/8–24" (409–620 mm); T 7 1/8–12 1/8" (180–307 mm); HF 2 1/2 –3 1/2" (64–88 mm); Wt 1 1/4–4 lb (541–1,816 g).

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