Rodents That Eat Prickly Pear Cactus

Pack Rats

• The pack rat eats prickly pair cactus. The pack rat is also known as the white-throated woodrat and is native to the Eastern U.S. Pack rats create massive nests using the prickly pear cactus and can decimate outdoor gardens where prickly pear cactus is grown. The pack rats urinate on the prickly pear cactus pads, which harden into structures called middens. They then use these middens to line rock shelter nests.

Kangaroo Rats

• The kangaroo rat is a small, chubby-cheeked rodent that is native to the desert regions of the southern U.S. The kangaroo rat eats the prickly pear cactus and the seeds of its fruit, the prickly pear. A known 22 different species of kangaroo rat are living in North America, the majority of which eat the prickly pear cactus. They include the desert kangaroo rat, the Ord's kangaroo rat, the banner-tailed kangaroo rat, the giant kangaroo rat and the San Joaquin kangaroo rat.

Beach Mice

• A species of field mouse that only lives in sandy desert areas of the U.S. is the beach mouse. The beach mouse eats the seeds that come from the fruit of the prickly pear cactus.

Fun Fact

• Rodents are a vital part of the prickly pear cacti's life cycle. They eat the fruit and seeds that come from the prickly pear fruit, and the seeds then pass through the rodents' digestive system. Even though the rodents have strong stomach acids like most animals, the seeds are unharmed by the time the rodent defecates them out. The rodent helps spread the prickly pear seeds around the desert, planting new plants wherever it goes.