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Musky Rat-Kangaroo: Hypsiprymnodontidae

Diet

Musky rat-kangaroos are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. They eat small invertebrates such as insects and worms, as well as fruits, nuts, and roots. Musky rat-kangaroos find food by digging with their front paws in the ground and in the dead leaves and other plant material that cover the rainforest floor. When the musky rat-kangaroo eats, it often uses its front paws to hold the food and sits upright on its hind legs.

SAVING FOOD FOR LATER

Fruits from the rainforest are one of the most important parts of the musky rat-kangaroo's diet. However, these fruits are not easy to find during some parts of the year. The musky rat-kangaroo solves this problem by hiding food when there is an abundance of it, then finding it later when food is scarce. This hiding and finding is called scatterhoarding. Scatterhoarding helps ensure that the musky rat-kangaroo will not go hungry, even when food is scarce.

Additional topics

Animal Life ResourceMammalsMusky Rat-Kangaroo: Hypsiprymnodontidae - Physical Characteristics, Diet, Behavior And Reproduction - GEOGRAPHIC RANGE, HABITAT, MUSKY RAT-KANGAROOS AND PEOPLE, CONSERVATION STATUS