Characteristics
Cane rats range in body length from 35 to 60 centimetres. They commonly weigh 6-7 kilograms in captivity, and can attain weights up to 10 kilograms in the wild. They are heavily-built rodents, with bristly brown fur speckled with yellow or grey. They live in marshy areas and along river and lake banks, and are herbivores, feeding on aquatic grasses in the wild. In agricultural areas they will also, as the name suggests, feed on the crops in cane plantations, making them a significant pest.
Females give birth to litters of two to four young at least once a year, and more frequently in some areas. Cane rats are sexually mature and able to reproduce at 6 months of age.
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