Kangaroo rats got their name because they have long back legs and can leap long distances.

Kangaroo Rat Care.

There are 20 known species of kangaroo rat. Kangaroo rats are North American rodents with the desert kangaroo rat, or Dipodomys deserti, found primarily in the United States’ desert regions of California, Arizona, and Nevada.This species at adulthood averages 12 to 14 inches (30 to 36 cm) in length from the nose to the tip of the … After all, people keep hamsters and rats as pets, so why not a kangaroo rat? It is one of the large kangaroo rats, with a total length greater than 12 inches (30 cm) and a mass greater than 3.2oz (91g). Kangaroo rat, (genus Dipodomys), any of 22 species of bipedal North American desert rodents with a tufted tail. Zoos keep some species of Kangaroo Rats, particularly those under threat and in conservation programs.

Kangaroo rats have large heads and eyes, short forelimbs, and very long hind legs and feet. They are very good jumpers and can leap up to 9′ (2.7m) to escape predators.

They are desert creatures and have specific temperature and humidity requirements.

In most places, it is also illegal to own one as a pet. The desert kangaroo rat is found only in the south west corner of Washington County Utah, Arizona, Nevada, California, and Mexico.

Additional Information 6 The desert kangaroo rat , Dipodomys deserti , is a rodent species in the family Heteromyidae that is found in desert areas of southwestern North America. Does the Kangaroo Rat Make a Good Pet. Its surprising and unique appearance is what leads many people to consider keeping this animal as a pet. The desert kangaroo rat (Dipodomys deserti) is a rodent species in the family Heteromyidae that is found in desert areas of southwestern North America.

No, these rodents do not make good pets. The rufous rat kangaroo (Aepyprymnus rufescens) is the largest of the rat kangaroos.Its fur is red-tinged with a faint whitish hip stripe.

Both of these features allow them to thrive in dry and semi-dry climates, where vegetation is scarce and they need to cover a lot of ground to find food. It lives in tussock grass country in open woodlands, from eastern Queensland to … The desert kangaroo rat is one species of almost two dozen kangaroo rats from the genus Dipodomys. Amazing Facts About the Kangaroo Rat. Fur-lined external cheek pouches open alongside the mouth and can be everted for cleaning. The kangaroo rat is a rodent with a different morphology - that is, physical structure - to what many are used to. It attains a length of up to 90 cm (36 inches) and may weigh 3.5 kg (7.7 pounds).

The kangaroo rat gets its name as it moves in a bipedal fashion – hopping along on their hind legs like a kangaroo. They live in desert climates of North America.