Wildlifeof India
Greater Bandicoot Rat
Rats, Mice, Voles & Porcupines
Photo: (c) sunnyjosef, some rights reserved (CC BY) · CC-BY (May be cropped or resized)
Bandicota indica
Basic stats
Diet
Household refuse, grain and vegetables
Habitat
Around human dwellings, gardens and farms
Range
Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia to southern China
Litter size
8–14 pups
Size
Head and body about 30–45cm; tail up to 28cm
The greater bandicoot rat, or Indian bandicoot rat, is a large rodent that can reach 30–45 cm in head and body length without its tail, which can add up to 28 cm. It is found in Bangladesh, China, India, eastern Pakistan, Nepal, Sri Lanka and much of Southeast Asia. It is not fussy about food, taking household refuse, grain and vegetables, and it lives around human dwellings, in compounds and gardens (Wikipedia, general species account).
It breeds prolifically. A female can have 8–10 litters in a lifetime, of 8–14 pups born blind and naked, and the young reach sexual maturity at 50–60 days. It is a serious pest on poultry farms. The cached account of the species is short and gives no detail specific to India (Wikipedia, general species account).
Quick answers
- What does the Greater Bandicoot Rat eat?
- Household refuse, grain and vegetables
- What habitat does the Greater Bandicoot Rat live in?
- Around human dwellings, gardens and farms
- Where is the Greater Bandicoot Rat found?
- Bangladesh, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Southeast Asia to southern China
- What is the litter size of the Greater Bandicoot Rat?
- 8–14 pups
- How big is the Greater Bandicoot Rat?
- Head and body about 30–45cm; tail up to 28cm