Plant matter:
* Seeds: A significant portion of their diet, including seeds from grasses, trees, and shrubs.
* Fruits and nuts: They enjoy berries, acorns, and other nuts when available.
* Leaves and buds: They'll munch on leaves and buds from various plants, especially during the spring and summer.
* Bark: They will sometimes nibble on the bark of trees.
Animal matter:
* Insects: They supplement their plant-based diet with insects like beetles and grasshoppers.
* Small vertebrates: Occasionally, they might prey on small animals like lizards or young rodents.
* Carrion: They are known to scavenge on dead animals.
Other:
* Fungi: They are known to eat certain types of fungi.
* Human food scraps: Especially in areas where they live near humans, they may scavenge on food scraps.
Key characteristics of their diet:
* Opportunistic feeders: They are not picky eaters and will take advantage of available food sources.
* Hoarders: They are known for their habit of collecting and storing food in their nests, which is why they're called "pack rats."
* Seasonal variation: Their diet changes depending on the season and the availability of different food sources.
Overall, white-throated woodrats are adaptable and resourceful creatures that can thrive in a variety of habitats due to their flexible diet.