Neotoma cinerea has an enlarged caecum, and engages in coprophagy. Reproduction Some aspects of the reproductive cycle of bushy-tailed woodrats are still under debate. Often these conclusions have been based not on actual observed matings, but on the size and relative overlap of male and female ranges. Modal litter size is three. Females have been observed breeding as soon as twelve hours after giving birth, and be may pregnant with one litter while nursing another.
Males fight for access to mates, both through scent marking and actual physical contact.
Fights consist largely of biting and scratching and may result in serious injury. Gestation period in captivity is 27-32 days. Newborns weigh approximately 15 g. Eyes open at around 15 days old, and weaning occurs at 26-30 days. Males are heavier than females from early in development on. Heavier females tend to have significantly more males in their litters than lighter females.