Muskrats breed year round in more southerly latitudes, but the breeding season in Kentucky usually runs from March through October, peaking in March through June. Males will mate with as many females as possible, and copulation usually occurs underwater. After one week, they are covered with a coarse gray-brown fur. Their eyes open when they are 14 to 16 days old. The mother is ready to give birth again by this time.
Muskrats are mostly nocturnal and remain active all year.
They are not great travellers, and the average home range is no larger than a 200-yard circle in optimal habitat. It is during these crisis periods that muskrats are often seen on roads and travelling through urban subdivisions. At these times it is not uncommon to see a muskrat miles from the nearest source of water. Muskrats are eaten by a host of predators, including hawks, owls, raccoons, mink, fox, coyote and even largemouth bass and snapping turtles. Muskrats also prey upon other muskrats.