If nutria litter sizes were averaged, five would probably be the average size. Female nutria are capable of producing only 6 litters as a rule. Females who produce seven litters in their lifetime are rare. Habits Nutria spend most of their time in or near the water. Although they are awkward and vulnerable on land the species will travel inland to feed upon preferred foods, including crops.
Nutria are vegetarians and they do have large appetites.
Primarily a surface feeder, nutria often overharvest favored foods, causing the production of less favored foods for themselves and other wildlife species. Nutria commonly cut off a preferred food near the waterline and swim or carry it to a feeding platform for eating. These platforms are used most often during the trapping seasons, possibly because they are warmer on the nutria's hairless feet. Favored foods for nutria include rushes, reeds, cattails, arrowhead, square-stem spike rush and sawgrass. Sugarcane, alfalfa, corn and rice are also eaten if available Nutria are thought of as colonial because the same den is shared by the dominant male with two or three females and their offspring.