Black-tailed Prairie Dog

== Roleplays that feature this creature ==
* Plains of North America
== Other info ==
Pups are born furless and blind. They do not leave the burrow until they reach the age of 1 month and 2 weeks. They very rarely need to drink water, as they get enough water from their diet.
Upon spotting a predator, the black-tailed prairie dog will bark an alarm call to warn the other prairie dogs before quickly scuttling into the burrows where they are safer.
=== Social Structure ===
They live in coteries consisting of one or two males, many females and their offspring. Males will usually leave their birth coterie to join another at the age of 1-3 years, while females usually remain loyal to their birth coterie until the end. Males in a coterie will often show aggression to males outside the coterie, especially if their females are pregnant or nursing. However, they never show aggression to females outside the coterie.
Unlike males, females who are pregnant or nursing will show much aggression to other females, in and out of their coterie. Pregnant & nursing females will frequently raid other coteries to kill their pups when they have the time, and within a coterie there may be fighting between the females to establish dominance.
Multiple coteries living close by may form a neighborhood, and multiple neighborhoods living close by may form a colony. Coteries remain intact however, so each individual black-tailed prairie dog is still a member of a coterie which may be a member of a neighborhood which may be a member of a colony.
Once pups reach the age of 1 month and 2 weeks, they are no longer fought over. In fact, unrelated females are quite comfortable with these pups, welcoming them into their burrow and even nursing them.
Category:Animal Pages