How big does a Southern African vlei rat get? Here is an overview over the average adult age:
A grown Southern African vlei rat (Otomys irroratus) reaches an average size of 16.3 cm (0′ 7″).
When born, they have an average size of 0 cm (0′ 0″). A full-grown exemplary reaches roughly 114 grams (0.25 lbs). On birth they have a weight of 13 grams (0.03 lbs). Talking about reproduction, Southern African vlei rats have 1 babies about 3 times per year. The Southern African vlei rat (genus: Otomys) is a member of the family Muridae.
As a reference: Humans reach an average body size of 1.65m (5′ 5″) while carrying 62 kg (137 lbs). A human woman is pregnant for 280 days (40 weeks) and on average become 75 years old.
The Southern African vlei rat (Otomys irroratus) is a species of rodent in the vlei rat genus, Otomys, of the family Muridae in the order Rodentia. This is the type species of the genus. It is native to the grasslands and swamps of southern Africa where it is a common species.
Animals of the same family as a Southern African vlei rat
We found other animals of the Muridae family:
- Eastern white-eared giant rat with a size of 33.9 cm (1′ 2″)
- Indian desert jird with 4 babies per litter
- Bibimys torresi with a weight of 28 grams
- Andean big-eared mouse with a weight of 38 grams
- Hooper’s mouse with 3 babies per litter
- Western white-eared giant rat with a size of 31 cm (1′ 1″)
- Greater mole-rat with 2 babies per litter
- Saunder’s vlei rat with a weight of 34 grams
- Dollman’s melomys with a size of 13.1 cm (0′ 6″)
- Cape York melomys with a size of 13.6 cm (0′ 6″)
Animals with the same size as a Southern African vlei rat
Not that size really matters, but it makes things comparable. So here are a couple of animals that are as big as Southern African vlei rat:
- Vordermann’s flying squirrel with a size of 14.8 cm (0′ 6″)
- Red rock rat with a size of 14.1 cm (0′ 6″)
- Temotu flying fox with a size of 17.5 cm (0′ 7″)
- American red squirrel with a size of 18.8 cm (0′ 8″)
- Tawitawi forest rat with a size of 19 cm (0′ 8″)
- Greater tree mouse with a size of 14.4 cm (0′ 6″)
- Kintampo rope squirrel with a size of 18.3 cm (0′ 8″)
- Plateau pika with a size of 17 cm (0′ 7″)
- Slender rat with a size of 14.2 cm (0′ 6″)
- Mindoro striped rat with a size of 17.3 cm (0′ 7″)
Animals with the same litter size as a Southern African vlei rat
Here is a list of animals that have the same number of babies per litter (1) as a Southern African vlei rat:
- Southern viscacha
- Patas monkey
- Black lemur
- New Britain naked-backed fruit bat
- Ogilby’s duiker
- Smoky flying squirrel
- Highland brush mouse
- Tibetan macaque
- Southern muriqui
- Hooded seal
Animals with the same weight as a Southern African vlei rat
As a comparison, here are some other animals that weight as much as the Otomys irroratus:
- Kowari bringing 112 grams to the scale
- Franquet’s epauletted fruit bat bringing 119 grams to the scale
- Sage’s rock rat bringing 96 grams to the scale
- Bocage’s mole-rat bringing 93 grams to the scale
- Edible dormouse bringing 128 grams to the scale
- Western dwarf squirrel bringing 120 grams to the scale
- Slender rat bringing 97 grams to the scale
- Daurian pika bringing 131 grams to the scale
- Sado mole bringing 131 grams to the scale
- Hispid cotton rat bringing 111 grams to the scale