Step into the world of our agouti and unlock the wonders of these extraordinary creatures
Agoutis (ah-GOO-tee) are terrestrial rodents and move quickly; trotting, walking or bounding. They can grow up to 60cm long and weight around 4kgs. Agoutis sit on their hind legs to eat, holding the food in their fore feet. They have very short tails and long legs, in relation to their body size, with sharp, hoof-like claws on their toes. They have five toes on their front feet and only three on each back foot.
Agoutis have a varied range of sounds they use to communicate; grunts, squeals and event hind foot stamping which is generally used to portray distress and alert others.
Usually solitary rodents, agoutis are very territorial. Typically living in small family groups comprised of a mating pair and their offspring.
Quick facts
Distribution:
South America
Habitat:
Rainforests, grasslands, savannahs
Conservation Status:
Least concern