may not even need brush. Burrows are not always associated with brush species and can occur on small prairie mounds. They also opportunistically use loose, friable soil that accumulates along fence lines and pasture roads. ^{[3] [4]}

The rat has been shown in a study that analyzed cheek pouch contents of several individuals to eat leaves of grasses and some perennials, stems, and seeds. In this one study area near fields that contained Johnson grass and cultivated oats, seeds from these