A crop pest from the swamp is the ground rat. Water rat in the garden: how to deal with the pest
The water vole is a harmful rodent.
For short time voles can turn large areas garden plantings into wastelands. And this causes voles to despair many gardeners, since they are rodents with a great appetite.
Water voles are also called water rats, or ground rats. They are larger than other mice, reaching between 12 and 25 cm in length. Their head is large and wide, their muzzle is blunt. Water voles weigh on average 90-120 g, and they consume 85-100 g of food daily.
As for food. Water voles are considered pests because they eat almost any vegetation. For days on end, water voles, sitting in their underground burrows, gnaw on the roots, bulbs and tubers of plants. They leave their shelters only under cover of darkness and then eat the above-ground parts of plants: flowers, vegetables and fruits. I especially like flower bulbs, roots of fruit bushes and roses, carrots, parsnips and Jerusalem artichokes.
Female water voles give birth six to eight times a year. Each litter of a water vole can contain from two to six cubs, which in turn reach sexual maturity and begin breeding in the same year. Thus, one female can give birth to more than 50 offspring per year.
Unfortunately, the presence of water voles is in most cases only discovered when damage to your garden has already occurred. On lawns and hard soil, water voles, when digging their burrows, leave soil outbursts - small earthen mounds, lower and flatter than mole hills. In loose soil and around the roots of shrubs, voles push the soil, so their presence is not always immediately noticeable. If shrubs such as roses, or young fruit trees begin to hurt or wither, we immediately check whether they have solid earthen support underneath them. Often all the thin roots are already nibbled by pests, and the tree or shrub can be pulled out of the ground without much effort. If small land plants disappear, it means that voles have worked on them. Often pests drag plants into their burrows whose roots they have already gnawed, as they say, they eat the plants “with all their guts.” This can happen overnight with tulips, poppy seeds, lettuce or many other plants.
You need to be able to scare them away. Empty bottles we bury it in the ground at an angle. Voles do not like the sounds that come out of the neck when the wind blows into it. In specialized stores you can buy pebbles of hardened lava, the strong smell of which keeps voles at a distance. Also, animals sensitive to odors can be scared away by sponges soaked in kerosene placed in the passages of their burrows. Elderberry or thuja leaves, as well as garlic cloves, repel voles with their pungent odor; they should be placed in the passages of their burrows. Grouse and other plants repel voles with their scent. We plant them in the garden bed, along fences or between flowers and vegetables. You can also protect plants from voles using wire mesh. Voles cause the greatest damage to beds located on hills, as well as to bulbous and tuberous plants. Before planting, wrap the bed, as well as the bulbs and tubers, with wire mesh. You can purchase special plastic baskets for tulip bulbs and other spring-blooming bulbous plants. If you have voles in your garden, then succulent lily bulbs should be planted wrapped in wire mesh. Before setting up a bed on a hillock, we stretch a wire mesh underneath it and then cover it with soil.
We use traps when we are sure. That they won't get moles in them. Various models are available for sale. Since voles are sensitive to odors, we set traps using gloves rubbed with soil. If voles eat coumarin-based bait, their blood clotting process slows down and the mice die painlessly. We lay out the bait, first of all, in spring and autumn, when voles are not distracted by the abundance of other food. Moles do not eat this bait.
The main thing is not to be confused: moles that are under protection cannot be killed. The passages they dug are oval-shaped. Wide, with hanging roots. Molehills have a cone-shaped shape. Ground discharges of water voles are flat and low.
Here are some plants that protect the entire garden from voles:
Hazel grouse is a bulbous plant with yellow or orange flowers, blooms from March to May. It emits a strong garlicky odor that repels voles. Good for framing.
Blackroot is a borage plant with hairy leaves, most often with blue flowers, blooms from June to September, emits a scent that repels voles, looks good with herbaceous perennials and summer flowers.
Garlic - emits a smell that repels voles, helps in the fight against fungal diseases, we plant it in mixed crops, between vegetables, strawberries, raspberries, roses, tulips, under fruit trees.
Sweet clover is a biennial type of clover, a good green fertilizer that carries nitrogen into the soil, a favorite plant of bees; voles avoid those areas where sweet clover is planted.
Euphorbia chin is a hardy herbaceous perennial that emits a scent that repels voles, green plants reach 1-1.3 meters in height, best planted along fences or beds.
Black currant is a strong fruit shrub, the berries of which contain vitamin C, bears fruit from June to August, and is also suitable for regions with harsh climates. Voles avoid areas where currants are planted.
Elderberry is an unpretentious spreading wild shrub with black berries; it begins to bear fruit in August; we place the plant’s burrows in the burrows dug by voles or pour manure fertilizer into it.
Thuja is an evergreen, very poisonous shrub, many varieties, often used as a hedge. Branches of this plant, placed in burrows dug by voles, will drive away these rodents.
It seems to me that if we decorate flower beds and beds with plants that are afraid of voles, then we will not have to resort to all sorts of poisons and chemicals. I am for natural struggle, even if we're talking about about pests. Good luck to you.
If you have a garden plot, you have probably encountered pests in it. And the first of them are various kinds of rodents. Mice, moles, gophers... Whoever ruins our gardens! One of the most common pests is the water vole, also known as the water rat. What are these animals and what danger do they pose?
Water voles: appearance and distribution
Water voles are sometimes called water rats or mice, but, strictly speaking, they have a very indirect relationship with these rodents, despite their external resemblance to them. These animals actually belong to the hamster family, although they bear little resemblance to the familiar domestic hamsters. Water voles look about the same as common voles, but they are noticeably larger. An adult can reach 15–25 cm, and most of its length is the tail.
Water voles prefer to live in wetlands
This animal has thick, fluffy dark gray fur from the beginning of its short muzzle to the base of its tail, which is covered with hair and has a small tassel at the end.
You can meet the vole almost throughout the entire territory of Eurasia - right up to Siberia and North Caucasus. Most of all, she likes marshy areas and the banks of reservoirs, but fields, meadows and even vegetable gardens are also excellent for their life. These animals are very tenacious and prolific, so nothing threatens their spread.
A water vole can breed up to eight times in one year. However, the latter is hardly one of the good news - people associated with agriculture, know voles firsthand and it is not in vain that they strive to exterminate them. These rodents spoil cereal crops and gnaw trees, causing significant damage. Voles do not attack people and when they meet, they will most likely try to hide. However, if you catch an animal bare hands, it may bite you. But it is better to avoid such an experience: rodents spread leptospirosis, tularemia, Omsk hemorrhagic fever and other dangerous diseases.
Damage caused by voles
If your summer cottage plot located in rural areas, especially near rivers, lakes and swamps, prepare for the appearance of uninvited guests. Water voles, despite their name, live well in drier areas, including farms, vegetable warehouses, granaries, home gardens and vegetable gardens.
Small depressions (burrows) will appear in your area if water voles appear there With the onset of cold weather, these rodents mandatory migrate from frozen bodies of water. Your site is perfect for voles' burrows, and your plantings are perfect for feeding them. The pest will happily eat your crop and ask for more. At the same time, it will also gnaw the stems and roots in your flower garden. Moreover, fruit trees will also be in danger: voles grow teeth very quickly, and in order to grind them down in a timely manner, they are forced to constantly gnaw on something hard. Tree bark seems to them the most suitable dental material. Naturally, trees deprived of bark subsequently die. This is exactly the fate that can befall your apple and cherry trees.
Video: rodent nutritional features
Ways to combat water vole
Few villagers or summer residents are willing to share their harvest with rodents. Therefore, people try to get rid of them as soon as possible. It’s good if a trained mouse-cat or ferret lives in your house. These predators are able to catch those pests that managed to run into the area, and also force others to avoid your garden.
Mouser cats (especially calico cats) are considered the best vole hunters But what if your pet is not interested in hunting or you don’t have one at all?
Chemicals against voles
One of the most popular and affordable options is to use pesticides against voles, and kill others along with these rodents. Manufacturers usually produce universal rodenticides. They are very easy to use: just buy them in a store and act strictly according to the instructions. As a rule, it is proposed to place such rat poison next to rodent burrows. It is not difficult to detect them: the places where the animals come to the surface look like piles of earth rising in the middle of the grass or garden bed. Poison is usually mixed into the bait. The vole eats it and then dies from poisoning.
There is another use case chemicals. In the spring, you can place cotton wool or dry grass treated with poison near the holes. The voles drag it into their homes to furnish the “interior,” while the poisoned dust falls on the fur of the pests, after which it is licked off by them.
Photo gallery: popular rodenticides
Mouse poison is a poisonous rodent repellent that guarantees 100% mortality for water voles 
Rat Crash - the original rodenticide with high efficiency 
Help Boyscout - a product used indoors, but also suitable for garden plots Efa - a poisonous bait for rodents The Rodentoff product can also be produced in the form of ready-made houses with poison
Against the use of rodenticides on garden plot There are two serious arguments. Firstly, this method is not suitable if you or your neighbors keep pets. Your pet can either fall for a poisonous bait or become poisoned by catching and eating a vole that has tasted the chemical. Secondly, poisoning animals is still very cruel. Think about it, wouldn’t you really feel sorry for a small furry animal writhing in terrible agony? However, if your answer is negative, then, of course, it’s worth a try.
Folk ways to get rid of the problem
Folk remedies against voles can be divided into two large groups according to the operating principle. The first is poisoning animals using household chemicals. The bait is made by the gardener with his own hands from products such as bread, vegetable puree, cheese. Then a toxic component is added to them, for example, zinc phosphide or arsenic acid calcium and sodium. In its “pure” form, wood ash is most often used, in mixtures - flour with gypsum or sugar with quicklime. It is also suggested to mix finely chopped wine cork with vegetable oil and bread crumbs. All this leads to poisoning or indigestion in the rodent, and then to its death.
Second group folk remedies aimed at scaring away animals. Here you can use the following options:
- Smell of chemicals. Many people advise soaking pieces of rags or cotton wool with strong-smelling household liquids and plugging voles’ passages with them. Typically, gasoline, kerosene, turpentine and Vishnevsky ointment are used for impregnation. The strong smell repels rodents.
Burnt wool. It is believed that garden pests, including voles, cannot tolerate this smell. Some gardeners burn the corpses of captured rodents and place the charred remains in the burrows of those who are still alive. But it’s enough to just singe pieces of some unnecessary, old fur and put them on it - the effect will be the same.
Fresh manure. Another option to add to the collection of unpleasant odors. It is recommended to put the product in rodent burrows, blocking all the exits that can be found on the site.
Unpleasant sounds. In the area of vole burrows, 1.5–2-meter hollow reed stalks or ordinary glass bottles are dug deep into the ground. In windy weather, these improvised “pipes” begin to vibrate and make sounds that frighten the animals.
The bottles are dug into the ground with the neck up so that the wind can easily penetrate inside. Vegetation barrier
An excellent way to scare away water voles and prevent the appearance of new ones is to properly plant garden crops and plant special plants against rodents. For this various types legumes (beans, beans, peas), sweet pepper, onions and garlic should be planted around vegetable beds that you want to protect from pests.
Some vegetable crops are real enemies of water voles It is worth planting fragrant herbs under the trees, around the bushes and in the flower garden. Wormwood, mint, celandine, elderberry and (it is even popularly called a rat racer) will cope best with the task of scaring away voles. Coriander, chamomile, wild rosemary and lovage are also suitable.
Photo gallery: grasses against voles
Chamomile is a classic remedy for pest control. The roots of black elderberry secrete hydrocyanic acid, which repels mammals, so water voles will not settle near the plant. Wormwood is a universal plant that repels both insects and some animals. Celandine is able to fight numerous garden pests. 
To repel water voles, it is recommended to plant blackroot, one of the folk names which "mouse eater"
Prevention of occurrence
Now you know many ways to combat voles, but it would be best if they did not appear in your garden at all, wouldn’t it? There are a number of specific preventive measures that should be taken for this:
- Harvesting. It should be carried out promptly and carefully: there should be no remains of vegetables and root crops, spoiled fruits and tops on the beds. All this needs to be either thrown away or buried in compost.
- Plant processing. To prevent damage to the trunks of garden trees, coat them with a solution of lime and copper sulfate. You can also build a protective “belt” for them from roofing felt, plastic or branches of thorny plants.
- Digging. In the fall, when you close the dacha season, be sure to dig the beds deeply. This will help the earth rest, destroy rodent burrows, and destroy some insect pests.
- Cleanliness and order. Take care of yours personal plot. Make sure that weeds, fallen leaves, carrion and other things do not accumulate in the beds and under the trees. organic waste. Put it all in compost, for which be sure to set aside a fenced area somewhere in the far corner. In addition, the remains of grass and tops should not lie in the boundaries, and water should not be allowed to stagnate.
- Cats. Even if your cat is a lazy fat cat who doesn't care about mice, his scent can repel voles. Let your pet run around the garden. If you don’t have a cat, you can imitate its presence by scattering cat litter around the area. This product is saturated with a subtle odor, which rodents will also perceive as an alarm signal.
Water vole, or rat. The sizes are large (body length up to 250 mm). Along with the signs of adaptation to digging common to many other voles, it reveals some features of specialization for the amphibian lifestyle, which, however, does not reach the degree characteristic of the muskrat. The eyes are moderate in size, not shifted upward; the outer ear is small. The internal outgrowths of the upper lips behind the incisors are significant, densely covered with hair, but do not grow together and do not completely isolate the incisors from the oral cavity.
The tail reaches 2/3 of the body length, is not flattened, weakly covered with short, coarse hair. The tail is rounded in cross section. The first fingers on both limbs are not shortened. The third finger on both limbs is longer than the fourth, the inner (first) fingers are not shortened; claws of moderate length. The soles are bare, with well-developed calluses, with comb-like fringes of thick hair on the sides. The color of the upperparts is uniform, dark brown, sometimes almost black. The hairline is well differentiated into a thick, thin underfur and a relatively coarse spine. Seasonal fur dimorphism is weakly expressed. The outer ears are small in size. The internal outgrowths of the upper lips behind the incisors are of considerable size, densely covered with hair, but do not grow together and do not completely isolate the mouth from the oral cavity. Both males and females have specific lateral cutaneous glands. 4 pairs of nipples.
The structure of the skeleton of the limbs and their girdles, as well as the skull, is basically the same as that of gray voles. They differ from them in having a slightly shortened iliac part. pelvic bone, relatively longer femoral and attached part of the fibula, as well as the foot and hand. The skull is characterized by relatively widely spaced zygomatic arches, highly developed frontoparietal ridges and postorbital projections of the anterior edges of the temporal bones. The incisive foramina are shortened due to their narrowing and fusion in the posterior sections. The auditory tympani are small, thin-walled, and the spongy bone tissue in their cavity is poorly developed. The angular process of the mandible is relatively small; The structure of the articular head varies depending on whether it is predominantly burrowing (northern and mountain forms) or predominantly semi-aquatic ( southern forms) lifestyle; the same differences affect the proportions of individual parts of the limbs and the details of the structure of the incisors and molars. Cement deposits in reentrant corners are always well developed; additional education the anterior upper molars are absent at the posterior ends. The posterior end of the lower incisor penetrates further into the articular process than in most gray voles. The alveolus of the last molar (M3) is more strongly developed and isolated from the mandibular bone. The angular process of the lower jaw is small. The cheek teeth have no roots and grow throughout the animal's life. There are 36 chromosomes in the diploid set.
Water voles are widespread in floodplains and wetlands of watersheds of the northern part of the Eurasian continent, from the forest-tundra and southern parts tundra up to and including desert steppes; in the mountains - to subalpine meadows. South to the north coast Mediterranean Sea, Asia Minor and Western Asia, the northern and southeastern parts of Kazakhstan (here, apparently, it does not occur west of the watershed of the Chu and Ili pp.), Northwestern China, the Altai-Sayan mountainous country and northern Mongolia. East to the river. Irkut, western Baikal region and Verkhoyansk ridge.
Biology. The most typical habitats are river floodplains, banks various types lakes, irrigation canals and other natural and artificial reservoirs, raised and floodplain swamps. It settles in meadows, thickets and swampy small forests, along the banks of forest streams, in fields and vegetable gardens, and even in buildings. It rises into the mountains to subalpine meadows to an altitude of up to 2800 m above sea level. The seasonal change of habitats is well expressed, especially in the forest zone, where in the winter the animals migrate from the banks of reservoirs to floodplain meadows or bushes. In deltaic parts large rivers With a well-developed floodplain, the change of habitats is particularly influenced by the flood regime.
The water rat lives in burrows, and in warm time year and during floods - in ground and above-ground nests. Permanent (brood) burrows are usually shallow, feeding passages are laid at a depth of 10-15 cm, chambers, including nesting ones, are located to a depth of 1 m. Surface earthen discharges are often similar to those of a mole. Autumn and winter period life is characterized by active digging activity. In the warm season and during floods, underground or above-ground nests are made from grass and other plant materials. Before the upper layers of the soil freeze, the soil is thrown to the surface during digging, forming, in particular, the characteristic snow-covered earthen “sausages”; after freezing, the unused part of the passages is clogged with earth.
The breeding season continues throughout warm season years, and in mild winters mass reproduction was observed already in February (Volga floodplain). During the breeding season, the female brings at least 4 and up to 6 litters; in the lower reaches of rivers with a spring flood regime, there may be a break in reproduction for a period of high flood water levels. The average number of cubs in a litter is 6-8. The duration of pregnancy is about 40 days.
Number subject to sharp fluctuations, and mass reproduction often occurs; They are especially typical for populations of floodplains with a well-defined flood regime, as well as lakes, the level of which varies greatly from year to year (Northern Kazakhstan); however, for these places, as well as for most of the territory of the taiga zone, mass reproduction is uncharacteristic. Years of high floods are years of decline; the latter is also facilitated by high summer temperatures combined with drought, making most of the meadow areas of the floodplain unsuitable for habitation and reproduction.
Like other voles, it is a herbivorous species, but its food constantly contains animal food: remains of mollusks, insects, small fish etc. The seasonal change of feed is well expressed. In the warm season, these are juicy, green parts of aquatic and coastal plants - reeds, cattails, arrowheads, sedges, water lilies, as well as many types of meadow grasses. IN winter time The water vole switches to feeding on underground parts of plants, as well as the bark and shoots of willows, poplars, and bird cherry. The stocking instinct in the water rat is less developed than in many gray voles, and more strongly developed in animals in the north and east of the distribution area. Reed rhizomes are especially often stocked, and among cultivated plants - potato tubers.
Geographical variability and subspecies. Geographical variability is significant, but its general patterns have not been sufficiently elucidated, since it is superimposed by ecological and biotopic variability, which is especially clearly manifested in characters associated with the degree of adaptation of animals to a semi-underground lifestyle. These signs are more distinct in populations from the western (Western Europe) and northern (European North) parts of the range, as well as in some voles mountainous areas(northern slopes of the Main Caucasian ridge). In the direction from west to east and from north to south, the size of the animals increases. The most distinct are the small water voles of the continental Western Europe with well-defined signs of adaptation to digging. For this reason, many consider them as a separate species. For a significant number of other subspecies, many of the characteristics that characterize them are only age-related or signs of personal variability, the former being especially pronounced in them.
Economic importance. Water vole fur is used as a secondary feedstock. Sometimes they seriously damage forest nurseries, orchards, and vegetable gardens, especially those located in river valleys. Carriers of tularemia infection and
How wonderful it is when there is a body of water next to your house or country house. On hot summer days this is a definite advantage. But even such a harmless benefit can bring certain problems. For example, a water rat may appear in the garden, let's figure out how to deal with this.
Description and photo of the pest
Water rat- most major representative voles, we suggest that you familiarize yourself with her photo and consider her description. Belongs to the hamster family.
The rodent has a small muzzle and a massive body, its length reaches 25 cm, and its tail – 15 cm. The body is covered with thick hair, and the tail is bristly. Color – gray, red or almost black. 
Features of the life cycle and habitat
The rat destroys the bark of trees, feeds, and destroys the fertile layer with its underground passages. The rodent comes to the surface only in secluded, cluttered places.
Important! Water rats reproduce very quickly; over the summer they can give birth (4-7 pieces) several times.
What's the harm?
The scary thing about these rodents is that they are incredibly omnivorous. They destroy both the harvested crop and the rhizomes and tubers that grow on.
IN autumn period they get closer to people and for the purpose of easy extraction of food. The rodent breaks through shallow underground passages, damaging and that are encountered on its way.
Voles are very often confused with, but moles do not eat, such as, and, and a voracious water rat can destroy the entire crop.
At the same time, thoughtful animals do not eat everything at once, but make preparations from small ones for the winter, but those that cannot be dragged through their underground passages are destroyed on the spot. 
They can harm plants not only by eating them, but also by plowing the soil and disrupting the growth of the root system, etc.
It is not so easy to find a place from which a water rat comes out to hunt for crops, since most often the animal makes exits in secluded places, these can be heaps of garbage, areas where heaps of branches or stones are located.
How to fight?
A rat that has settled on your property can cause enormous harm, and we will try to figure out how to deal with it. The main thing is not to delay, otherwise you may lose the harvest.
Did you know? The water rat has many enemies, such as stoats, large birds of prey and even pike.
Humane methods
One of these methods is repelling rats with special devices emitting ultrasound. The unpleasant sound irritates the pest’s hearing organs, and it leaves its home. 
It is believed that rats are able to get used to this sound and return to their homes, so when choosing such a device, you should pay attention to repellers that automatically change the range and frequency of the sound.
There are also traditional methods fight against these dangerous rodents. Due to the fact that the animal has a very well developed sense of smell, influencing rats using odors is considered quite effective.
In order to use this option, you will need a rabbit (or other) skin, it must be rolled up, placed in a hole and set on fire. Due to the strong stench, rats will either suffocate or leave their homes forever.
You can prepare a mixture of water and pour it into underground passages. On the one hand, this will block the movement of the pest, and on the other bad smell will also play a role.
Radical ways
Water vole – enough cunning animal, therefore, methods of dealing with it must be carefully thought out. Radical methods include all kinds of poisons.
Chemicals are best used in the fall or spring, during the breeding season of rodents. It is not enough to simply spread the poisonous substance throughout the garden, but it is necessary to carefully disguise it.
In the fall, it is best to add poison to the grain and spread it in front of the entrances to the burrows. In spring, baits are best made from grated, and. Also suitable for masking are oatmeal and.
Important! Poison baits are very toxic; do not use this method if you have pets that roam freely around the area.
You can make bait with your own hands; for this you need to take alibaster or gypsum, sunflower oil and flour, mix with a wooden stick until a thick mass is formed and place the container with it at the exit of the hole. Then the integrity of the poison is observed; if traces of a rodent are noticeable, you can fill the passages with soil, and the bait should be left for some time to make sure that all rodents are exterminated.
The most harmful rodent animal is the water vole or water rat. Local names This rodent is very clearly indicated by its predilection for water bodies and low-moisture areas. Residents of the Barabinsk steppe once called the rat a water bear or a water mole, the Ukrainians called it a water noritsa, a water cord, among the Kazakhs on Emba it was known as a water gopher, and among some peoples of Siberia as a water mouse.
The water rat is one of the largest voles - the body length of adult animals reaches 25 centimeters, the tail is 12 centimeters, and its weight reaches 270 grams. The color of the fur on top is light brown and brownish-black, on the belly it is lighter, with grayish, whitish tones. The head is short, rounded, the ears are very small, barely noticeable in the dense coat. The tail consists of 130-140 scaly rings, evenly covered with short hairs.
In general, when encountered in nature, this animal does not make such a repulsive impression as, for example, the Pasyuk rat, with a typical rat tail, naked, long, dragging along the ground. The water vole looks much prettier, and yet...
Because of these rats, more than half of the grain harvest perishes in the fields. They eat the straw at the root so that the grain ear falls; being able to climb deftly, they also get corn kernels from cobs or ripe fruits trees. In the fall, they expand the hole, creating a chamber for supplies, and connect it with passages to the old nest. They fill their cell with provisions from nearby gardens and fields: peas, beans, onions and potatoes...
The water rat's domain is extremely extensive. Inhabiting all of Europe and a significant part of Asia, it reaches the right bank of the Lena; in the north, this rodent is found in the forest-tundra, in the south - in the semi-desert regions of Asia Minor and central Kazakhstan.
The water rat lives along the banks of a variety of bodies of water: small and medium-sized rivers, river backwaters, lakes, etc. Best conditions habitats are available where there is a lot of willow on the banks; reeds, cattails, reeds, sedges and other aquatic grasses grow in the water near the shore. The number of rodents is high in peat bogs covered with stunted forest growth, among hummocks interspersed with potholes with brown swamp water, and it also inhabits vast swampy watersheds.
In the second half of summer, many rats move from the floodplain to drier places, sometimes located far from water, to crops and vegetable gardens, to gardens, under haystacks; they can often be found near human habitation.
The water rat feeds on the root parts of coastal plants: reeds, cattails, sedges, horsetails, and so on. In populated areas, the diet of rodents is supplemented with various cultivated plants, especially vegetables and root crops. Animal food consists of larvae of aquatic insects and adult insects; leeches are eaten relatively rarely. During the day, an animal weighing 100 grams eats 70-80 grams of food.
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