Long Nosed Bandicoot

BANDICOOTS

There are about 21 species of bandicoots
Below are the 11 most common
1) Bilby
2) Desert Bandicoot
3) Eastern Barred Bandicoot
4) Golden Bandicoot
5) Northern Brown Bandicoots -
Picture on Right
6) Pig Footed Bandicoots
7) Rufous Spiny Bandicoots
8) Southern Brown Bandicoots -
Picture on Left
9) Western Barred Bandicoots
10) Rabbit Bandicoots
11) Long Nosed Bandicoot
more info + pics lower

BANDICOOTS IN GENERAL
The bandicoot has 2 features which place it apart from other Marsupials (mammals that carry their young in pouches)
1) Having many incisor teeth, as do all insect and flesh eating marsupials
2) Their second and third toes are grown together (like the kangaroo)

Bandicoots hop around like Kangaroos on their larger hind legs though they are much smaller ranging from 6 inches to 22 inches in length
Depending on the species their fur can be orange, greyish, or brown or striped.
You normally only see Bandicoots at night as they are a nocturnal creature and spend the daylight hours hiding in crevices, logs or tunnels

LONG NOSED BANDICOOT

DESCRIPTION

The most obvious characteristic is the reason for its name, that is that its muzzle is long and pointed.
Its colour is mainly Greyish brown on their back, whilst their underside creamy white as is parts of their feet
Their coat is bristly and rough, and they have no bars on their rump like many other species of bandicoots do.
Toatal length: 12 to 17 inches (approax)
Tail length: 5 to 6 inches (approax)
Weight: 850 gram to 1.1 Kg (approax)

HABITAT & LOCATION
You can find long nosed bandicoots in forests including rainforests. They like plenty of moisture though.
They are found along the entire East coast of Australia including Tasmania

BEHAVIOUR
As already stated they are Nocturnal foraging for food at night and during the day living in their leaf and vegetation lined nests, often in logs, crevices or scrapped out burrows or tunnels
They are very solitary animals and will chase other bandicoots away except in their mating seasons.
When called onto fight they use their hind legs and bite only as a last resort.

FEEDING Long Nosed Bandicoots love to feed on insects, other small invertebrates and soft roots of plants.
They dig holes (using their forepaws) big enough for their long noses to reach in and eat insects etc hiding underground or in rotting logs half buried in the forest floor
These bandicoots can often be heard sniffing at night time whilst searching for food or issuing shrill whistles and grunt-like sounds when food is found

BREEDING
Though breeding can take place throughout the year, winter is not a favoured time.
A mature female (5 months +) has 8 teats in a backward facing pouch,but usually only rears two or three young.
In ideal weather and habitat (e.g. supply of food) the female can have babies every seven weeks.
The young bandicoots suckle for eight weeks and then a couple of weeks later become independent