This little guy gave me a start while out for a walk this afternoon. I was expecting to see a few cute ducks, not an adorable member of the rodent order.
Muskrats do not hibernate in winter. In a year with the more usual colder temperatures, when waterways are frozen over, the muskrat’s activity typically happens underwater and in their shacks, dens, and ice houses, where we are less likely to catch a glimpse.
Muskrats don’t store food in their lodges like Beavers do; they must forage everyday. A Muskrat dives for aquatic plants and can hold its breath for fifteen minutes underwater. Its feet work like paddles and its long tail propels and steers. They also eat fish, frogs, clams, and snails. Muskrats are eaten by minks, weasels, foxes, and hawks. 
Good Morning Gloucester 