Ecology Heermann's kangaroo rats are burrowing animals, and they manipulate the tunnels already made by other burrowing animals to make their own, such as tunnels made by ground squirrels (
Spermophilus). The extent of the burrowing behavior depends on the type of soil present: in areas with fine deep soil their tunnels average long and up to beneath the surface, whereas in shallow rocky soils the average length is and they do not extend deeper than . Heermann's kangaroo rats are
granivores, and seeds provide a significant nutritional value to their diet. They are also
herbivores, especially during seasons of winter and spring. Additionally, in the wild they have been documented capturing insects at night such as
moths,
beetles, and
grasshoppers. Most of the plant material near the burrows in their home ranges are utilized. They achieve necessary water consumption from seeds and dew from the plant material in their diet, and will only drink from a puddle or direct water source if water intake isn't achieved for several weeks. If the dry food matter increases and humidity is decreased, the mean daily activity of the rats drastically declines. High rates of interspecies competition has been observed; however, intraspecies competition between Heermann's kangaroo rats has not been directly observed. They have been observed
dust-bathing after foraging. This behavior consists of them lying on their bellies with they hind limbs extended or alternating keeping either their fore or hind limbs straight. It is thought to help withdraw oil and moisture, thus keeping their fur dry and sleek. Traveling is mostly done in a bipedal position with occasional hops that generally reach distances about . When moving slowly they are usually in a plantigrade position. On the other hand, when they are moving more quickly they can become saltatorial and can even become ricochetal. When running rapidly their hops can range from , and their tail aids in providing counterbalance. == Reproduction ==