589 Tree Rat Family: Genus species: Serial numbers: 36 this is a nocturnal rodent, have shot them at night sitting in trees or running thru the branches. Once while I was sitting in a tree at night waiting for jackal to come to a trap below me, I heard something running along a limb nearby. I flashed on my headlamp and saw two tree rats one in front of the other. A pair of tree rats once made a nest of sticks, grass and paper in one of my large canvas bags in my tent on Pinkensteen Farm in Southwest Africa. I shot the male but let the female live with her two young. The young ones were firmly attached to the nipples. I put the female and young in a box with cotton threaded paper. After much Cursing on my part she finally decided to leave with the young, still clinging to her nipples very tightly. In desperation she finally fled to a tree by broad day light and ascended. They usually make their nests in hollow trees or in abandoned birds nests. However, they will make nests on the ground after rocks and brush.