# What is nocturnal, lives in Australia and gnaws bamboo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 18, 2016, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540 "2016-04-18T07:01:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 7:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/1 "2016-04-18T07:01:12Z")
No this isn’t a riddle. For several nights now Mrs P and I have been woken by the sound of something that sounds very much like, say, a rat gnawing on wood. It’s just outside our bedroom window, which is quite near the boundary with the neighbours. I went out last night to see if I could figure out what it was, hoping it wasn’t something eating our house (which is wooden). I was fully expecting the noise to stop as soon as I got near, but actually no; the sound continued. It was quite clearly not coming from our yard but from the other side of the (wooden) fence along our boundary. The fence is made of treated wood so it seems unlikely that something would be munching it. Just over the fence is a screen of bamboo plants. The fence is solid and tall, so I couldn’t see through or over it. Just past the bamboo plants is a concrete path, then the neighbours’ house but it’s made of modern sheet materials, not wood. As far as I know drop bears only eat eucalyptus, hoop snakes are carnivorous, and bunyips are only found near waterholes (the neighbours do have a pool I suppose…) I guess it could be an insomniac panda who has strayed far from home, but that seems a little unlikely. Maybe stray Vietcong who haven’t heard the war is over, sharpening punji stakes? I’m out of ideas. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/3 "2016-04-18T08:26:46Z")
Could it have been a rat? ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/4 "2016-04-18T08:43:37Z")
Panda probably. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 8:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/5 "2016-04-18T08:46:51Z")
Bamboo spider, most likely. You know how funnel-webs make their nests in grass? Like that, only bigger… Serious answer - don’t some wallabies eat bamboo? ---
**Author:** ![Richard\_Pearse](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/richard_pearse/32/13144_2.png) [@Richard\_Pearse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Richard_Pearse)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/6 "2016-04-18T09:51:21Z")
Could it have been something scratching at the fence rather than gnawing? ---
**Author:** ![Aspidistra](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspidistra/32/3894_2.png) [@Aspidistra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspidistra)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/7 "2016-04-18T10:41:18Z")
ME! [Yum](http://www.gardeningknowhow.com/ornamental/foliage/bamboo/bamboo-shoots-for-eating.htm) But probably not in your neighbour’s back yard. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 10:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/8 "2016-04-18T10:55:10Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > As far as I know drop bears only eat eucalyptus. That’s what they want you to believe. ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 11:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/9 "2016-04-18T11:28:11Z")
Any poop cubes nearby? I know, it is not a wombat\*. I just wanted to type “poop cubes”. 😉 Best of luck with your mystery. \*for anyone wondering why I can mention poop cubes, just Google “Wombat Poop.” ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 2:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/10 "2016-04-18T14:13:33Z")
> [@Quartz](#): > > Could it have been a rat? Yeah but do rats eat bamboo? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/11 "2016-04-18T14:14:43Z")
> [@Richard\_Pearse](#): > > Could it have been something scratching at the fence rather than gnawing? Only if very persistent. And why would it? ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/12 "2016-04-18T14:16:28Z")
> [@MrDibble](#): > > Bamboo spider, most likely. You know how funnel-webs make their nests in grass? Like that, only bigger… > Serious answer - don’t some wallabies eat bamboo? Yeah but I live in the inner city. ---
**Author:** ![somepumpkin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/7feea3/32.png) [@somepumpkin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/somepumpkin)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/13 "2016-04-18T15:11:39Z")
I’m surprised that no one has suggested that it might be the elusive Chupacabra. We’ve had little success finding them here in the new world. Maybe they’ve fled to Oz. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [April 18, 2016, 3:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/14 "2016-04-18T15:30:02Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Yeah but do rats eat bamboo? [Bamboo rats](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bamboo_rat) do, but there aren’t any in Australia. Since you haven’t actually seen if the animal is eating the bamboo, or if it’s on the ground or climbing in it, it’s hard to venture a guess. My first guess would be one of the native rodents, but maybe a brush-tailed possum might do that if were really hungry. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/15 "2016-04-19T00:14:35Z")
Brush tails like new growth and stay away from woody stems, IME. I don’t think they gnaw on wood. Native rodent sounds plausible. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/16 "2016-04-19T01:05:06Z")
I’ll bet it’s a possum, they eat just about anything. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 1:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/17 "2016-04-19T01:13:01Z")
Bush Tucker Man? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/18 "2016-04-19T03:39:46Z")
You need to [look up](http://www.alamy.com/stock-photo-a-giraffe-eats-bamboo-enthusiastically-in-mogo-australia-55120827.html) not down. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 10:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/19 "2016-04-19T10:22:48Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Yeah but I live in the inner city. Doubtless that’s what people said about [raccoons](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raccoon#Urban_raccoons) and [foxes](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_fox#Urban_foxes) too. But I’m not a wallaby expert, it’s doubtless harder for herbivores. Although, when you say “inner city”, I don’t think I’m picturing things right, to me that means apartments or townhouses, not fences and living bamboo screens. Sounds more like where I live. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/20 "2016-04-19T10:32:19Z")
Wallabies eat grass not hard bamboo stalks. And they are not the type of animal to hide in a log or burrow during the day. If they were around, it would be obvious. ---
**Author:** ![Quartz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/quartz/32/267_2.png) [@Quartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quartz)\ **Post date:** [April 19, 2016, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540/21 "2016-04-19T10:35:25Z")
> **[BBC Earth | Home](https://www.bbcearth.com/)** > > Welcome to BBC Earth, a place to explore the natural world through awe-inspiring documentaries, podcasts, stories and more. It mentions the Sumatran Bamboo Rat. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-nocturnal-lives-in-australia-and-gnaws-bamboo/752540.md?page=2)