Fun and Unusual Prairie Dog Behaviors You Didn’t Know About
Prairie dogs greet each other by standing on their hind legs and throwing their arms in the air while making high-pitched yips—like tiny cheerleaders hyping up the colony!
These little diggers create elaborate underground cities with rooms for sleeping, nurseries for babies, and even “air vents” for fresh oxygen.
Instead of a handshake, prairie dogs touch noses and teeth when they meet. If they recognize each other, they continue interacting—if not, they might chase the stranger away!
If a predator is near, prairie dogs scream dramatically to warn others. But sometimes, they exaggerate danger just to get attention!
No water? No problem! Prairie dogs roll around in dirt to keep their fur clean and free of parasites. It’s their version of a spa day.
Scientists found that prairie dogs have a complex language with different calls to describe predators, including their size, speed, and even color!
After a successful warning call or a stressful situation, prairie dogs often jump straight into the air and let out a loud “yip,” as if saying, “We survived!”
Unlike most rodents, prairie dogs actually trim and maintain the grass around their burrows to keep an open view of approaching threats—talk about natural landscapers!