 Hispid cotton rats occur in grassy areas or early-successional habitats within open woods.In the Southeast hispid cotton rat population density increases with the density of broomsedge ("Andropogon virginicus") and other low growing plants, but declines with succession to brush and trees.In Texas pine-hardwood forests, hispid cotton rats were captured most often in narrow streamside management zones which have more light and thus more ground cover, and slightly less often in wider zones.