Who Smarted? Podcast Summary

Episode: Are Capybara the world's biggest rodents?

Release Date: October 6, 2025
Host: Trusty Narrator (Atomic Entertainment / Starglow Media)
Guest: Capybara (voiced character)

Episode Overview

This episode of "Who Smarted?" centers on the capybara, the world’s largest rodent, unraveling fun facts, biology, and behavior—all through a playful conversation between the trusted narrator and a capybara character. With its trademark blend of humor and information, the episode dives deep (and sometimes literally) into the capybara’s watery world, comparing them to pirates, guinea pigs, and even friends at the zoo.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Meet Capybara: Not a Pirate, But a Rodent

• Opening Mix-up: The "trusty narrator" goes searching for "Captain Barry," only to realize it was a misunderstanding—he was actually meeting a "capybara!"
• Main Fact: Capybaras are the largest rodent species in the world.
  • “Capybaras are part of the rodent species.” (A, 01:57)

2. Capybara Size and Appearance

• Size Stats:
  • Can weigh up to 175 pounds (79 kg)
  • Over 2ft (0.6 meters) tall—about the size of or larger than a Labrador retriever.
• Comparison: “No offense, but you kind of look like a giant guinea pig. Which is only the cutest thing ever.” (A, 02:43)
• Family Tree: Related to guinea pigs, hamsters, and beavers.

3. Anatomy and Adaptations

• No Tails:
• Eyes, ears, noses: Positioned at the top of the head for aquatic life.
• Fur: Soft, brown, sometimes reddish or gray.
• Webbed Feet: Aid in swimming.
  • “Our partly webbed feet work like flippers, helping us swim.” (C, 06:47)
• Breath Holding: Can hold breath underwater for five minutes.

4. Where Capybaras Live

• Habitat:
  • Native to almost all of South America (except Chile) and parts of Central America.
  • Also found in some parts of Florida.
• Climate Preference: Thrive in rainforests, love water, and are semi-aquatic.

5. Capybara Behavior

• Swimming: Excellent swimmers, use water to keep cool.
• Speed:
  • “We can run up to 22 miles per hour. That's almost as fast as a car driving through a neighborhood.” (C, 07:40)
• Social Structure:
  • Live in herds, usually up to 20, but sometimes up to 100 in dry times.

6. Diet and Digestion

• What They Eat: Grasses (vegetarian)
• How Much: Eat up to 8 pounds of food daily.
• Digestive Quirk:
  • Eat their own poop to digest food twice and get more nourishment.
    • “Yeah. Sorry, Trusty, but just like other rodents, we capybaras eat our poop so we can digest our food twice. Ew.” (C, 09:42)

7. Capybara Babies and Communication

• Babies Called: Pups
• Birth Weight: About 3 pounds; can grow to 88 pounds at 18 weeks.
• Sounds: Bark, chirp, growl, yelp, purr, and ear-twitching for silent signals.
  • “We also yelp, chirp, growl, and purr. Sometimes we even sound like birds.” (C, 14:44)
• Warning Bark: Used to warn herd and scare predators.

8. Capybara & Predators

• Major Predators: Caiman, crocodiles, jaguars, anacondas.
• Eyes Placement Rhyme:
  • "Eyes on the side they hide. Eyes in the front they hunt." (A, 14:33)

9. Capybaras & Other Animals

• Friendliness: Get along with many animals; sometimes called the friendliest wild animal.
• Famous for: Letting smaller animals ride on their backs.
  • “Sometimes we even let smaller animals sit on us and take them for a ride.” (C, 15:15)

10. Mud Baths and Sun Protection

• Wallowing in Mud: Keeps them cool and protects from sunburn due to their thin fur.
  • “Capybaras love wallowing in mud because, just like sitting in water, it keeps us cool. And... it also keeps us from getting sunburns.” (C, 15:40)

11. Capybaras as Pets?

• Possible but Challenging:
  • Legal in some places, but require lots of care (food, space, swimming water).
  • Can bite if threatened.
  • “While some people do keep capybaras as pets… we’re not easy to care for since we need a lot of food and a place to swim.” (C, 16:13)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Misunderstanding leads to the topic:
  • “Maybe they said capybara and I heard Captain Barry. I did say I had lousy cell phone reception.” (A, 01:57)
• On Appearance:
  • “No offense, but you kind of look like a giant guinea pig.” (A, 02:43)
  • “We’re related to guinea pigs, hamsters, gerbils, and all the rodents you met on the rodents episode of Who Smarted, which somehow failed to mention me.” (C, 02:50)
• Bathroom habits:
  • “Yeah. Sorry, Trusty, but just like other rodents, we capybaras eat our poop so we can digest our food twice.” (C, 09:42)
• On Petting:
  • “And some zoos even let you pet and feed us. And you know how much capybaras like to eat.” (C, 17:03)

Timestamps for Important Segments

• 01:57 – What is a capybara? Largest rodent explained.
• 02:21 – Size comparison to dogs and guinea pigs.
• 03:28 – Fun facts teased: habitat, diet, friendliness.
• 05:04 – Capybara describes its appearance and features.
• 06:05 – Capybara habitat and world locations.
• 06:47 – Webbed feet and swimming skills.
• 07:40 – Capybara running speed.
• 08:28 – Social groups (herds) explained.
• 09:02 – Daily diet and what they eat.
• 09:42 – Coprophagy (eating poop) explained.
• 13:06 – Baby capybaras are called pups.
• 14:33 – “Eyes on the side they hide, eyes in the front they hunt.”
• 14:44 – Capybara communication: sounds and ear twitching.
• 15:15 – Friendliest wild animal: animals riding on capybaras.
• 15:40 – Mud baths as natural sunscreen.
• 16:13 – Capybara as a pet: caution and care requirements.
• 17:03 – Capybaras in zoos; feeding and interacting.

Final Thoughts & Tone

• The episode is packed with energy, playful banter, animal facts, and interactive trivia.
• The capybara is presented as relatable, friendly, and slightly sassy—a real character kids will remember.
• The host and guest maintain a child-friendly, curious tone, never shying from "ew!" moments while bringing science and animal behavior to life.

Bottom Line

This “Who Smarted?” episode skillfully answers the question “Are capybaras the world’s biggest rodents?”—and so much more—leaving listeners with an unforgettable portrait of these gentle, quirky giants and their watery way of life.