Rats!
- Thread starter spotty_pony
- Start date
scats
Well-Known Member
That’s not a rat.
spotty_pony
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what is it then?!
scats
Well-Known Member
No idea but its ears and nose are not rat ears or nose.
Errin Paddywack
Well-Known Member
Agree that is not a rat, not streamlined enough. Wonder if it is or has been a pet? Not sure what it might be but not a rat.
scats
Well-Known Member
And it is very unlikely for a rat to get stuck. I’ve watched them squeeze through some incredible gaps.
spotty_pony
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I’ve just had a Google and it might be a Vole! Not sure what’s worse although I feel better knowing it wasn’t a rat. No idea what I do about it though as they are rare and endangered!
FestiveG
Over the hill and far awa
Ordinary voles are smaller than that, could be a water vole? Are you near a water course?
spotty_pony
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We have several ponds and a lake at home which aren’t that far away. I’m in Lincolnshire and there is a river Laos not that far away and lots of big dykes which fill with water,
FestiveG
Over the hill and far awa
Could be a water vole then, we once saw one swimming in a disused mill pond years ago when we were at livery
spotty_pony
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I’ve just had a Google and apparently a few years ago in my area a colony of them was discovered in the very river that isn’t far away from me!
spotty_pony
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Although it does say they have short tails and this one didn’t or if it did it was very short. Next question is what was he doing in the stable?!
Prancerpoos
Well-Known Member
I think it’s a water vole - quote “Tail: A water vole’s tail is furry, thin and hard to see and it’s short – less than half the body length”
You don’t want to be killing those!
You don’t want to be killing those!
Miss_Millie
Well-Known Member
Could you get in touch with a wildlife rehabilitation charity to humanely trap and release him/her? The little thing is perhaps lost.
spotty_pony
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Possibly yes, as not sure where he/she has gone now! If I see him/her again though I will do.
Hallo2012
Well-Known Member
feral cats?
my semi feral has taken down all the rats and mice on our property so goes all the way to the neighboring farm to get them.
my semi feral has taken down all the rats and mice on our property so goes all the way to the neighboring farm to get them.
Peglo
Well-Known Member
I was nearly rooting for the fierce rat. ? but I agree. Don’t think it’s a fierce rat. Looks cute though.
rextherobber
Well-Known Member
It looks a bit like a Chinchilla!
Caol Ila
Well-Known Member
OH first suggested chincilla or guinea pig, but I figured the OP would know if she'd found a stuck guinea pig in her barn. My money is on water vole. Hopefully the wee thing is okay.
spotty_pony
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I thought that but it doesn’t have such upright ears. Also we don’t have any close neighbours so no idea how one of them would have got here! And it definitely wasn’t a Guinea pig ?
He scurried off happily enough so hopefully he is ok. Just concerned they are making residence under the stables as there are lots of holes in the walls as they are very old stables. I could almost be sure another one came out to see that one when he was stuck and ran under the pallet and back into the hole when I walked by but I was panicking by that point so don’t quote me on that! ?
HappyHollyDays
Slave to a house cat, 4 yard cats and 2 ponies
A pair of adult breeding rats will in their lifetime produce 2000 rats. Not on their own obviously but through their offspring.
You definitely do not want them in your house, they got into my attic a few years ago and I had to have the ratman in to sort it out. Poison was the only way but I didn’t lose any chickens or cats and we have copious amounts of both because the rats generally die underground.
spotty_pony
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happyhollydays - we have now established it isn’t a rat (please see above photo)
I am so glad I posted on here now, as I am just relieved to discover it wasn’t a rat!
I am so glad I posted on here now, as I am just relieved to discover it wasn’t a rat!
Andie02
Well-Known Member
HappyHollyDays
Slave to a house cat, 4 yard cats and 2 ponies
Yup that’s not a rat, it looks very cute and I’m glad you didn’t bash it with a shovel.
spotty_pony
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I was terrified but I think mostly because I thought it was a rat. It made a horrible desperate squeaking noise - I wouldn’t have had the heart to kill it.
Andie02 - thanks for that! ? yes there probably is but I reckon there is some on most yards.
Andie02
Well-Known Member
Many years ago, probably over 30 yrs, when doing late night checks, I switched the lights on in a block of stables, and there to my horror was a rat sat on a pony stallions back. At first I thought I was seeing things, so looked away and then looked again, and yes, there it was large as life having a ride round the stable !
P.s didn't want to tell you that before you found out it wasn't a rat !
spotty_pony
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Andie02 - omg what a horrible thing to see! My horses are in tonight and that has given me the creeps!
Shysmum
Well-Known Member
Another one dead in the water bucket this morning ???
Shoei
Well-Known Member
Is it a Degu maybe? It would explain why it wasn't scared of you if it has been released into the wild
spotty_pony
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I’ve just looked that up and possibly but I don’t have close neighbours so seems unlikely. Also I think it was scared of me - it was just stuck.
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