What's this rodent?

[H. laoticus]

Caught for pics and then released

I'm curious to know if anyone keeps these as pets.

 

[desertanimal]

Maybe a cotton rat?

 

[H. laoticus]

Maybe a cotton rat?

Hmm you may be right. Do cotton rats have short tails? I'm looking at some pics but it's hard to say. The rodent above has a very short tail.

 

[malevolentrobot]

i want to say its a california vole because of the small ears and shorter tail, but i could be wrong.

 

[desertanimal]

The cotton rat does have a short tail. I caught one very much like this lately, and I couldn't decide if it was a cotton rat or a vole from the drawings I found (but I had gotten out of the car without my camera so I had to go on memory in the relative dark). From the drawings/photos I found, the voles had pinnae that were basically invisible under the fur and smaller eyes. Your guy looks like he has cute eyes instead of little beady vole eyes, and the voles really don't seem to have pinnae with a profile that stick out of the fur at all. And I can see your little guy's ears, so my guess is a cotton rat, but I don't know for sure.

Do voles bite when you catch them? Whatever it was that I caught the other night bites (I had no container, either). And my goodness it was a heavy little thing for its size!

---------- Post added 05-18-2011 at 12:19 AM ---------- Previous post was 05-17-2011 at 11:59 PM ----------

http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/ro_b97.pdf

http://icwdm.org/handbook/rodents/ro_b177.pdf

They're not so easy to tell apart, and according to this cotton rats have ears almost completely hidden by the fur. But according to the range maps you don't have cotton rats in CA. But according to the article cited at the end of that pdf about the extension of cotton rats into CA, it sounds like you do. Also according to those pdfs, we're not supposed to have voles in AZ, but I know from the AZ fish and game site that we do have several subspecies of voles here in various places, so . . . that was not all that helpful I guess.

To me your guy looks more like a rat than a vole in body conformation, but you would be able to say better because you saw him move around. My guy ran straight into my foot with a thud when I put it in front of him to stop him (a full second before he got there), as if he could hardly see. He looked really strange to me with no ears showing at all and had tiny, beady eyes (reminded me of a tiny muskrat), and he didn't seem to be able to stand up so far off the ground as yours is doing (i.e., no cute factor--yours is much cuter). But who knows. We need a mammologist.

 

[SandDeku]

looks like a vole. voles are so adorable....
http://www.hiltonpond.org/images/VolePine01.jpg

that's what a vole looks like which is exactly looking like the lil fella on your pic. Try releasing him in some "fields". These lil guys prefer fields. Just make sure the place you release him at has of the following:
-Lots of hiding places(tall grass is the best)
-Plenty of foods(look at the dietary needs and try finding a place that meets atleast most of its criteria)
-Plenty of water(puddles, creeks, streams, anything)
-Lesser predators. Do realize tall grass also may host snakes. Who indeed eat voles. Why not feed the vole before you release it? Give it a good hearty meal and plenty to drink and rest then let it go wherever it is you want to release it(should it be a pest for your house--- which some can be)

And well have some hopefull thinking. lol.

P.s. It could be a cotton rat like the people above suggested but just saying it looks more like a vole to me. Either way they both have similar needs(similar--- not exactly the same) plus should it not like that habbitat it'll prolly scurry down to another one. Just try releasing it as far away from someones house and the highway as you can.

 

[H. laoticus]

Wow, desertanimal, impressive knowledge you have on these guys and great post :worship:
Is it possible that the one I found is a mere juvenile and therefore makes it even harder to distinguish between vole and cotton rat? I've actually spotted larger and less cute rodents while herping. They were about 3 times bigger, darker, had beady eyes, and from what I remember, had small or covered ears. Could they be the same species? While I tried catching the little guy it was squeaking and trying to bite me haha.
Don't worry, SandDeku, I took pics and released the little guy right where I found him.

 

[SandDeku]

Wow, desertanimal, impressive knowledge you have on these guys and great post :worship:
Is it possible that the one I found is a mere juvenile and therefore makes it even harder to distinguish between vole and cotton rat? I've actually spotted larger and less cute rodents while herping. They were about 3 times bigger, darker, had beady eyes, and from what I remember, had small or covered ears. Could they be the same species? While I tried catching the little guy it was squeaking and trying to bite me haha.
Don't worry, SandDeku, I took pics and released the little guy right where I found him.

Good. I guess I myself I just like to feed whatever I happened to pick up to study or take pics before I release it back. Sorta like a "sorry for picking you up--- but here you go a gift for the road" gift. You know? xD

 

[pitbulllady]

looks like a vole. voles are so adorable....
http://www.hiltonpond.org/images/VolePine01.jpg

that's what a vole looks like which is exactly looking like the lil fella on your pic. Try releasing him in some "fields". These lil guys prefer fields. Just make sure the place you release him at has of the following:
-Lots of hiding places(tall grass is the best)
-Plenty of foods(look at the dietary needs and try finding a place that meets atleast most of its criteria)
-Plenty of water(puddles, creeks, streams, anything)
-Lesser predators. Do realize tall grass also may host snakes. Who indeed eat voles. Why not feed the vole before you release it? Give it a good hearty meal and plenty to drink and rest then let it go wherever it is you want to release it(should it be a pest for your house--- which some can be)

And well have some hopefull thinking. lol.

P.s. It could be a cotton rat like the people above suggested but just saying it looks more like a vole to me. Either way they both have similar needs(similar--- not exactly the same) plus should it not like that habbitat it'll prolly scurry down to another one. Just try releasing it as far away from someones house and the highway as you can.

Yep, it's a vole! Better pets than hamsters if you ask me. I've had voles before, and they all seem pretty docile for a wild rodent. If I wasn't so darn allergic to all things rodent I've love to have another one. They don't smell at all like mice do.

pitbulllady

 

[SandDeku]

Yep, it's a vole! Better pets than hamsters if you ask me. I've had voles before, and they all seem pretty docile for a wild rodent. If I wasn't so darn allergic to all things rodent I've love to have another one. They don't smell at all like mice do.

pitbulllady

Don't they bite? And isn't it -not- a good idea to keep wild rodents? Just kinda curious. Wondering cause I may keep some in the future if that's so as an experiment. No I wouldn't really pet them. I agree though anything is more docile than hamsters. lol!

Kinda wondering what kind of wild small mammals would one be able to keep. lolol. I know people keep skunks and ferrets and such. They're not really "domesticated" imo. Like they "are" but imo they're still got a wild streak to them.

On a totally unrelated few side notes:
-degus and gerbils look like voles so anyone wanting a vole but don't want to risk anything try looking into those.

-also wondering how do people domesticate birds? Kinda wondering if wild birds like N.A. finches can be domesticated. Or stuff like blue jays. Ravens, etc. Just really a "speculation/curiosoty".

I'd love to be able to "domesticate" something or atleast "aid" in doing so or atleast--- make them "more" suitable for indoor enclosures and such. Not for monetary means but more for "contributing to society" sort of thing(not really just find it fun).

I know it "can" be done. Because look at opposums, sugar gliders, gerbils, degus, skunks, fenec foxes, etc. Heck even gerbils! even dogs or cats! SOMEONE must have(obviously) domesticated them. Now I just wonder who/when/how. And how it can be done. Maybe ill get a "special" permit for doing something like this(sorta wondering what career i should do so maybe ill go for something like this or closely related. lol).

 

[dtknow]

PBL:

I'd assume it'd be illegal for someone to go capture a vole and keep it as a pet?(here in CA?)

I see these guys all the time out in the boonies.

Do they carry any diseases that we can get the way deer/whitefooted mice do?

 

[SandDeku]

PBL:

I'd assume it'd be illegal for someone to go capture a vole and keep it as a pet?(here in CA?)

I see these guys all the time out in the boonies.

Do they carry any diseases that we can get the way deer/whitefooted mice do?

CA? california or canada(sorry I'm not good with abbreviations like those). I'd check your state laws if anything. But I don't think anybody really "cares" IN MY HONEST --- OPINION--- Don't quote me on that though-- not really a 100% sure. Because voles are generally not 'wanted' and if I'm correct on this they're quite "common" as well as not really threatened/endangered. That's just my opinion. I mean think about it-- people set traps to kill wild mice, rats, voles, moles, etc. So would it make a difference?

That's just what I think. Though DO try to research more into the species of vole. There's the meadow vole which I Think only lasts 3months and quote on "think". While the red backed vole is supposed to live 2years? I just think you may want to have ATLEAST some good experience in dealing with small, furry animals. Try dealing with mice, hamsters, degus and the common sort.

I would assume they would be more "look at" but don't touch pet.

Try make the enclosure natural as possible and pretty big. Since it's kinda wild animal--- bigger is always better. Personally I'd love to use "dirt" for something like that but I'm not quite sure. Just because well think about it-- that's what they live in. lol.

Remember to give it a varied diet, and if its a temperate species it may need to "hibernate" as some do.
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If by "ca" you mean canada--- probably illegal and will be more or so enforced. IF i'm correct people up there can be a bit "tight" in legalities.

Over the usa I'm not sure about legalities you may just have to call the fish and wild life and you may need a scientific permit for it. Which is hard to get.