Rat or Vole

[Ron T]

Saw this on the canal bank a couple of summers ago.Can't work out if it's a Rat or a Vole. It dosen't seem to have a ratty nose or colour and was quite small.That's an apple he's munching on to give some idea of the size. It didn't back off when I put my hand near it,didn't grab it in case it had rabies or other lurgies.

[dor]

Water vole. Most distinguishing difference is a shorter flatter face.

 

Though as your location is Australia it could be a young bandicoot!

[RLWP]

With that tail, it's a rat

 

Richard

 

not hamster

[pomkitanner]

Were the Answer RAT, would that be received differently ? Its a fine line and i am always intrigued how some animals are perceived "OK" where others elicit expressions of revulsion. What makes a Mantis acceptable but a cockroach the object of disgust? A butterfly pretty, but a moth, likely to make one reach for the fly spray ?

[dor]

With that tail, it's a rat

I did wonder about the tail, but the head looks more vole to me. Maybe it is a juvenile?

[RLWP]

Having checked through some pictures, I'm not really sure now.

 

The thing that would steer me towards it being a vole is it's behaviour

 

Richard

 

Were the Answer RAT, would that be received differently ? Its a fine line and i am always intrigued how some animals are perceived "OK" where others elicit expressions of revulsion. What makes a Mantis acceptable but a cockroach the object of disgust? A butterfly pretty, but a moth, likely to make one reach for the fly spray ?

 

Well, you can't hate everything, can you

 

Richard

[dccruiser]

Saw this on the canal bank a couple of summers ago.Can't work out if it's a Rat or a Vole. It dosen't seem to have a ratty nose or colour and was quite small.That's an apple he's munching on to give some idea of the size. It didn't back off when I put my hand near it,didn't grab it in case it had rabies or other lurgies.

 

With that tail would definately vote for a juvenile rat ...

 

Grab it? ... as basil fawlty would say ... cuddle that and you will never play the guitar again!

 

Rick

[Ron T]

[/size][/color]

I did wonder about the tail, but the head looks more vole to me. Maybe it is a juvenile?

Not a Bandicoot Dor! if they can swim they couldn't swim that far. Have looked at all sorts of pictures and really can't tell. The ears look like a cross between the two, it's tail looks ratty except for the colour but it's face looks like a vole.

[pquinn]

if it looks like a rat and eats like a rat,why didnt you kill it?

[RLWP]

if it looks like a rat and eats like a rat,why didnt you kill it?

 

Didn't fancy ratatouille today?

 

Richard

[carlt]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=guazf1IQR1Q

[steelaway]

Vole

 

 

 

Why have rats get such bad press - I like them.

 

Alex

[Ray T]

Vole

 

 

 

Why have rats get such bad press - I like them.

 

Alex

 

My son had 2 pet white rats which were brothers, for a while. I found them amusing and quite intelligent. They were also quite affectionate.

 

We called them Ronnie & Reggie.

[Chris Pink]

Vole

 

 

 

Why have rats get such bad press - I like them.

 

Alex

 

That's an atrocious picture of a vole.

 

I like my rats brown and white, not so keen on grey.

 

I'm not sure about the OP I think vole but the way it moved would be the give away.

[madcat]

post us some better ones Chris,both sorts to compare.To a cat they are all just squeaky sweets or animated pasties

[Albion]

There is a good description of a water vole here explaining the difference between a rat and a vole. The description says that the vole has a long hair covered tail and a blunt snout. Vole linky

Roger

[luctor et emergo]

Maybe it has a mummy vole, and a daddy rat?

[steelaway]

Vole

 

 

 

Why have rats get such bad press - I like them.

 

Alex

 

Rat

 

 

[luctor et emergo]

What, the distinct is that the rat walks on it's hindlegs?o

[pquinn]

kill it first.ask questions later.http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSGwaxwrycJaXcVz6lbHk1Qani-ULPig-LbOfaalkST3geHBkAR

[Tiny]

My son had 2 pet white rats which were brothers, for a while. I found them amusing and quite intelligent. They were also quite affectionate.

 

We called them Ronnie & Reggie.

 

While waiting for the tube in LOndon I regularly saw a rat who popped out of the signal cable box. No-one ever seemed to notice him staring across at us lot but I quite liked him. He was nothing like those grubby rats you see more and more along canals eating dumped on the towpath chips etc. I often wished him good morning.

 

Mind you I regularly say hello to those larger wet floor cones they stick in the middles of isles in supermarkets. Often they are doing a much more useful job than the youngers staff members who are to busy chatting to mates than to answer queries. For them find an old boy or girl - they seem to value customers rather than tolerate them.

 

As for the creature maybe its a Volat with a voles body and a rats tail.

[RLWP]

<snip>

 

Mind you I regularly say hello to those larger wet floor cones they stick in the middles of isles in supermarkets.

 

<snip>

 

While you are amongst friends, do you say 'thank you' to the ticket machines at car park barriers? Or is that just me...

 

Richard

[carlt]

While you are amongst friends, do you say 'thank you' to the ticket machines at car park barriers? Or is that just me...

 

<Richard's "friends" slowly move to the opposite end of the forum>

Edited May 10, 2012 by carlt

[Gunna Do]

Tail? Could be a worm sneaking up behind it!

[GoodGurl]

Saw this on the canal bank a couple of summers ago.Can't work out if it's a Rat or a Vole. It dosen't seem to have a ratty nose or colour and was quite small.That's an apple he's munching on to give some idea of the size. It didn't back off when I put my hand near it,didn't grab it in case it had rabies or other lurgies.

i found this pic of a water vole looks similar to me.