Any ideas what my little rodent could be?

[Kerry L]

We have a little rodent living under the steps outside the back door - looks like a mouse, but the tail is about half it's length and stubby at the end. I have looked in the books and still not sure as to whether it is a house mouse or a vole. In the books, the house mice look greyish, but on the web sites it appears to be more brown. On the other hand, the field vole or bank vole looks more like the colouring (a deeper reddish brown) and the tail is similar. I know house mice are protective of their territory, so it is possible that the tail has been nipped. Last year we had wood mice and I can see it is not the same. Boy does it move fast. It was nipping in and out after the ground food for the birds. Unfortunately, when it was stationary it was hidden behind my strategic (pigeon unfriendy) flower pots, so it was hard to get a good view. It did have a whitish tummy. I haven't seen it since this morning, so probably came out for a midnight snack and gone back to bed until tonight! Does anyone know of a good website with clear pictures? I just went on Google, but still none the wiser. (Hope it's a vole!) It is definitely not a shrew (I still hope for those too).
Regards, Kerry

[Emma]

The mammals section of UKSafari might be of use:

http://www.uksafari.com/mammals.htm

[Kerry L]

I have looked at the sites that you suggested, and the UK safari one had a couple of nice pics. In my "research" I have decided that it is not a bank vole, the eyes are too big, as are the ears, and I don't think it is a house mouse - it's ears seem to be wider apart. So, I believe it is another wood or field mouse that has got too close to the knife wielding farmers' wife! I managed to get a few photos, some with Susie the squirrel (great source of entertainment). Unfortunately the colour doesn't do them justice as I was hiding behind the back door and taking the photos through the glass - hidden behind the curtain and a plastic bag! Also the mouse isn't as dark as I thought - thank goodness it wasn't an identity parade! My husband promptly downloaded the pics onto his own computer, so now I will have to get him to try and get them on this site somehow.:(
Thanks again
Regards, Kerry

[justsomeoneelse]

hello all,
..ok, why don't i get rats, hedgehogs, squirrels, voles or toads ? i feel i'm missing out !


justsomeoneelse


ps. if i did get a squirrel i'd call it siegfried, oh, and harlequin for a hedgehog !

[Jenny]

Don't worry, Justsomeoneelse (don't think I spelt that right :o ), only got frogs after 8 years of a pond! And do you REALLY want rats and mice? They'll find you in due course:)

[Emma]

Justsomeoneelse, you really do not want mice and rats. They are, afterall, vermin. Just stick with the birds for now and hedgehogs and squirrels might come later!