Comparison of water vole and rat droppings (I think)

vole-woman · #1 (**permalink**) 12-04-2009, 10:51 AM

I spotted these this morning, and thought it would make a useful comparison guide.

Here's me with my ID gadget, matching the pictre of the rat poo with the real thing:

Am I right, do you think? Rat on the left, water vole on the right.

camo · #2 (**permalink**) 12-04-2009, 01:18 PM

Hi VW

I for one agree and the comparison is a good one for examples of the adult of the species. Roy

shirl · #3 (**permalink**) 12-04-2009, 04:41 PM

I agree too, quite different when you can get them side by side. Just been up in the loft and the rat has gone crazy up there, droppings everywhere. Looks like a spring clean again.

Shirl

camo · #4 (**permalink**) 12-04-2009, 07:19 PM

Hi VW & Sh

We all have our little furry friends, whilst I don't encourage them we have regular visitors which send the dogs wild. This young Rat must have just left the nest because he has only just started visiting however he is getting very brave.

Roy

vole-woman · #5 (**permalink**) 13-04-2009, 08:39 AM

Roy!

They're difficult to photograph because they move so fast, I've found.

I was at the house of a man who lives in the country and has water voles in his garden (lucky thing!!!) and I mentioned to him I'd also found a few rat signs. He said, 'It's only like saying, I've got a wasp in the garden. They're everywhere, really.'

camo · #6 (**permalink**) 13-04-2009, 08:58 AM

Hi VW

I suspect peoples hatrid of Rats has fuelled the demise of the Water Vole and although totally unfair people see a brown furry shape and reach for their trap or worse still their poison. Often when Landowners are approached to tell them they have Water Voles they dismiss the suggestion as only Rats. In at least one case we had to ask a landowner to take up poison blocks but we can not blame such people and need to work on education. Roy

vole-woman · #7 (**permalink**) 13-04-2009, 10:56 AM

That's right. I've just emailed the Times, actually, to see whether they'd like an article on the differences between rats and water voles. I'll let you know if they say yes.

A lot of the problem lies with the term "water rat"!

shirl · #8 (**permalink**) 13-04-2009, 05:02 PM

Isn't it sweet Roy, as we all know, rats are everywhere that humans are, I would prefer them outside the house mind you. Still, the weather is getting warmer so I am arranging for the loft to be spring cleaned, might need new insulation too as they have made rather a mess little sods! Hopefully I can then go round again and find where they are getting in and block the holes off . Not seen any young ones yet this year, just the adults but they are spending more time outside at the moment so let's hope they stay there!

Shirl

shirl · #9 (**permalink**) 13-04-2009, 05:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vole-woman

That's right. I've just emailed the Times, actually, to see whether they'd like an article on the differences between rats and water voles. I'll let you know if they say yes.

A lot of the problem lies with the term "water rat"!

I agree, would be great to get an article published, as you say so many people think water voles are rats. I go to great lengths to explain the difference when I am by the canal. It is so dangerous for water voles living near rats when people put poison down, something I just can't do myself. I was checking an historical site out 2 years ago where there were previous wv signs, only found a slimey foul stream and a very large dead rat on the bank, possibly poisoned so it didn't look good for wvs.

Shirl