Urgent Help Please - baby water vole found

[Natasha_38]

My OH is on his way home from work & has phoned to say he is bringing a baby water vole home with him. Unfortunately some idiot he works with (on a construction site) reversed a vehicle up onto the river bank & killed the rest of the family

We have an old fish tank that I can put some straw in for him but what do they eat? Or more what sort of human food could I try & give him tonight?

I know this is far from ideal but I have no idea where there are any wildlife places nearby since we have moved

[Dogghound]

Post a photo we could do with finding out the age, but the key concern is to stop work at the site ASAP, or they could be commiting a criminal offence. You need to get in contact with natural england about this. 0845 600 3078


Are you sure its a water vole? and not one of the other species? Dont put in any water at all. Keep it dry, they feed on vegetation and will eat almost any thing such as fruit like apple etc, but if its really young it will be unable to do this as it will still be dependent on its mothers milk.

[vole-woman]

Call this helpline immediately: Wildlife Aid - Home They will know what to do.

In the meantime, whoever destroyed the vole's home has committed a criminal offence, so please report him to your local wildlife crime officer as soon as you can. No one on a construction site should be using vehicles anywhere near the bank. The law is very clear. You must try and get the building work halted while the voles are sorted.

[Natasha_38]

Have just spoken to him, apparently it wasn't on the river bank but the edge of the site car park. The area should have been coned off but wasn't.

From what I have just quickly read, how can we tell if it really is a water vole, not a vole? Will it definitely be a water vole if it's found near a river?

[Dogghound]

Originally Posted by Natasha_38

From what I have just quickly read, how can we tell if it really is a water vole, not a vole? Will it definitely be a water vole if it's found near a river?

You need to post an image on here unless you know any small mammal experts. Other species of voles can be found really close to water, especially field voles. Also there is scope to confuse other small mammals such as brown rats with water voles depending on your experience with them. I am going on a bat survey now so good luck. If it is a water vole try and get the work stopped tomorrow.

[shenk1]

Can you take a picture of it and post it on here?

Resize it to 1000 pixels longest side and use the images button at the top right of the page and follow the instructions,this will help with any advice you can be given as people will know exactly what we are dealing with.

[Natasha_38]

Thanks will try to do this when he gets here. I have a new phone though so it might not be as easy as it sounds.

Lucily we live on the edge of a river so I've been out & collected some plants for it as I read that they eat vegetation. Have pulled up some with roots on as well. If he's still feeding from his mum is there anyway he's survive on this sort of diet?

Spoke to my OH, he says it's definitely not a rat. He described the size of the parent & it does sound like a water vole

[Boddie]

Natasha

If you have trouble uploading to here or another site you can MMS the image to my mobile. Let me know and I'll private message you my number if necessary.

[Natasha_38]

Originally Posted by Boddie

Natasha

If you have trouble uploading to here or another site you can MMS the image to my mobile. Let me know and I'll private message you my number if necessary.

Thanks ever so much. They should be here soon

[Natasha_38]

Thanks for all the advice, unfortunately he died literally as my OH got in. He was tiny so I'm not too suprised, just such a shame though