I have a vole it seems!

[antipodes]

I saw two of them on the plot on the weekend, hiding under the covered section. I knew something was there as I can see tunnels going to the compost bin. I think they are living in there.
Now I am a total softy, they were soooooo cute, I just couldn't try to kill them. But I was wondering if I should pay special attention to anything in particular, that I should protect more? I haven't noticed any damage so far, perhaps there is so much food in the compost bin with my kitchen scraps that they don't bother with the veg.

[antipodes]

[redimp]

I have voles and I cosset them.  I also cosset the mice I have.  Neither so much harm at this time of year and voles seem to do less than mice who will dig up large seeds.  As far as I have been able to tell, the only thing that voles do is look cute and feed kestrels.

[antipodes]

Hmmm not sure about birds of prey - although our lottie is in the middle of a big park, so there can be small hawks etc. I think the voles are smart enough to hide anyway!! I concluded that it did not eat squash seeds, which I was afraid of, as all mine have germinated, so it obviously did not eat them, and the beans have also come up, so it didn't eat them either. I suspect it has had some of the strawberries, but that could be birds or slugs too. But I am thinking that there is so much stuff in the compost (snails, worms and all the food scraps), it would be a bit mad to venture outside for other food. They really are cute though, aren't they? I was afraid it was rats at first, till i got up close and personal with it, and saw it had little round ears and a tiny tail.

[redimp]

I hung a pair of boots from the apex of my shed roof in the winter.  When I came to take them down, one of them was full of the husks of squash seeds from a squash that had gone soft in the cupboard.  Don't know whether that was vole, mouse or even rat.

[antipodes]

 ;D ;D ;D
I am tempted to say not a vole as they seem to be a burrowing animal, from what I have read. More likely to be a field mouse, perhaps? At least you didn't put your foot in and step on a furry little guy!!!

[Robert_Brenchley]

Voles don't climb, rats do but aren't exceptional. A wood mouse can climb like a squirrel, so that would be my guess.

[redimp]

I'd be well chuffed at that mate.  Thanks Robert. :)

[lillian]

I hung a pair of boots from the apex of my shed roof in the winter.  When I came to take them down, one of them was full of the husks of squash seeds from a squash that had gone soft in the cupboard.  Don't know whether that was vole, mouse or even rat.

Probably mice.

Left a pair of old wellies in the shed over winter, come spring found them full of peanuts :o Mice had relocated a whole bag of peatnuts that were on a high shelf only acessable by small bit of timber that had fallen  against the shelf.