Not Really A Pet, But I.D. Please?

[Yvonne G]

My lovely cats left this dying creature in my Aldabran pen and very brave Misty stood there, hackles raised, barking at it. Could it be a vole? I've never see a vole, but it's too big to be a mouse and it's definitely NOT a rat:

 

[ZEROPILOT]

Please let me know what sort of ground borrowing creature it is.
When I lived in south Carolina I used to place driftwood in my fish ponds so that those idiots wouldn't drown and sure enough, one would be stranded every few days. Mine where no larger than a mouse.

 

[Markw84]

Looks like a vole to me, Yvonne. I get plenty of them here. Wreak havoc on the plants. Moles go after grubs and worms, while voles love plants!!

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I was told "pocket gopher" back then.
I just googled it and it sure looks right.

 

[Yvonne G]

I googled them both - vole and pocket gopher - they look the same. However, because of the teeth, I'm leaning towards gopher. If so, this makes me very happy! I hate the holes those darned things make. Wish I knew which cat caught it. I'd give her a treat!

 

[bouaboua]

Dead?? Or still alive???

 

[ZEROPILOT]

I googled them both - vole and pocket gopher - they look the same. However, because of the teeth, I'm leaning towards gopher. If so, this makes me very happy! I hate the holes those darned things make. Wish I knew which cat caught it. I'd give her a treat!

I don't see those choppers on a vole.

 

[Tom]

That's a gopher. Voles are a little smaller and have a more slender build. More "rat" like.

I put about 20 a year in the freezer out here.

 

[Yvonne G]

Dead?? Or still alive???

It was barely hanging onto life.

 

[Tom]

It was barely hanging onto life.

A hammer to the head will fix that problem quick.

Their numbers need to be kept down, but I don't like them or any animal to suffer, no matter how much I hate them for destroying my plants and trees. I kill them quickly and humanely.

 

[bouaboua]

So what do you do?? Make a meal for Misty??? Or for that cat? If you can ID who done the deed??

 

[bouaboua]

I'm also with Tom......

 

[ZEROPILOT]

By the looks of him someone may already be poisoning them.

 

[Yvonne G]

I don't like to see them suffer either, but I can't kill them. I tossed it over the fence.

 

[Yvonne G]

By the looks of him someone may already be poisoning them.

No, I think he was bitten in the neck by a cat.

 

[wellington]

That's a gopher. Voles are a little smaller and have a more slender build. More "rat" like.

I put about 20 a year in the freezer out here.

What do you feed them too that your freezing them?

 

[wellington]

I never heard of a vole. I thought you all were misspelling mole. LOL

 

[Tom]

What do you feed them too that your freezing them?

Snakes, lizards, alligators, vultures, hawks, etc…

Any predator basically.

 

[Tom]

I never heard of a vole. I thought you all were misspelling mole. LOL

I get them here too. They behave more rat-like and their burrows are much narrower and without the dirt mounds on the outside.

 

[Tom]

I don't like to see them suffer either, but I can't kill them. I tossed it over the fence.

I would not have guessed that about you. I didn't ever think you were a cold blooded killer, or anything like that, but I thought you'd have the mental toughness to end the suffering of an injured animal. Hmm. I was wrong. Live and learn.