Most unlikely "pet" yet

marie-p

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Sorry the pics aren't great but that little thing is pretty nervous.





Any guesses as to what that is?






No?







It's a vole. And no, they're not supposed to be kept as pets. But someone saw that one in a parking lot and thinking it was a pet, picked it up. I ended up with it after they told me they were bringing me a "mouse" they found.

That thing is really cute and surprisingly tame (voles are supposed to be anything but tame). But it's also very unhappy to be in a cage. I will release it in the forest this weekend (after talking to a biologist about the options).
 

EnzoLeya

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I'm not even sure I know what a vole is..... He's really cute though! I would have just told you I found a baby hamster
 

white cat lover

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Actually, there are domesticated voles. I'm not sure what idiot decided to domesticate them, but you can buy them as pets here in rural america.
 

EnzoLeya

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I just went and googled vole. Apparently they are feild mice? If they are then I have seen MANY of those, I just always thought they were mice, but they run so fast you can't tell what they are!
 

stormy

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Originally Posted by calico2222

Aren't they blind? Or, am I thinking of moles.
(hey, it's late and it's been a long day!).

In any case he is so cute! Look at those little pink toes!!
Moles are the blind ones lol


He's a cutie!!
 

EnzoLeya

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Originally Posted by white cat lover

Actually, there are domesticated voles. I'm not sure what idiot decided to domesticate them, but you can buy them as pets here in rural america.
That is so strange! I have never seen one at the pet stores around me?! Of course there are a lot of corn/been feilds around here. So I can see why few people would BUY one around here.
 

trouts mom

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Moles are blind?! Wow, I didn't know that!!

That little vole is cute Marie..but will he freeze outside in the winter??
 

white cat lover

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Originally Posted by EnzoLeya

That is so strange! I have never seen one at the pet stores around me?! Of course there are a lot of corn/been feilds around here. So I can see why few people would BUY one around here.
I know of some guy who domesticates them & then sells them. He's an idiot. I have no clue how or where he sells them.....but he has people pay more for a "wild domesticated" animal.
I had someone get a pair from him & give them to me. I released them after creating housing outdoor so they had time to adjust.
 

vixen16

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Wow is he adorable!!! I would have Guessed Hamster too.. until I did more research.


I had a Shrew as a Pet a couple months ago ((RIP))... Feisty lil things! im surprised the Vole isnt "Wild"... Maybe he was a Pet that was released.??
 

faith's_mom

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What a cute lil guy...I remember watching the field mice scamper out of the way as we put up hay when i was a kid. Sometimes us kids would try to catch them...Lol! Don't know what we would have done if we would have though...hahaha!
 
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marie-p

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I really doubt it was a pet... it was probably just lost in that parking lot.

Update: She (I think it's a she) is back into the wild. I released her in the forest yesterday and left for her a hiding box with some rags and a whole lot of hamster food. If she is smart, she'll hide some of that food for the rest of the winter.

I'm really worried about her, but I also didn't feel right keeping her in a cage. She HATED her cage and I think the only reason she liked climbing on my arm was that it seemed to be a way out of the cage.

Good luck little vole.
 
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