Yesterday, I had the Superboys (Sean and Sean), the neighbor teenagers, and Weston out working in the yard–filling holes in the yard with top soil (apparently the previous owners had a hole-digging dog and I’m tired of stepping in holes hiding in the grass), digging holes for apple trees that are coming, mowing, and weedeating, among other various chores. The Superboys helped me find where Miss Crazy Jacob is getting out and we made a fence repair. A lot can get done in a day with a passel of kids!
While working outside, Weston (home for the weekend for his girlfriend’s high school graduation) found a vole.
He’s got it in this bucket of dirt right now. Voles are burrowing rodents, so you can’t see it in this photo, but you can see what a vole looks like here. Weston and his girlfriend already have three ferrets, and they’re planning to get a sugar glider in the fall. (See what a sugar glider is here) Apparently, sugar gliders aren’t uncommon among weird pet enthusiasts, and in case you haven’t noticed from the FERRETS, Weston and his girlfriend are into weird pets. So naturally Weston decided he wanted to keep this vole as a pet. He’s taking it back to his apartment. Thank goodness because right now THERE IS A VOLE IN MY HOUSE.
According to Wikipedia, the average small vole lives 3-6 months, so I hope he doesn’t get too attached.
Joell says:
:butterfly:
Oh!! Yuck!! I found out about voles a few years ago, they are so ugly and distructive. We use the mouse trap and peanut butter method to get rid of them. If they get loose in his apartment??
On June 3, 2012 at 9:34 am
ladybird_1959 says:
Heck no! Not in my house. Some friends of ours use to have ferrets and I was scared to death of them.
On June 3, 2012 at 10:03 am
Dbunny says:
I’m not sure I’d accept a vole in my home, but as a previous owner of ferrets, I do have to endorse them as wonderful pets for those who can devote daily out-of-pen quality time and attention to them. I also tried a pet chinchilla once but she would to to the top of her cage to pee, and spray it all down the cage and wall, so I wondered how anyone could stand keeping them as pets with such a mess, but later I’m told this is not how most chinchillas act. They’re expensive in that they need even bigger cages than ferrets, but oh so cute. Never had a sugar glider either – can’t wait to hear of their adventures. But of course my favorite indoor “exotic” is a :pinkbunny: rabbit. They’re happiest in bonded pairs (neutered of course), and if you interact with them every day they’re wonderful pets. If you keep them outside they won’t make as good of pets. And yes, I’m deliberately trying to give your son more ideas for unusual pets. 🙂
On June 3, 2012 at 10:16 am
Flowerpower says:
Umm…do you need more? My entire yard is infested with the little varmints. They have eaten every hosta I had and work on anything that has a tuber or bulb. If you have holes in mole tunnels you are blessed with many voles. Let me know if you wish to have some from Tennessee and I will see just how many I can catch and pack in a steel box to send to you! :happyflower:
On June 3, 2012 at 10:47 am
Jane L says:
Sorry, but I think they should put it back. Maybe it has a litter somewhere? I dislike taking living creatures for no other reason than we can, and really can’t imagine it wants to be a pet. That’s my 2 cents, take it or leave it!
On June 3, 2012 at 10:52 am
Suzanne McMinn says:
Jane, I told him he should put it back, so I agree with you. (Not that he paid any attention to me.)
On June 3, 2012 at 10:53 am
theo says:
DD2 wanted a Sugar Glider several years ago until I found out how difficult they are to keep regarding their diet. She settled for a Degu. A bit bigger than a Gerbil, they’re very social and she wanted a pet she could handle a lot. It was adorable and they really got along.
I wouldn’t want a Vole. Ugh. Just ugh…
On June 3, 2012 at 11:49 am
catslady says:
We have either a vole or a mole under my back step. He eats the cat food I leave out. One day he was in the dish at the same time as one of my stray cats. Neither cared much – apprently they are all too well fed lol.
On June 3, 2012 at 2:09 pm
Snapper119 says:
We researched sugar gliders….so cute! We figured they wouldn’t fare to well here with the cat & dog…maybe a few years from now though.
On June 3, 2012 at 7:13 pm
joycelorelle says:
We have a chinchilla and love him! But he is fairly neat in his cage, no weird excrement messes here. I’ve wanted a chinchilla since I was a little kid, and as long as they aren’t doing weird things like peeing down walls, they are wonderful. Not great for kids, and nocturnal, but oh so sweet!
On June 3, 2012 at 7:57 pm
LK says:
Wouldn’t ferrets eat a vole? Talk about a stressed life for that little rodent.
I would be careful of the voles, they can carry disease. They are not a lot different than a mouse, but I guess that you already know that…
On June 3, 2012 at 8:23 pm
sammyshmoo says:
A great way to get rid of voles, moles or even groundhogs is to place unwrapped Juicy Fruit chewing gum around the yard and garden especially around their entrance and exit holes. I’m not sure how it works, but we have used this trick several years. I know some may like having them around but we consider them a nuisance!
On June 3, 2012 at 10:08 pm
Vicki in So. CA says:
I’m with you and Jane L. It’s a wild animal. It belongs in the wild. He should put it back where he found it before it dies of stress from being confined.
On June 3, 2012 at 11:04 pm
CATRAY44 says:
Bunnies are awesome pets indoors… they can easily be litter trained! They can be great little ‘watch dogs’, too and such funny antics they perform! (They can be little thieves, too, if you are ever missing any pretty, shiny items, check the cage! lol. :pinkbunny:
On June 4, 2012 at 7:59 am