Helping a Vole

Today our cat, Mitten, had a small vole in his clutches. I, being the sort of person I am, and knowing that Mitten is perfectly well fed, was compelled to rescue the vole. I was able to grab it and put it into a bucket. It was a very young vole, not even close to full size. I named it Voley-vole.

I'd say it was about half the size of a standard vole (unfortunately I know this from a few that I didn't manage to rescue in time).  It is a southern red-backed vole (Myodes gapperi) as one can tell from the colour of its fur, and since there are only a few vole species that live here, that is a distinguishing feature.  Its fur was a bit bedraggled after having been mouthed by a cat, but it will dry off.

If you are not familiar with voles, you might be thinking that I'm talking about a mole.  Moles are quite different from voles.  They are larger and have bigger feet for tunneling under the earth.  They make little dirt mounds in your yard, if you have them.  Voles make little tunnels under snow, which are obvious as the snow melts. 

Voles are approximately mouse-sized, or a bit bigger, but they are not mice.  They have shorter tails and smaller ears than many mice, and a more rounded nose, whereas mice have pointy noses.  Then there are shrews, which are even more pointy-nosed, but they have extremely tiny eyes. 

Anyway, after rescuing Voley-vole, I put it into a bucket with some chicken grain so it could replenish its energy.  It ate heartily, and did some cute little face washing with its paws.  I'm such a soft heart when it comes to little animals.  I had to pet Voley-vole while it was in the bucket.  No, it didn't bite me.  No, I will not get rabies.  Or fleas.  Or the plague.

After it seemed to have eaten all the grain it wanted, I released it into the woods where I know the voles like to live.  I put the bucket on its side and Voley-Vole came to the edge of the bucket and hopped out onto the ground. 

Then, it promptly ran over to my shoe and hopped up on my toe.  It sat there for a good 15 or 20 seconds before hopping down again and running under the leaves and making its way in the world.  I felt, with apologies for my anthropomorphism, that it was saying thank you. Be well, Voley-vole.  You are much loved.