Mouse experts?

[rich p]

I had to clear this mouse from my neighbour's hall as she was too squeamish. It was about 4 to 5 inches from snout to base of tail. Anyone know the species?

 

[Mr Pig]

It's just a field mouse. If you have one, you probably have lots.

 

[Paulus]

It could be a very young rat The tail looks a little too long/thick for a mouse.

 

[rich p]

It could be a very young rat The tail looks a little too long/thick for a mouse.

That's what my neighbour thought but I thought it was too small. It had quite an impressive front upper tooth (teeth?)

 

[ComedyPilot]

Field mouse 2 - Rat 1. Where's the poll?

 

[Melvil]

Rat. Head's too big for a mouse.

 

[Paulus]

2-2 at the moment.

 

[Hover Fly]

+1 for rat head is to long for a mouse and the ears are different.

 

[rich p]

I've had previous with field mice and this was bigger and the head did look different. I didn't want to jump to conclusions though on the rat thing.

 

[rich p]

I've googled a field mouse pic

http://www.naturephoto-cz.com/photos/andera/black-striped-field-mouse-3794.jpg

 

[Paulus]

Looks like it's a rat then

 

[Andy in Sig]

Field mice (usually known as the long tailed field mouse cos it's got er ... a long tail) also tend to have proportionately larger hind quarters. The tail and head look wrong for the common house mouse so rat it probably is.

 

[wafflycat]

That pic is of a young rat.

 

[Fnaar]

Whichever it is, they aren't solitary critturs, and are not necessarily respecters of boundaries between her house and yours!

 

[Aperitif]

Sounds like you're in a bit of a stew rich - with a rat or two eeeeeeee!