These engaging animals are indeed found in wWA lowlands, associated usually
with rocky talus, but I have live trapped them in second growth doug fir
forests. They make a variety of nests, though hard to find, often in
Hemlocks. I have found three nests in stump growing hemlocks, where the
stump is hollowed out. One such nest which was right next to a subdivision
held $1.35 in change, 3 Christmas ornaments, chewed up newspaper, 3 bottle
caps and a bunch of foil. They are not called pack rats for nothing! They
also build compact nests of sticks up in trees, about 24 inches in diameter,
often mistaken for squirrel nests. These critter are excellent climbers, I
watched one shimmy up a light pole once after being disturbed by a dog. I
heard a story once of a "ghost" in the attic of a house in Redmond, which
turned out to be a bushy-tail pilfering trinkets.

These animals often move into abandoned buildings and sheds, making large
heaping nests of dried plant material infused with junk. An uncle in Tacoma
was cleaning out an old shed and found a nest with babies in it, still
blind. He adopted one, brought it inside and fed it baby formula. It escaped
as a teenager, but would come and go at will in and out the house by some
secret door of its own device. It was quite tame while in the house,
although it would bite if picked up (I learned this the hard way). It was
very lively and had a bright expressive rodent face, and it was a terrible
thief of anything shiny. As a boy I would tempt it to come close with bits
of foil which it would handle with its front paws like a chipmunk.

I am envious you have them at a feeder, I have never seen one on my property
and would love to have some about.

Rob Sandelin
South Snohomish County at the headwaters of Ricci Creek
Sky Valley Environments <http://www.nonprofitpages.com/nica/SVE.htm>
Field skills training for student naturalists
Floriferous at msn.com


-----Original Message-----
From: TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu
[mailto:TWEETERS-owner at u.washington.edu]On Behalf Of Scott Atkinson
Sent: Wednesday, December 31, 2003 12:56 PM
To: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov; rahnefall at sbcglobal.net
Cc: tweeters at u.washington.edu
Subject: Re: Mystery mammal id help needed


Kelly:

I'm interested in the thought of Bushy-tailed Woodrat. One of my boys
insisted that he had a rodent the fit the description of this species last
week (he saw the aft/tail end best, as the animal escaped under a stump/into
a hole in our woods). I considered it, but: I've only seen this species in
high alpine habitat, and although Peterson's Mammal Guide mentions that
alpine occurrence also, it also indicates by range map that it should occur
at lower elevations. Is the species known to occur in the lowlands of wWA?

Scott Atkinson
Lake Stevens
mail to: scottratkinson at hotmail.com


>From: Kelly Mcallister <mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov>
>Reply-To: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov
>To: Rahne Kirkham <rahnefall at sbcglobal.net>
>CC: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
>Subject: Re: Mystery mammal id help needed
>Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 12:25:15 -0800 (PST)
>
>I'll offer the possibility of Bushy-tailed Woodrat, largely because the
>size seems to
>rule out the other likely subjects, most importantly, the Deer Mouse which
>the description
>otherwise fits. A description of the tail would help.
>
>Kelly McAllister
>Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife
>Olympia, Washington
>Reply to: mcallkrm at dfw.wa.gov
>
>On Wed, 31 Dec 2003, Rahne Kirkham wrote:
>
> > Date: Wed, 31 Dec 2003 11:16:48 -0800
> > From: Rahne Kirkham <rahnefall at sbcglobal.net>
> > To: tweeters <tweeters at u.washington.edu>
> > Subject: Mystery mammal id help needed
> >
> > Actually, it's a mystery mouse. Two days ago at my niece's feeder on the
> > hill west of Auburn, the birds were disturbed by a very large mouse who
>ran
> > down the branch they were on, shimmied down to the hanging feeder,
>snacked a
> > minute, then jumped to the feeder on a post nearby. He snacked there,
>made
> > his way back to the branch (again dislodging the birds) and went his
>way. He
> > was sandy brown with a white tummy and very round ears. Obviously not a
> > house mouse but didn't look like any of the mice on the Burke Museum PNW
> > mammals site. Not a rat (I know rats having lived with pair). Smaller
>than a
> > squirrel but larger than a chipmunk.
> > Thanks.
> > Rahne Kirkham
> > Federal Way, Washington
> > "I am in Love and out of Him I will not go."
> > C.S.Lewis "The Great Divorce"
> >
> >
>

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