Subject: [Tweeters] Shade of Gray (actually brown) - ID help requested
Date: Oct 31 16:01:23 2016
From: Barbara Deihl - barbdeihl at comcast.net


Along with shades of color in October has been an influx of rodents into houses & other buildings, for food, shelter and nestbuilding. I have had rat run-ins for most of the 40-odd (odd, indeed) years I've lived here. I usually keep the numbers down by trapping and following some of the the online suggestions for deterring rats. This fall, I started encountering this "Rattie" in the evenings when she would appear up on the roof corner between the garage and house - when I came out the door, she would skedaddle for a few seconds, then reappear. She seemed curious and friendly. I talked at her a bit, but then realized it was time to stop that and trap her. Peanutbutter did the trick, the first night after I'd set the trap. Before I took her 'away', I realized she wasn't like any of the other rats I'd ever had drop by. Long, furry tail, big ears and white toegloves - unique. Brown back and cream belly - not very strange - the photo I took of her before we drove off into the sunset made her look gray.
I and a friend did some research, but nothing fit the bill - too many possibilities - rats, mice, woodrats, kangaroo rats, shrews, ground squirrels, chipmunks... - I decided to check with some of you naturalists or rodentiphiles to see if this small mammal rang any sort of bell.
I've added the photo to the album I posted earlier today, "Shades of Fall..." It's the last photo. Any thoughts?
Here again is the link to this Flickr album:

https://flic.kr/s/aHskKrcoo7

Barb Deihl
Matthews Beach Neighborhood - NE Seattle
barbdeihl at comcast.net


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