Red Backed
Vole
(Clethrionomys gapperi)
Interview with Ann
Vole
Postives Of Red Backed Voles As Pets:
- Use mouse/gerbil accesories
- Longer lifespans (I've read about 4-12 years depending
on species)
- Unique
- Guinea pig like personality
Negatives Red Backed Voles As Pets:
- Not domesticated, so hard to acquire
- No interesting color mutations
- They like to drink a lot (the species I have) so the
litter has to be changed often
- They have fragile bones and skull and a very long spine
so they must be handled carefully to avoid fatal injuries
Do they have scent glands or smell?
I cannot smell any glands or special smells. The litter smells like human
urine when wet from urine
How long do they live?
I have read about various captive species in labs that live 4-10 years
depending on species.
Do they enjoy interaction?
They seem to calm down fast when you pet them and enjoy being petted.
What is their general personality, disposition, attitude?
They are skittish like guinea pigs but calm down when picked up. Also
like guinea pigs, they run in short bursts and try to hide under things
(including under other voles). They like the run wheel and climb almost
as good as mice but let go of what they are holding with their back feet
if upside down.
Are they sweet and petable, or mischievous and playful?
They are mostly sweet and petable and less mischievous or playful
How messy are their droppings?
Their droppings are firm but not hard so are clean if not squished before
drying. They poo like deer (lots of little ones at the same time) so the
dried poo is quite small
Can they be trained?
I have not trained them to do tricks yet, but I think they would likely
be easier then other rodents their size because they always watch you
instead of just running away like mice or being constantly distracted
like gerbils.
How are voles with other pets, larger and smaller?
I have two different species who get along fine together. When catching
wild ones, I often kept them for a few hours with house, white-footed,
and deer mice and they did not injure or get injured (the house mice fought
other house mice but the rest were nice to each other)
What size cage do they need?
Because of the high amount of peeing they do, I have been keeping them
in cages instead of aquariums to aid drying. They do not need much extra
room per vole because they love to pile together but they enjoy tunneling
and climbing so more stuff for them to climb on and dig under the better.
Otherwise, size cages like for mice.
What is the best diet for them?
They require very little protein but seem to do fine as lab animals on
mouse/rat food. I believe they eat lots of leaves in the wild so grass,
hay, alfalfa, and leafy vegetables are good to add.
What vaccinations/vet care do they require?
None
At what age would it be best to get one?
They seem to be just as easy to tame no matter what age they are when
I catch them.
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