EISPIRATEN

Any rodentia experts? This little guy was hopping around at Valley Forge CG this Saturday.


kangaroo_rodent by moore91024, on Flickr

It was small, perhaps 2 inches body and a long tail. Its cheeks were stuffed. It walked around, including up the trunk of this tree a ways, but also sprung on its jumping legs.

From a little googling, the four toes suggest a Merriam's kangaroo rat, but the habitat and range don't seem quite right. Any help?

Thanks!

I'm not a rodent expert by any means, but I would guess it's neotoma fuscipes - the packrat.

http://sibr.com/mammals/M127.html

He's cute!

Like CM, not a rodent expert, but I did stay at a Holiday Inn last night...

My first guess was some sort of Perognathus (pocket mouse) or possibly a Peromyscus (deer mouse-type). Could still be a Neotoma of some sort, though. I wouldn't bet my lunch money on it.
However, I would bet that this individual is not a k-rat.( K-rats are way cuter... )

Hey, thanks for looking! I checked out all the suggestions. He was cute, and conveniently, it looks like he posed so that I'd know he had 4 hind toes!

pocket mouse - has 5 hind toes
http://sierrafoothillgarden.files.wordp ... rnicus.jpg

deer mouse - 5 hind toes
http://www.bear-tracker.com/deermous.html

pack rat - 5 hind toes (think it's too large, also)
http://www.discoverlife.org/mp/20q?go=h ... _id%3D1389

The four hind toes keeps leading me to dipodomys merriami, but they seem to be a bit south or east of Valley Forge. Maybe he caught a ride in a PCT hiker's backpack (!) or a ranger's truck? Or fires have altered their range, or ...?

Oh jeez. Looks like we're gonna have to go back to countin' school. Ok everybody, take your shoes n socks off...

Still not going with Dipodomys of any species. That guy or gal does not have a k-rat look: Merriam's Kangaroo Rat

or try this picture:


But, hey, this would not be the first time I have been wrong...

Interesting discussion...

I was just at a tracking class today - where I was told "all rodents have four toes in front, 5 toes in back" (in reference to the toes you'll see in the prints - in reality, rabbits have a fifth toe in front that you'll rarely see in the track - but I digress)

But in any case - Feivel here has five toes in the back - you just can't see the small inner fifth toe in your photo. (HikeUp is right!) I still don't know what he is, but I think we can cross off K-rat based on Mike's photo - they have the tassel on their tails, and this one doesn't.

(If rodent toes don't seem exciting enough, I also learned to ID bullfrog poop. 8) )

cougarmagic wrote: ↑I was just at a tracking class today

Where was the class? What a great opportunity.

- where I was told "all rodents have four toes in front, 5 toes in back" (in reference to the toes you'll see in the prints - in reality, rabbits have a fifth toe in front that you'll rarely see in the track - but I digress)

Yes, but rabbits (and pikas and hares) aren't rodents. They are lagomorphs. Could that explain the different front toe count ??

(If rodent toes don't seem exciting enough, I also learned to ID bullfrog poop. 8) )

Ohhh! Now, I am officially jealous! 8)

Where was the class? What a great opportunity

It was taught by Dick Newell, and it was at Irvine Ranch regional park. The website (with tons of great information, and photos) is here:

http://octrackers.com/

It's primarily for rangers, biologists, and docents but I begged and pleaded my way in. I guess he liked my blog.

Yes, but rabbits (and pikas and hares) aren't rodents. They are lagomorphs. Could that explain the different front toe count ??

Indeed! In fact I screwed that up. Here is the real deal: http://www.octrackers.com/analyzingthetrack.htm

"Dogs, cats and rabbits * are 4 X 4's - Rodents including squirrels are 4 X 5's - All others are 5 X 5's (*While this animal is usually thought of as having four digits front and back, in reality there is a fifth digit* on the inside of the front foot that will show under some conditions. )"

Dewclaw?