Animalscaretips
The bank vole lives in woodland, hedgerows, parks and gardens. It eats fruit, nuts and small insects, but is particularly keen on hazelnuts and blackberries. Bank voles are very active and agile animals, and are frequently seen - they even visit bird tables.
- What do bank vole eat?
- What is the difference between a bank vole and a field vole?
- How do you take care of a bank vole?
- What do voles live on?
- Is a bank vole nocturnal?
- Do voles eat nuts?
- Are bank voles protected in the UK?
- Are voles endangered?
- Can you keep voles as pets?
- Where do voles have their babies?
- How big is a bank vole?
- How long does a vole live?
- Do voles eat peanut butter?
- Do coffee grounds repel voles?
- What time of day are voles most active?
What do bank vole eat?
Bank voles have a varied diet of vegetation, roots, fungi and a variety of fruits and nuts – blackberries are a particular favourite – as well as occasionally hunting for small insects.
What is the difference between a bank vole and a field vole?
Bank Voles are easily confused with Field Voles. They are larger than Field Voles, measuring about 13 to 17 cm long. They have small eyes, small ears and a blunt snout. Adult Bank Voles have a rich chestnut-brown back compared to the grey-brown fur of the Field Vole.
How do you take care of a bank vole?
Voles make reliable pets and taking care of them is considered relatively simple. Fill your vole's cage with soft material for bedding. Because the bedding must be washed or changed often in order for your vole to be healthy, the bedding that you choose should either be washable or disposable.
What do voles live on?
Meadow voles spend most of their lives above ground, living in and feeding on grasses, and they can girdle small trees and saplings at ground level. Tall fescue in orchards and lightly grazed pastures are typical habitats.
Is a bank vole nocturnal?
They are active during both the day and night but become more nocturnal in summer, they need to break up their activities with frequent periods of rest. Bank voles are good climbers and can reach food sources several feet above ground level.
Do voles eat nuts?
Voles thrive on small plants yet, like shrews, they will eat dead animals and, like mice and rats, they can live on almost any nut or fruit.
Are bank voles protected in the UK?
Native to Great Britain; populations in Ireland were accidentally introduced in the 1950s. Common and widespread. Bank voles are not legally protected in the UK and have no conservation designation.
Are voles endangered?
They were first discovered in Shoshone, California, and formally described as a species in 1900. But before it was even of legal age, the vole was deemed extinct in 1917. ... In 1980, habitat degradation and the animal's small population led to its listing as an endangered species by the state of California.
Can you keep voles as pets?
While keeping voles as pets may not be detrimental to the population for some species, it is inadvisable. These rodents are wild animals, and do not become accustomed to living in human care like domesticated animals are. Instead, choose the domestic house mouse, which can make a very good pet.
Where do voles have their babies?
Voles make their nests in underground burrows around tree roots, ground cover and beneath fruit trees. From their nests, voles tunnel beneath the ground in their endless search for food.
How big is a bank vole?
Size: Head and body length 9-11cm, tail length 3-7cm. Weight: 20-40g. Distribution: Found across mainland UK and in the south of Ireland. Bank vole distribution (in green), taken from 'Britain's Mammals 2018: The Mammal Society's Guide to their Population and Conservation Status.
How long does a vole live?
Voles can breed any time of year, but the peak breeding period is spring. Voles are extremely prolific, with females maturing in 35 to 40 days and having 5 to 10 litters per year. Litter size ranges from 3 to 6 young. However, voles seldom live longer than 12 months.
Do voles eat peanut butter?
Best Vole Bait and Vole Baiting Tips
The best bait for voles includes bread and butter, small nuts, cherry pits, oatmeal, sunflower or similar seeds, mixed peanut butter and oatmeal or gumdrops. When baiting vole traps, make sure you put the bait in and around the trap.
Do coffee grounds repel voles?
Although it is a debated subject, coffee grounds do appear to repel voles in the lawn. Sprinkle some around vole holes in the yard, and watch for any results.
What time of day are voles most active?
Voles may be active day or night, but most activity occurs at dawn and dusk. Their activity is comprised of short, quick visits from the burrow through their runways and back.
