tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35150906.post9078227936478950421..comments2024-02-26T03:20:05.069+08:00Comments on Esperance Blog: Bush Rat, Rattus fuscipesWAhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09714877215893612150noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35150906.post-29564412253457028992012-05-15T12:41:39.751+08:002012-05-15T12:41:39.751+08:00HI - We live on Molloy Island in WA and also think...HI - We live on Molloy Island in WA and also think this little creature is very cute. Unfortunately it is also quite a nuisance! <br />We have had one/or more visiting our shed which I have to say is VERY untidy! This tiny little thing has checked out every plastic container, drilling a tiny hole in the side but often in the bottom so the contents leak out! It's best effort was to take a circle of plastic from the top of a large bottle of oil and somehow drop the float down into the oil and then sit there tasting said oil and then escape. Amazing.<br />We have tried all methods of catching it but plastic traps are no challenge - it eats it's way out. Last night I caught it in a wire rat/possum trap with small chicken wire but it still managed to escape. <br />We don't mind sharing it's habitat if it would only stick to native vegetation!<br />Regards JanetJanet Jamesnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35150906.post-77626013027246397682012-01-04T21:50:53.492+08:002012-01-04T21:50:53.492+08:00Thanks for the great photo's and description. ...Thanks for the great photo's and description. I was able to identify the bush rat quite clearly, compared to the black rat. <br /><br />Sherrie<br /><br />AlbanySherrienoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35150906.post-15300803551340826382008-10-05T19:32:00.000+08:002008-10-05T19:32:00.000+08:00Hi Anonymous,I know Melbourne quite well, and what...Hi Anonymous,<BR/>I know Melbourne quite well, and what native animals you may have would depend on where you are. You would need to be near a chunk of native vegetation that has dense cover. It does not need to be all native, but a fair potion of it should be, and likely a little overgrown so the animals can gain environmental protection from cats and foxes.<BR/><BR/>So unless you are near a creek or the Yarra, or on the outskirts, they are very likely to be introduced rats/mouse (you did not give an indication of size) as these often hop when moving short distances.<BR/><BR/>If you are on the Mornington Peninsula it could be a Swamp Rat (native) as Bush Rats do not occur down there. So you would need to be to the northeast of Melbourne to get a Bush Rat.<BR/><BR/>However a likely possibility is the Bandicoot that does hop when moving around. These however are larger than a rat or a mouse, unless a juvenile. If a bandicoot it will have a very short tail.<BR/><BR/>Please let me know if you think you have something of interest along with details of your location.<BR/><BR/>Regards<BR/>WAWAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09714877215893612150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35150906.post-21413412996921691392008-10-05T18:37:00.000+08:002008-10-05T18:37:00.000+08:00Hi,I live in Melbourne and noticed 2 little creatu...Hi,<BR/>I live in Melbourne and noticed 2 little creatures feeding on dusk on some parrot seed that had dropped from our feeder. They were small and quite like the description you have given here except upon observing them I noticed they hopped. They sit back on their hind legs like a tiny kangaroo and hopped to get to and from their small clearing in some low lying thick shrubs we have in our backyard. The fact that they hopped confused me, do bush rats hop? And is it likely that they live in suburbia as we do? Thanks.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35150906.post-57953025528712795462007-07-06T11:15:00.000+08:002007-07-06T11:15:00.000+08:00Thanks Gaye, I think all our mammals are little cu...Thanks Gaye, I think all our mammals are little cuties.<BR/>:)WAhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09714877215893612150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35150906.post-37843756229840317352007-07-06T04:03:00.000+08:002007-07-06T04:03:00.000+08:00What a delightful creature :)Recently while visiti...What a delightful creature :)<BR/><BR/>Recently while visiting the New England National Park (NSW), I encountered some rat-like creatures. I think one was an antechinus, and I think the other was a species of Rattus fuscipes. This was the first time that I have encountered any native rat-like creatures, and it was a wonderful experience.<BR/><BR/>Your description of the bush-rat vs the introduced black rat is valuable for novices to attempt to distinguish the differences.<BR/><BR/>The chubby little fella emerging from its hole certainly is a cutie.<BR/><BR/>Thank you for sharing your knowledge and appreciation of your neighbours.<BR/><BR/>Regards<BR/>GayeAnonymousnoreply@blogger.com