The content of the article
Forest vole - a small rodent from the subfamily of voles. Small body size and color make them look like mice. They are an important part of the food chain, as they are included in the diet of many predatory animals.
General description of appearance
Forest vole has a rounded body with a length of 8-10 cm, the length of the tail is 3-6 cm. The eyes and auricles are small and hidden among thick hair. The color of the skin on the back has a rusty tint, while the abdomen is painted in light colors. In the cold season, animals overgrow with a thick layer of brown wool. Most species of voles do not have molar roots, but they are present in forest voles.
Like other rodents, sensitive whiskers (vibrissae) grow on the muzzle of voles, which help them to perceive environmental changes and navigate in space. Paws are tenacious and have 4 fingers. The tail of the voles is covered with short hair, so it looks thin relative to the body.
Lifestyle & Nutrition
Forest voles inhabit a fairly large area of North America and Eurasia. As the name implies, animals prefer deciduous and coniferous forests for settlement. Voles live under rather diverse climatic conditions, meeting among the forest-tundra and in the mountains at an altitude of 3000 m.
A forest vole climbs out at dusk when it is most difficult to detect. She quickly climbs and runs, and at the slightest threat, the animals hide in the nearest thicket.
Despite an active lifestyle, voles are cautious and behave very secretively in the presence of larger animals. They make their homes in burrows dug in forest litter or moss. Shrubs and tree roots also serve as shelter. Voles learned quite well to climb trunks and low-lying branches. Some individuals even settle in empty hollows and bird nests.
Despite the ability to dig holes, voles do this reluctantly, often preferring to occupy existing pits and holes in the ground. From habitable holes near the voles, several permanent routes to feeding places were laid. In winter, these routes turn into tunnels under the thickness of snow. To dig a snowdrift, a vole makes quick movements with its paws and head from side to side.
The basis of nutrition is plant food. Unlike many other rodents, they do not eat insects. In summer, in addition to grass and lichens, field voles eat mushrooms and berries. Under harsh winter conditions, animals supplement their diet with bark of shrubs and young trees. For the winter, they make huge stocks of seeds, the weight of which can reach half a kilogram per animal.
The favorite delicacy of voles is a variety of seeds of herbaceous plants, as well as acorns. If the animal has not finished eating the nut, then it reliably digs it in and remembers the place of the treasure. A vole can return there and pick up the left acorn.
Active breeding
Animals prefer to live alone, joining in pairs during the cold weather and during the mating season. During pregnancy and breeding, females behave aggressively towards relatives that have infiltrated its territory.
Forest voles have many natural enemies that would have destroyed this species long ago, if not for the unique ability of rodents to reproduce. During the year, the female gives birth 4 times, producing up to 40 cubs during this time. Pregnancy lasts only 20 days. The young appear blind and without hair, their weight is only 1-10 g. On day 12 they open their eyes, and two days later they first leave the hole. By the end of the first month of life, forest voles are ready to lead an independent life and participate in reproduction.
Despite such rates of reproduction, field voles did not overpopulate forests for one simple reason: their life expectancy is a year and a half. Under laboratory conditions, this figure is slightly higher, since wild voles living in the wild die prematurely due to predators. But this does not negate the fact that their body has a high rate of aging, and within a year and a half, forest voles go through the main stages of life.
View safety
Thanks to active reproduction and the ability to adapt to environmental conditions, voles are numerous species and are not on the verge of extinction. The greatest density of the number of animals reaches in the deciduous forests of Europe.
Captivity
Forest voles attract many people with their appearance, so it is not surprising that these animals are often kept in the apartment as pets. Voles tolerate home maintenance well and do not show aggression towards people. The animals are easily tamed, and soon they can be stroked and even planted in the palm of your hand. However, care must be taken to prevent the vole from escaping. It is able to penetrate into inaccessible cracks, and getting it back will be a great difficulty.
To feed the forest vole at home, you can use various seeds and grains, nuts. Although the rodent does not eat meat in nature, he will not refuse a few boiled pieces of chicken. Vole teeth grow all their lives, and they need to be ground. Therefore, it is important to ensure that the animal has enough solid food in the diet.
Video: Forest Vole (Clethrionomys)
Submit