Squirrel or Rat?

[Squrlyq]

It looks like a squirrel eating seeds under the bird feeder, it acts like a squirrel - moves like a flash from ground to nearby tree or somewhere out of sight, BUT it has a rat's tail - narry a hair on it! I've not seen this before. I have this aversion to rats, and thought I saw one walking outside the front door, but discovered there's a small 'possum living in the garage. This was all in the same day/evening, so I'm not sure if I have ANY rats in the area, or a hairless tailed squirrel in addition to the 'possum. Please advise.

Appreciate your help so I can hopefully stop thinking about rats in my yard.

Judy

[Secret Squirrel]

Wow! Maybe it is a squirrel that has lost the fur on it's tail...for some reason or another! :dono
It could be a rat too.... sorry...not trying to freak you out, but rats and squirrels are in the Rodentia family. Rats can be a cool pet and just as sweet as a squirrel can be....if trained properly.:peace

Also, if it's been hot and dry opossums and raccoons will come out in the day for water...even though they are nocturnal. Also a nursing opossum and raccoon will come out in the day for food while baby's are sleeping. Too many people think just because a opossum (or raccoon) is seen in broad day light that it's rabid.......not true!!!! They forage when they can and while baby's sleep. This is just an FYI not only you but anyone else reading it. :ohthedrama
A cornered opossum will open it's mouth and hiss and a coon too, so most time these poor animals are killed senselessly.:nono
I just learned this myself at the rehab center I work with.
Sorry I got off topic.....post a picture if you can.:flash

[thundersquirrel]

goodness gracious, isn't this the second person to speak of this rat squirrel creation? maybe it's a new hair loss disease. OR maybe it's a new successful cross breed? i don't know, but i'm hearing more and more of these things and i want to get to the bottom of it. it makes me want to go trap one and examine it. wouldn't it be cool if it was a new species?

it's still a mystery. :dono

[island rehabber]

It does seem as if this is coming up more and more....I suspect since the animal always is described as moving "like a squirrel" that it is a squirrel with a nutritional or skin condition causing it to lose the hair on its tail. As we've been taught, the squirrel's tail is an indicator of its health. One of my released squirrels came back to me with a broken hind leg and had to spend the next 6 weeks in a small carrier so that he could not climb and re-injure the leg as it was healing. After 6 wks in that carrier with low sunlight and, of course, being very stressed, his beautiful fluffy tail looked almost as bare as a rat's. Once he was out of the carrier and eating better it fluffed right up again. Just my two cents :peace

[Squerly]

I'm inclined to go along with Island. Momma Squirrel had 6 or 7 releasee's a few years ago and 2 of them had hairless tails. Not sure what caused it but I have seen it on other occasions too. I believe it has something to do with their diet and possible lack of proper nutrient.

[Squrlyq]

Thank you all for your responses.

I (we) have decided not to take any action on anything, for fear other critters might be harmed. If that is indeed a rat eating under the bird feeder (and it sure doesn't resemble the northern river rats we had in NY), it is not doing any harm that we know of. I didn't see it today, but when I told my husband not to bother with the bait traps (poison) on my account, he was relieved. We strive to take care of all creatures (except fire ants) and let nature take its course.

Yours in nature and wildlife preservation,
Judy

[thundersquirrel]

that's a good way of thinking, Judy. not everyone is so kind to animals.

do you live near a university or nature center? maybe they would look into it for you, or give you information about what this is. or maybe they'll speculate like we're doing, hehehe.

animals fascinate me so much, i wish i could come to your backyard for a day. ;)