Can you help me ID this rodent?

[photo chick]

We have seen him in and out of a hole near our woodpile. He minds his own business and seems quite sweet. But.... we have had so much trouble with raccoons depleting our flock that we're cautious with any animal in their proximity.

What is it? Is it a threat to our chickens?









Sorry - I don't know why it posted sideways.

 

[janinepeters]

Is the tail bushy, like a squirrel tail? If so, I think it is a gray squirrel, black color phase. If it is, then it's not a threat to chickens.

 

[zazouse]

Do ya'll have woodchucks around? that is what it looks like to me.

 

[Stumpy]

A nutria, perhaps?

 

[janinepeters]

Oh, now that someone else has said it, I think it might be a woodchuck. They're usually lighter but can be dark. This one looks kind of thin for a woodchuck, but maybe it is young? Google images to confirm.

They don't have nutrias in VT.

 

[zazouse]

A nutria, perhaps?

They do not have fluffy tails but they do kinda look alike, we have those in my area but not woodchucks.

 

[photo chick]

I kind of thought it might be a woodchuck. We ended up letting him go. I'm not sure what his tail looked like. I hope he doesn't turn out to be a chicken killer.

 

[tellynpeep]

Woodchuck. Your chickens should be safe. I'd worry about the garden though...

 

[DeepFried]

If a woodchuck could chuck chickens... No that not right.

I could not resist.

 

[centrarchid]

Marmot of some sort. If woodchuck / ground hog, then something other than color is different from those I see in Missouri, Illinois and Indiana. Color darker even than what I call blue but head looks more rounded as well. Biggest threat is to structure of buildings and it might harbor bubonic plague.