What's this mouse?

[Squash64]

[attachment=1]

This little mouse was inside my son's compost bin on his allotment.  Does anyone know what sort it is?

[Squash64]

[Mr Smith]

Betty,
         That could be a Doormouse a protected species not a Rat, :)

[sheddie]

To me, it looks more like a field mouse (wood mouse) - I think that a dormouse usually has a more fluffy tail

Its a bonny little thing!

;D
sheddie

[Digeroo]

Looks like a house mouse to me.  Dormice are golden brown.  Field mouse has a long tail.

[shirlton]

Looks to me like a field mouse. The house mice I have seen are more of a greyish colour

[green lily]

Looks like the sort that get in my poly 'n nick the peas... ;)

[Squash64]

I didn't think it was a house mouse because of the colour.  I've googled 'dormouse' and they do seem to have hairier tails than this one had.  So maybe it is a field mouse.  Thanks Shirl.

Whatever it is, my son just put the lid back on the composter and left it.   :)

[realfood]

How about a vole, which can be very destructive to many plants. Voles have stripped the bark from my young apple tree at ground level.

[Digeroo]

Not a vole they have low flat backs and a stub of a tail.

The one in the pic certainly has a lovely shining coat, looks like it is enjoying some good food.

[non-stick]

Could be a yellow-necked mouse, difficult to tell from the photo.  Most probaly a field mouse as they are more coomon. Did it's ears seem "big"

[farmer,steve]

its a field mouse, but part of its tail is missing

[Robert_Brenchley]

Right, Steve! The slightly yellowish brown coat (house mice are greyish brown) and big eyes are diagnostic.