Lerot or rat?

[tenniswitch]

Recently, toward dusk, I've seen one (or more) small rodents climb down a west-facing wall from the roof to the grape vines which are a meter or so  below the windows of the rez de chausee (the garden is at cave level).  From there it seems to climb up behind the (open) volets, where it stays a while before heading up toward the roof.  It's been too dark to see it clearly- can just tell that it's bigger than a mouse and has a longer tail.

I'd been noticing for a while that something was leaving grape skins on the balcon and the nearest windowsill.  Now I've discovered some rodent droppings (definitely larger than souris size) on the windowsill and stuck to the crepi behind a couple of the volets.

Fortunately, there are no signs that it's gotten into the house yet.  I suspect that it (they) may live in the grenier of the house that backs up to that area of ours.

Based on the entirely inadequate amount of information I've given, does this sound more like a rat or a lerot?

 

[thunderhorse]

A good chance it's a lerot, but not conclusive. Bit of a bushy tail like a squirrel?

[chris pp]

Lérot or Loir, could be either AND they will live in close proximity to each other, so you could have both.

http://www.planetepassion.eu/MAMMALS-IN-FRANCE/Edible-or-Fatty-dormouse-France.html

Chris

[tenniswitch]

I haven't gotten a really good look at him/them, but the tail is definitely not as bushy as a squirrel, which I think lets out the loir (loire?).  It may be slightly bushier than a rat's- just not sure.

On the other hand, the DH and I got a glimpse of the underside of one this evening as it crossed the dining room window on its way down, and our impression was that that was quite light- possibly white- which sounds more lerot than rat.

From our point of view, it doesn't make a huge difference as it doesn't seem to be getting into this house at all (we are going to be filling in any chinks we can find, however, just to ensure that he doesn't decide to winter over inside).  But, however irrationally, if I know it's a lerot, I'll be much more inclined to concentrate on keeping it outside.  If a rat, I might be tempted to set a few traps. 

[JohnRoss]

Well if you want some Loir I have plenty of them. Caught 9 so far this year. The last two years have been very quiet on the Loir front chez nous as I had put ultra sound squeakers all over the place, blocked every possible entry hole I could find and they all but disappeared but now they are increasing again. We have caught more than 25 in a bad year and I don't want to get into that situation again. Tried everything except poison. I have even changed their release point, now much further away. I don't want to use poison for several reasons including not wanting to kill what I hope are harmless animals, risk of poisoning owls and other birds of prey that eat them and our cat and neighbourhood cats.  I say harmless as there is still doubt about if they nibble wiring or not in my mind. I am getting to old and creaky to keep climbing on the roof to look for dislodged tiles so, and I have asked this before, help, someone must have a solution...........................JR

PS Before anyone suggests it yes I have tried oily repulsive smelly things in the wall spaces.