Lemmings?

roklok · Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 8:52 pm Post subject: Lemmings?

I just got back from a hunting trip to Colorado and on one mountainside I observed small creatures I had never seen before.About 5 inches long,brown,plump and furry with small rounded ears and no tail.Very cute,they would run around squeaking.Kinda looked like a hamster.I suspect they were a type of lemming,anybody out there know for sure?

515034s10ring · Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2005 9:30 pm Post subject: Re: Lemmings?

Ok, i gotta know to.......can ya maybe find a pic of one and post it?

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3571 Location: Utah

Rock rabbits?

They a are tiny breed of rabbits with stubby round ears and from a distance would appear to have no tail. If I remember right they have tiny rear feet. I've only ever seen them on a single mountain range within a 5 mile radius... they generally live in rock slides.

-DallanC

roklok · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:38 am Post subject: Re: Lemmings?

They may be rock rabbits,I have never heard of such a thing.They were living in a rockslide by an old abandoned mine.I tried to get a picture of one but was unsuccessful,they seemed pretty skittish.Need a telephoto lense.I was able to watch them quite a bit through 10 power binos.I looked up lemmings on net and the pictures shown didnt quite look like animals I saw.Thanks for your input.

roklok · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 12:57 am Post subject: Re: Lemmings?

Dallan,
I looked up rock rabbits and that is indeed what they were judging from the pictures.Also known as pikas or conies according to website.

515034s10ring · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 8:11 am Post subject: Re: Lemmings?

Looks like a hampster.

roklok · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 10:39 am Post subject: Re: Lemmings?

10ring,
thanks for posting the picture,while I could probably figure out how to I am not very computer profficient.Cute little bugger,isnt it??

515034s10ring · Posted: Sun Nov 06, 2005 10:44 am Post subject: Re: Lemmings?

No problem Roklok. Very Happy

They are cool looking, but in this pic i can imagine why you can't really see them because the little bugger blends right in.

mikekuzara · Posted: Mon Nov 07, 2005 10:57 am Post subject: Re: Lemmings?

They were definately Pika. They live in rocky areas in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. They are more closely related to pack rats and chinchillas than actual rabbits. Watch a group long enough and you will probably see a Pine Martin as well. They eat Pikas and are basically a really large weasel. If you find a Pika nest in the rocks it will look like a trash heap, they will gather all the crap people leave behind, wrappers, paper, tinfoil, fishing equipment, etc.

Cute little buggers, I agree.

DallanC · Site Admin Joined: Jan 18, 2005 Posts: 3571 Location: Utah

mikekuzara wrote:

They were definately Pika. They live in rocky areas in Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana.

And Utahs Uinta Mountains. Only place I've seen them inside of Utah.

Quote::

They are more closely related to pack rats and chinchillas than actual rabbits.

Thats probably correct. I never heard the "pika" name but I've heard a couple people call them Rock Rabbits. I think I first heard the name Rock Rabbit from my dad once while fishing a high mountain lake and asking him what those tiny things are running around.

Quote::

Watch a group long enough and you will probably see a Pine Martin as well. They eat Pikas and are basically a really large weasel. If you find a Pika nest in the rocks it will look like a trash heap, they will gather all the crap people leave behind, wrappers, paper, tinfoil, fishing equipment, etc.

Cute little buggers, I agree.

I'd love to see a Pine Martin but am unsure if they range down into Utah, Odds are there are probably some in the Uintas though.