Is this just a rat? (Don’t open if you don’t like rats)

[Era]

This chubby little thing was happily pottering around today by a lakeside. I thought it was a rat but it had a really flat face and was chubby and very furry. Is it just a fat rat or is it something else?

Could be a water vole. They have flatter faces than rats and lakeside is the perfect spot for them.

yes it looks like a water rat .

I would say water vole too. Cute!

Doesn't look like a rat to me. Head is wrong shape, although it could just be the photo angle.

Google "rat" and look at images of rats for more information.

Edit : Bearing in mind a "water vole" is just a rat with good PR.

The ears look too small to be a rat. I think it's a vole too.

That’s cute I don’t think it’s a rat. I also vote for water vole.

I dunno though it’s tail is too long for a vole.

Not a rat. Face and head too rounded and snout not long enough. Also tail base not thick enough.

No I don’t think it’s a rat, too rounded, rats have a more angular face.

outvoted I thought voles were smaller.

Google lens says rat. The tail is very “ratty” and it has its nose in the ground which is why it looks short. I don’t think it has a flat face. I like rats though so not overly fussed!

Looks more like a water vole because of the small rounded ears and generally more rounded appearance and they do have long tails.

Its tail was definitely like a rats tail. It’s nose was short though and it’s face was much flatter than I would expect with a rat. We stood watching it and then an older man and his wife came along and also puzzled over it.

No they don’t, their tails are about half the length of their body.

https://www.mammal.org.uk/species-hub/full-species-hub/discover-mammals/species-water-vole/

Me too!

Google lens is wrong. It is not a rat.

It's a water vole, which are a lot bigger than other vole species. They are on the endangered species list for GB. The People's Trust for Endangered Species does say on its website that people often mistake them for a brown rat.

Not a rat. A chihuahua looks more like a rat than that...

Definitely a vole.

Another vote for a water vole (like Ratty in Wind in the Willows). Though the tail is very long!!

Absolute cutie. Thanks for sharing.

Ratty in wind in the willows was a water vole - so easy mistake to make

was he ? every day is a school day 😀

That is a water vole. Very cute!

Edit : Bearing in mind a "water vole" is just a rat with good PR.
😅There was a guy on the radio talking about the fact that throughout history people have let ladybirds land on them and swatted almost everything else. Best description I’ve heard Gaspanic😅👏👏👏

Tail is much too long for water vole, and the fur is not dark enough. But its face and build look like a WV. Not sure.

Water vole with an unusually long tail?