Water Shrews on display

A little later than scheduled but our Water Shrews are now out on display.

We have converted the corner pond in our "Hedgerow" section to make it escape proof for Water Shrews. They are not very good jumpers, but are very adept at climbing. Use of perspex stirps on the wall and strategically placed overhangs means that these fascinating creatures should remain in their new pen.

Unlike other shrews, Water Shrews are tolerant living together or in small groups. We have obtained 1 male and 1 female so who knows, they may even breed out there.

In time and when they have settled down I will look to put a feed platform out in the water similar to how we feed our Water Voles. If it works as well for the shrews as it did of the voles then we hope they will be seen swimming out and happily sitting in view if only for brief moments of time.

Water Shrews are the largest of the Shrew family in this country. They have very dark coloured fur on the top half of their body and white fur underneath. They even have little white eyebrows!!

We feed our shrews on a diet of cat food mixed with fly larvee, mealworms and oats. Of course there is plenty of larvee and bugs in the rotting wood in the enclosure which they are sure to tuck into too.