Strange creature in our garden?

[GillyGee]

It is the same size as a baby rabbit and is the colour of a wild rabbit with a darker brown stripe down its back, it also has a bobtail. BUT it has tiny ears like a hamster/ guinea pig and doesn't hop but runs like a rat. It feeds on rose petals and clover in the lawn and appears about 2 or 3 times a day. No I haven't imagined it as I have a photo of it which i am happy to share. It's quite cute but is a bit of a mystery

[seadogg]

It looks like a bank vole

[Lie-in King]

:-))

[seadogg]

I have had them in the rockery for years, except for a period when a weasel family moved in. Put bank vole into google images and see for yourself. They like a little bird food if you want to cosset them.

[Mamyalynne]

The eyes look a bit large for a bank vole, but is cute and surviving so good luck to the little thing.

[RATTER15]

A Bank Vole, are you kidding lol. I would say a young rabbit met a lawn mower.

[lslowry]

definitely a wabbit

[welshlibranr]

think it's a baby rabbit, their ears are short when they're young, sure that's what it is!........

[islasmum]

When do rabbits ears start to grow longer then, welshlibra?

[islasmum]

and also Gillygee says that it runs, rather than hops - so still baby rabbit?

[welshlibranr]

Oh islasmum, not sure really, they just seem to catch up in time, but the babies ears aren't very long at all!......

[RATTER15]

Welsh, a young rabbits ears are always in proportion to their body, they are still long, this rabbits ears are not normal for sure.

[welshlibranr]

RATTER, we had rabbits for years, and I remember thinking that the babies ears seemed short when they were very young, and then they grew quickly, so I still think this is a young rabbit!.........

[sophie_1003]

The bank vole (from the picture on Google images) has a long tail so rabbit with deformed ears seems the more likely option, actually if you google 'rabbit with small ears' the 5th picture looks pretty similar to the one provided by the OP.

[Prudie]

Definitely a rabbit with deformed ears.

[Mick-Talbot]

only me bothered about the apple tree then?

[RATTER15]

I have spent most of my life hunting wild rabbits and we see them in our road daily, this is with no doubt a wild rabbit.

[JonnyBoy12]

I think it sounds like the neighbours as well.

[welshlibranr]

Mick, I'm sure that Gilly will prune the apple tree this Autumn, don't worry!........

[Prudie]

I think that's a crab apple and yes they are nicer when kept small :-)

[Mick-Talbot]

the rabbit doesn't have small ears, it just the way it's been photographed.