What were these things?

[Marcy1210]

Golden mantled squirrels? Chipmunks? We have tons of each up here. Especially chipmunks...

Golden-mantled ground squirrel - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Chipmunk - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[suzco]

Don't know if they're in the area, and 9,000 feet is about the lowest end of their range, but might it be a pika?

On the alpine tundra, little furry American pikas often capture the hearts of wildlife watchers. Their appearance may seem rodent-like, but these short-eared furballs are actually related to rabbits.

While small in stature, pikas are the object of research for numerous scientists along the Front Range, due to their sensitivity to climate and environmental change. . .

[bangorme]

Thanks for everyone's help, but I just TOTALLY underestimated the number of rodent species here in such a small area. I guess it's because you have so much altitude here and so many species specific to each altitude range. So, in 100 square miles you have many different ecological zones that hold completely different species. In Maine, we have the same things almost everywhere.

With everyone's help, I think it was something like this: Ground Squirrels | Colorado Wildlife Management, LLC. There were so many running around, I'm sure that if I had knocked on someone's door they would have immediately identified them. I'm sorry I didn't.

[ryanek9freak]

Originally Posted by suzco

Don't know if they're in the area, and 9,000 feet is about the lowest end of their range, but might it be a pika?

It was probably a pika. They're everywhere up there. I'd rule out black footed ferret, they're pretty rare, unless you are on fort Carson.

[Mike from back east]

Pikas explained here.

Pika pix here.


Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels explained here.

Thirteen-Lined Ground Squirrels pix here.

[otowi]

13-line ground squirrels is a possibility. Pikas live mainly in rock fields above timberline.

[beezle1]

Those 13-lines ground squirrels are always running across the road on dirt roads, as if they are taking some sort of dare to get across without getting hurt!

[bangorme]

Originally Posted by beezle1

Those 13-lines ground squirrels are always running across the road on dirt roads, as if they are taking some sort of dare to get across without getting hurt!

I think those are what I saw. Thanks everyone.

[myrab]

Originally Posted by bangorme

I was traveling around Divide and we saw a bunch of rodents running around. This was around the highway and houses. They weren't mice or rats. Were they prairie dogs or some kind of ground squirrel?

I assume you're talking about prairie dogs bangorme. Where they standing on their tippy toes on top of little dirt hills?

They're very important for the ecosystem, in fact they're critical for the burrowing owl population since burrowing owls don't dig their own tunnels, they use old prairie dog mounds.

[elan]

13 lined ground squirrels? Oh my, I thought those were chipmunks. Learn something new everyday, thanks.