Garden Pests and Diseases: Critter under the snow?, 1 by DrDoolotz

DrDoolotz wrote:
Last pic for now - this kind of shows the major bad area plus the "trail" as it leads off to the side. I am pretty sure it is a critter and probably the same one that left the snow trails. Looks like a small rodent of some sort. I love small rodents (have had hamsters, rats, mice etc. as pets) so I'm not disturbed by it and I don't want to kill it. I want to learn to live with it but would like to know what it is and how to prevent the lawn damage if possible.

Thanks,
Claire