Animal affection – a miniature representative of the detachment of the weasel family. He belongs to the predators and not living up to its delicate name. Beast is considered very aggressive.
Often confused with marten, however, are completely different animals, although belonging to the same species.
Looks like a weasel?
Externally, the beast is quite small, its length not exceeding 22 cm and the weight does not exceed 100 grams. This animal is agile and moving, slim body allows you to easily make movements.
The beast has the following external characteristics:
- He has a long tail, which are glands that produce foul-smelling odor.
- The feet have sharp claws.
- The snout has elongated, rounded lugs.
- Dark bulging eyes are very expressive, they give the face a cute look.
- The neck has no grace, she’s not thin.
The animal attractive, although not long fur. The coloration depends on the time of year and varies with the molt. In winter, the beast is white, and in summer it is brown.
Behavior and character
This tiny animal is very carnivorous, sometimes you’ll be impudent behaviour. Sometimes sneaks into the house of a man in search of food.
Weasel is active and agile, her periods of wakefulness and fall in the daytime and at night. Hunting often does at night.
Animal does not like to seem outdoors; prefers bushes and other places where you can retire.
The beast lives alone. Each individual allocates the area for hunting and living on about 10 acres. To mark your site, the beast uses its natural smell, which spreads on the feet.
Animal has a great ability, able to climb, run, swim. All this he does easily and quickly. It moves in jumps, each day, overcomes to two kilometers. Winter moving snow the voids. This animal is bold and aggressive, it is afraid of rodents, rabbits, lizards, frogs.
Being small, the creature is often targeted larger animals, but it manages to bite the enemy’s throat. In fights males loud squeal.
Habitat
The animal lives in Europe, North America, Mongolia, Egypt, Australia, Japan. That is, the animal can be found almost around the globe.
Animal is able to live in different natural zones except deserts and snowy mountain areas.
Weasels thrive in:
- tundra;
- on the banks of rivers and lakes;
- in the steppe regions;
- in the forests.
Sometimes she settles near the dwellings of the people.
Animal affection is in no hurry to build a house of her own, it is easier to win someone’s hole. Weasel also create home to different natural gorges, under stony layers or in the economy of man. Inside her house is carpeted with dry plants.
What is a weasel?
Weasel eats mice and other rodents: moles, field mice, rats. But if the animal managed to get into the farm of the person, it will find itself the prey, and carry off a chicken, rabbit or chicken. If no living creatures, weasels eat eggs.
The beast deals a lot of damage to home gardens. Poultry farmers and breeders suffer from the invasion of this animal. If he lives near a farmstead, you will constantly RAID and destroy a bird or rabbits.
If no favorite food, the beast can eat a snake, lizard or fish. Sometimes pet stores prey, hiding it in the nooks. Gluttony affection sometimes scary, because animal kills, making stocks. For example, entering the chicken coop, the weasel immediately destroy all birds.
There is a popular belief that if a weasel tickling the cow that stops giving milk. Of course, actually the beast tickles cattle. However, he drinks cow milk straight from the udder, so the cow from fear ceases to be milked.
To catch a weasel is not easy, because it is fast and agile. However, catching her makes no sense – an adult animal will not be able to domesticate. For home maintenance buy puppies of age one to two months. It is important not to forget that this animal is exotic, it needs special conditions.
Hunting beast is made with the help of the trap, is installed near the hole through which it penetrates into the chicken coop. Running away from a dog or human affection can inadvertently fall into a trap. Pieces of poisoned food she uses. Sometimes catch weasels in a hole attach fishing hooks to which the affection comes easily, like a fish.
The roots of affection are not harmful, they are not interested. In the underground passages of the animal approaching its prey.
During the day, the animal eats only 30-40 grams a meal. Of course, it’s a little.
Reproduction
In March, affection begin playing the mating game. At this time are the fights between males over females. Events are accompanied by loud cries.
With the onset of pregnancy, the male leaves the female. The nurturing of young affection lasts 35 days. The mother prepares the home for the kids, its nest she veiled with grass and moss, creates comfort in the house for the kids.
Born the cubs don’t have a vision. Puppies weigh no more than 2 grams. One mother is born 3-8 puppies. At first the mother feeds them milk, and then gives a small mouse, which the kids fight. Upon reaching 4 months of age, the babies leave the mother.
The weasel – an animal quite dangerous, despite its diminutive size. She moved quickly, and she is not afraid of any obstacles. However, there are benefits from these animals, they destroy mice. In areas of affection, the number of rodents it is controlled that provides substantial assistance to the person.
When meeting with this animal in nature needs to be careful. Animal man is not frightened, the animal will stand in the position of striker. And get rid of his tenacious teeth very difficult.
