In ancient times, affection was called "Nemesis". This comparison with the Greek goddess of retribution is fully justified, because weasel is a very formidable hunter. She is agile, agile, daring and aggressive, and sometimes the victims are animals that surpass our heroine in their size.
Common caress is widespread in Russia, but few see it in nature. During the day, she prefers to spend more time in burrows, thickets, or in other secluded places. In addition, the animal is very small and so fast that even when faced with it, you do not have time to properly consider.
Habitat description, types and photos of weasels
Weasel is considered the smallest carnivorous animal in Europe: the weight of males rarely exceeds 250 grams, while females are 2 times lighter. The animal has a long, slender body, short limbs, a sharp muzzle, a flat head on which is almost triangular in shape, and small rounded ears.
In most specimens, the coloring in summer is brown on top and white or yellow on the bottom. In winter, in the northern populations, these animals change the color of their fur coats to white.
Weasel occurs from the tropics to the Arctic, in North and South America, Africa, Eurasia. She also brought to New Zealand. It inhabits a variety of lands: forests, meadows, fields, steppes, thickets of shrubs along the river valleys. Sometimes it comes in settlements.
Common Weasel (Mustela nivalis)
This species lives across Europe from the Atlantic coast (except Ireland), in Central Asia south to the Himalayas, in North America and in North Africa. Acclimatized in New Zealand. Ubiquitous in Russia.
The size of this species varies greatly from the shallow northern form in America (the body length of males is 15-20 cm, weight is 30-70 grams) to the largest forms in Turkmenistan (body length is 23-24 cm, weight is up to 250 grams). The top color is brown, the bottom is white. In winter, the fur of affectionate becomes completely white in all regions except Western Europe and southern Russia.
Longtail tail (Mustela frenata)
It is found in North America, in the northern part of South America along the Andes to Bolivia.
This is a fairly large species: body length 23-35 cm, weight 200-340 grams. In summer, the color is brown on top, white underneath, the tip of the tail is black, even when changing to winter white.
Previously, this animal was actively mined because of valuable fur, but with the change in fashion, the demand for its fur fell.
Amazon weasel (Mustela africana)
It lives in Brazil and in the east of Peru.
Body length 31-32 cm. Coloring is reddish-brown from above, lighter from below. On the abdomen there is a black longitudinal stripe. Feet bare.
Colombian Weasel (Mustela felipei)
It is found in the mountainous regions of Colombia.
Body length - 21-22 cm. Color blackish-brown on top, orange or yellowish-brownish bottom. Paws with membranes, soles bare.
The photo is a caress Colombian with booty.
White weasel (Mustela strigidorsa)
It lives in Nepal and Indochina.
The color is dark, chocolate-brown (in winter is lighter). A silver one runs along the back, and a yellowish strip along the abdomen. Upper lip, chin and whitish throat. The tail is very fluffy.
Nudge Weasel (Mustela nudipes)
This species lives in Southeast Asia.
The color is bright red, only the head is white.
North African Weasel (Poecilictis lybica)
It is found in semi-desert regions of North Africa.
Body length is 22-28 cm, weight is 200-250 grams. The fur is shaggy, color black with stripes and spots of various shapes.
South African weasel (Poecilogale albinucha)
This species lives in arid regions of sub-Saharan Africa.
Body length 25-35 cm, weight - 230-350 grams. The color is black with 4 white and 3 black longitudinal stripes on the back, the tail is white.
Patagonian weasel (Lyncodon patagonicus)
Dwells in the pampas of Argentina and Chile.
Body size ranges from 30 to 35 cm. The back is grayish, the underbody is brown, the top of the head is creamy white.
Lifestyles of small predators
Weasel lives in burrows, and she doesn’t dig them herself, but uses rodent dwellings, equipping them to her own taste. It lays the bottom of the hole with dry grass, leaves, and moss. In the individual section of the animal, there are several holes. Sometimes an animal arranges a dwelling for itself under stones, in barns or some ruins.
Males and females have separate sections that can overlap in different sexes, but never in animals of the same sex. Weasels living in one locality try in every way to avoid contact with each other. The size of the plot of each individual depends primarily on how much feed there is on it. If there is enough food, it can be small - only 1 hectare.
Weasel, like all kunyas, is a land hunter. She will easily cope with the young rabbit, but this is not particularly necessary if there is enough food in prosperity - small rodents. She is a ruthless hunter of mice and voles: weasel rodents are pursued both in thick grass and under snow. Birds, insects and lizards also go to food.
For its modest size predator has remarkable strength. The animal, for example, is able to quickly run with a prey equivalent to half its own mass.
Affection is active both day and night, but they hunt most often under the cover of darkness. A long slim body helps a small predator to pursue prey right in the burrows or other shelters of the victims, and the sharp claws and teeth easily cope with the game of relatively large size. In the hunt, the agile animal is also helped by the ability to quickly run, jump, climb trees and swim. Sometimes weasels make stocks in case of starvation - they store killed mice in their hole.
Like all kunyas, weasel is in the habit of becoming a “column” on its hind legs - this way it can better observe the surroundings.
The mating season most often occurs in March. At this time, the males arrange noisy fights for females. After defeating rivals and achieving the location of the female, the male rushes in search of a new girlfriend. And the female begins to prepare a shelter, in which in 35 days from 1 to 8 blind and covered with rare fur cubs will be born.
Eyes babies open at the age of 3-4 weeks. Mother to feed children with milk up to 6-12 weeks of age, but already in 3-4 weeks the young begin to get used to meat food.
Weasel - a very caring mother, constantly takes care of and protects her offspring, and in case of danger transfers them to another place in the teeth.
After the completion of dairy feeding, the youngsters stay with their mother for a few more weeks, and then look for a new habitat.
Affection lives in nature for no more than 5 years, but in conditions of captivity they can live up to 10 years.
Weasel and man
Traditionally, a man regarded mustels not only as a source of valuable fur, but also as an ally in the fight against rodents. Each year, these small predators significantly reduce the number of pests. In some places, farmers produce weasels to protect their homes and crops from rodents, or at least to prevent outbreaks of their numbers. Cunhas were especially prized in Europe until the 9th century, before domestic cats were brought there. In 1884, an ordinary weasel was specially settled in New Zealand to restrain the raids of European rabbits on sheep pastures. However, the initiative did not succeed. Instead of rabbits, marbers began to eat birds nesting on the ground. Now petite marten became a real disaster for New Zealand.
On the one hand, by killing rodents, weasel is beneficial. At the same time, it can also harm the poultry yard of farmers, but small predators rarely make raids on chicken coops, and only if their main food - small rodents - is absent.
In the middle of the 20th century, weasel was considered a valuable fur-bearing beast, but today its fur has no industrial and hunting significance, hunting is not conducted on it, and for most members of the group there is no serious threat.
Pet weasel: description and habits. Where the weasel lives and what
February 19, 2012 Hunting and fishing, Fur animals, Predators
Weasel - a very aggressive and bloodthirsty animal, able to make daring robberies in the private households of the population. However, the most surprising thing is that this animal is a weasel. If the place where nature “endowed” with such characteristics is a very tiny and pretty creature - the length of its body reaches an average length of only 16-18 centimeters.
Affection description
Weasel has a flexible, dodgy, long, thin body. and is the smallest representative of the order of predators. Outwardly, weasel is very similar to an ermine, reminding him of both the body structure and the color of the fur. The differences between them are in the smaller size of the weasel and in the monochromaticity of its slightly shorter tail than that of the ermine (up to 9 cm in length, without a dark tassel). At its base are special glands, secreting a secret with a disgusting sharp odor.
Paws of weasel small, armed with rather sharp claws. The head is oblong, the ears are round and small. The nose is slightly forked and dull at the end. The neck is long and powerful. Eyes slightly protruding, dark and large. Externally, weasels do not differ in any way from males - only in body size (they are 30 percent smaller). The length of the weasel varies on average within 11.4 ... 21.6 centimeters, based on the species. Body weight ranges from 40 g to 100 g.
Fur pet caresses short and tight. Its color depends on seasonality. In winter, weasel has a white color, and in summer brownish brown on the outer side of the paws, in the tail, on the sides, back and top of the head - only the inner side of the paws, belly, chest, hem at the upper lip and throat are still white. In terms of the quality of fur density, weasel fur is always the same - in summer, in winter, with the only difference that in the warm season the hair is slightly shorter and thinner than winter. In some southern habitats, the animal does not change color at all, remaining mostly brown.
Habits of affection
Weasel excellently climbs, runs and even swims - so it is agile and agile animal. What distinguishes her habits is the boldness, bloodthirstiness in the attacks and courage, so it can often be caught at night in a human dwelling, where she enters the economy through the narrowest holes and cracks. Weasel is active at different times of the day, but usually it goes hunting at night or at dusk.
Traditionally leads a more terrestrial lifestyle. Moves hopping. Bypassing the territory, he prefers to stick to shrubs and other natural or artificial covers. Unprotected space tries to avoid. In one day, weasel is able to overcome one or two kilometers. In the winter, it moves in snowy voids.
Because of their small stature, weasels often die when crushed by larger animals, but they often have time to gnaw their opponents throats.
Zverek weasel photo
At the time of fights, the weasel males emit a very loud squeal.
They live caress geographically and lead a solitary life. The size of their zones is quite small, stretching within 10 hectares of land (this directly depends on weather conditions and the abundance of food). Sometimes the areas of the females overlap with the areas of the males. The boundaries of the zone, as a rule, are marked by odor traces.
However, despite the size of the body, weasel is quite dangerous animal, which is doubly enhanced by its magnificent ability to run briskly, climb trees well and swim well - that is, this means that there are virtually no barriers for the animal. However, it is very useful to man, because it exterminates mice and voles.
Weasel habitat
Habitat habitat covers a very large area, which includes Australia, North. America, Japan, the Korean Peninsula, China, Mongolia, Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq (northern part of the country), Asia Minor, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria, Europe. That is, this predatory mammal can be found on almost all continents of the planet. But the most widespread caress was noted in North America, North Asia and Europe.
Where does weasel live
Weasel lives in a wide variety of biotopes, with the exception of the snow belt of highlands and polar deserts.. Its dwellings can be found in alpine meadows, in the tundra, in the desert, along the banks of reservoirs, in swamps, on the outskirts of fields, in lowland and mountainous areas, forest-steppe, steppe, in forests, and even close to people's housing.
Nor caress does not specifically, mastering what is available: she settles her lair in barns, rodent holes, in ruins, in low-lying hollows (up to two meters from the ground level), wood laying, in crevices of rock, among the deadwood, in the roots of trees and under the stones among the voids. The nest is lined with leaves of fern, chestnut, mosses or any dry vegetation.
If strangers suddenly find or are disturbed by strangers, the weasel leaves the nest immediately - especially if it has cubs (it carries them to another place). However, in extreme and sudden danger, the animal is capable of sacrificially, to the very end to defend its lair, protecting it. At one site can equip several permanent homes.
What eats caress
The weasel ration consists almost entirely of small-sized small rodents, which include rats, forest, field and house mice, as well as shrews and moles. She does not ignore the chicks, pigeons, chickens, young rabbits, partridges, chickens. Not averse to eat eggs (any birds), making several holes in them and thus sucking the entire contents. In the seasons of lack of food, it eats crayfish, large insects, small snakes (snakes, coppers, vipers), lizards, medium-sized fish, and all kinds of amphibians.
But despite the fact that the weasel is a bloodthirsty predator and robber, able to attack any small animal, its daily need for food is 30 ... 40 grams. Small prey of the animal grabs the top of the head or neck, large - from the bottom of the throat. Exterminating rodents, weasel does not allow them to multiply, adjusting the number in the territory where it lives, which helps a person very much. Sometimes it makes stocks - for example, in one place you can often find from 1 to 30 mice and voles.
Author: Elena Tikhonova
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Nimble weasel - the smallest animal among all predatory animals. She lives there, where there are especially many mouse-like rodents. Exterminating mice and voles, weasel provides invaluable assistance to man. Video and photo
Squad - Predators
Family - Cunyas
Rod / Species - Mustela nivalis
Basic data and description:
LASKA. ANIMAL DIMENSIONS
Body length: 13-28 cm.
Tail length: not more than 9 cm.
Mass: males - up to 115 g, females - up to 69 g.
Puberty: from 1 year.
Marriage period: not available.
Pregnancy: 34-37 days.
Number of cubs: 3-10, usually 4-7.
Number of litters: for 1 year.
Habits: caresses brave and curious animals, they usually hunt at night, prefer to keep alone.
What eats: voles, mice, rabbits, birds and eggs.
Affection longevity: 1-2 years in nature; up to 10 years in an animal's life expectancy at home.
Ermine, American and European mink.
Hand caress. Video
Weasel belongs to the family Kunih. This animal is so small that in pursuit of prey, mainly mice and voles, it can even penetrate their burrows. Weasel kills its victims, gnawing their necks, and then uses their burrows as temporary shelters.
LASKA (ANIMAL) THAN FEEDS
Weasels mainly feed on voles. But they can catch animals larger than themselves, for example, a rabbit. Each animal protects its hunting territory, the size of which depends on the number of mice and voles.
Weasel with amazing dexterity exterminates mice and voles, chasing them even in burrows and shelters and, on occasion, killing them more than they can eat. Places in which there are many mice are usually very densely populated with weasels.
In the years of increasing the number of rodents, the number of weasels increases accordingly. If the number of mice decreases, petting brings very few offspring.
LIFESTYLE AND DESCRIPTION
Weasel lives where the populations of mice and voles are especially numerous. Weasels are found in the fields, among shrubs, on overgrown clearings, edges.
In the north, weasel ranges are significantly less numerous than the ermine, and in the south, on the contrary, weasels are much more. The extent of the areas that take caresses depends on the amount of food. The area of the hunting area of the male weasel is about 4 hectares, the areas of the females are smaller and at times overlap with the allotments of the males. Animals designate their hunting grounds with secretions of odorous glands located under the tail. Females do not leave their plot all year. The males in the spring during the mating season start searching for a partner. Weasels seize the burrows of other animals.
Иногда эти маленькие хищные животные преследуют и убивают кроликов, однако это происходит реже, чем у горностаев. Ласки перемещаются короткими прыжками и часто встают на задние лапки, для того чтобы осмотреться вокруг.
РАЗМНОЖЕНИЕ ЛАСОК
Биология размножения ласок изучена ещё недостаточно хорошо. Известно, что беременные самки попадаются как летом, так и зимой. Самцы и самки образуют пары только лишь на время спаривания. Беременность у ласок продолжается от 34 суток до 7-8 недель. In litter can be from 3 to 10 babies. Their number increases in the years of the large number of mice. The female feeds the baby milk for 8 weeks. After that, the family holds together for another 1-2 weeks. Then the female begins to chase the cubs.
MONITORING OUTSIDE
Lusk is the tiniest beast of the predatory squad. Outwardly, it is very similar to an ermine, but smaller than it, moreover, the caress tail does not have a black tip. The back of the weasel has a light brown color, and the belly is white or yellowish. The tail is short. In winter, in the north of the range, the animal puts on a snow-white fur coat. Weasel lives in places where there are many rodents, but only in the absence of its competitor - ermine. Often it is worn in the tall grass among the bushes or on the rocks. Sometimes weasel rises on its hind legs to carefully look around. Weasel is not a fearful beast and does not eschew meetings with a person. If you are unexpectedly lucky to meet her in the forest, you should be quiet and try not to make any sudden movements. If a caress notices a person, she lets go of her victim, runs off and hides. But it is necessary to quiet down for a few minutes, and you can see how it comes back for prey. Sometimes it is possible to attract affection by imitating the sounds that the bunny makes - to quiet squeaking.
GENERAL PROVISIONS AND DESCRIPTION
Weasel - the smallest predatory animal on Earth. The length of the weasel together with the tail is only 17-32 cm. The largest weasels weigh only 100 g. It lives in Eurasia, North and Central Asia, North America and North Africa.
Weasel - an avid fighter of mice and other small rodents. She finds them not only on the ground, but also underground, in their own holes. Weasel even stocking up mice for the winter. This animal swims well, but almost does not climb trees. In the winter he puts on a white coat. It gives birth to babies in a nest under the roots of trees and bushes or in holes left by mice.
INTERESTING INFORMATION ABOUT PAINTING ...
- The pet food of petting is mice and voles, thanks to this, hunting these pests, weasel brings tremendous benefits to humans.
- Nora caresses can be found on all sorts of pieces of prey scattered around the entrance. Of course, first of all, it is paws and tails of the animals eaten by it.
- In the summer back caress light brown, white belly. In winter, in the north, the animal changes its fur coat to a snow white one.
- From the odorous weasel glands, located under the tail, a secret stands out that smells the same as the secret that the ferret secretes.
- Females caress such miniature that in the past they were even considered a separate species.
PET ANIMAL - HOW IT LOOKS
Weasel is like an ermine, but less so. It has a thin, elongated, surprisingly flexible body with a rather short tail without a black tip (in the ermine, the tip of the tail is black). In the summer the back of a weasel is light brown, the belly is white or yellowish, in winter the animal is entirely snow white.
The male is larger than the female. The length of his body without a tail sometimes reaches 28 cm, weight-115g.
The length of the female without a tail is about 20 cm, and the weight is 69 g.
- Weasel area
WHERE IS THE POPULATION OF Laska
Distributed throughout Europe (it is not only in Ireland), is also found in North Africa, in most parts of Asia, in North America. It is not in some areas of the Far North and the deserts of Central Asia. Delivered to New Zealand.
PRESERVATION
Weasel populations are not threatened, but the number of animals in the vicinity of settlements is decreasing. Weasel is protected.
Report: Weasel
Plan
Introduction
1 Description
2 Power
3 mating
4 History
5 Weasels in culture
Bibliography
(Ordinary) Laska (Lat. Mustela nivalis ) - a predatory mammal of the weasel family. It is found in almost all continents.
Weasel - the smallest member of the predatory squad. The structure of the long, flexible body and the color of the fur is very similar to an ermine, but it is small in size and has a shorter, and most importantly monochromatic tail, it does not have a black tassel on the tail. The weasel body, like that of an ermine, is thin and long, with short legs, armed with very sharp claws, an oblong head, small rounded ears, the nose at the end is dull and slightly forked. At the base of the tail there are glands that secrete a liquid with an unpleasant odor.
In appearance, males differ from females only in relatively large body size. The length of the animal varies, depending on the affiliation to a particular subspecies, from 11.4 to 21.6 cm.
Brief description and life expectancy
This is a very small creature from the family of the weasels. The animal has an oblong and thin body. Short legs have very sharp claws. Weight does not exceed 200 grams, and on the face is a split nose. The neck is strong and long, the eyes are large and always dark, the ears are rounded.
It is rather difficult to compile a description of the animal weasel of the feminine and masculine, since outwardly they are practically indistinguishable, only the females are a little smaller, about 30%.
Each individual has glands near the tail, which secrete mucus that has an unpleasant odor. Thus, the animals mark their territory and scare away uninvited guests.
Regarding the maximum affection age, there are still many disputes, some scientists claim that they live for 20 years, others - that 30, and in some sources even 60 years are indicated. At the same time, animals of this size rarely live more than 8 years in nature.
When the cold comes
The animals have a warm fluffy brown “coat” with a long pile. Painted in the white color of the belly and neck. However, as soon as the cold weather comes, the animal changes its coat color from brown to white, becoming covered with an even longer coat. This is not only a way to protect against cold, but also a good disguise, because the white creature on the white snow is much harder to notice.
Habits and lifestyle
Looking through the photo and description of the animal weasel, it is impossible not to admire his habits. This is a fearless creature that is not afraid of even man. Many hunters and fishermen know that you can remain without a part of the prey if there is a weasel nearby.
This animal is very active. It can hunt at any time of the day, but still prefers darkness. The uniquely folded body allows you to penetrate almost any hole and slot. Sharp claws help to quickly cope with the prey. During the day weasel can run up to 1 kilometer.
If the animal is full, it still hunts, and prey postpones for hungry times. The carcass stacks in secluded places.
During the winter season, it mostly moves in hollows under a layer of snow and may not appear on the surface for a long time.
Habitat area
A natural question arises: "Where does a pet weasel live?" You can meet the animal throughout Europe, in North America and Asia. It prefers fields, lowlands in the mountains, can settle near human settlements, in sheds and barns. Can live in hollows, burrows and under stones.
Not very tolerant neighborhood with their own kind, especially if there is little food. But sometimes the animals form whole colonies.
Diet
What eats pet weasel? The animal eats protein food and exterminates small rodents. By killing mice near human settlements, the animal has enormous benefits for humans. In addition to mice, eats:
- chickens
- lizards
- moles,
- baby rabbits
- pigeons
- snakes and vipers,
- frogs
- large insects.
Breeding
The process of reproduction of offspring directly depends on the number of vole mice in the territory of residence. If there is enough food, then the female can bring children 3 times a year, sometimes 4. At the same time, the richer the life, the more children in the brood, sometimes their number reaches 10. If the “hungry” year falls out, then everything changes with accuracy on the contrary, the number of offspring is reduced, as is the number of pregnancies.
The males of animal weasel absolutely do not take any part in the upbringing of the younger generation. After mating with one female, the male individual goes on in search of a new girlfriend.
Before giving birth, the female expels a medium-sized animal out of its mink, as she does not know how to dig herself, and sets up a nest. Pregnancy lasts no more than 35 days. The weight of babies does not exceed 1.5 grams, they are born blind. After 3 or 4 months, the children become completely independent and leave the mother.
Natural enemies
Having a small size, the animal weasel itself is a "tidbit" for larger predators. In the wild, the animal fears birds of prey, kites and vultures. Animals are hunted by martens, badgers, wolves and foxes, although weasel is not a mere prey, it can stand up for itself. It may even tear the throat of a larger predator.
Man is not a natural enemy for an animal, meat from such a creature is small, and the skin is not much appreciated, as it is small in size.
Animal home
Since ancient times, the pet weasel kept at home. The tradition appeared in ancient Rome, then the animal was tamed for catching mice. But after some time, rats appeared in the houses, which the weasel could not handle, and the cats took its place.
In the modern world there are people who prefer exotic animals instead of traditional cats and dogs. In the category of such fell and weasel. But the animal can become a home only under one condition - if it is raised from infancy. Such an animal quickly becomes attached to its owner, sleeps with it in the same bed and even misses with a long separation.
To raise an adult animal is almost impossible. The character of the animal is aggressive, he often and strongly bites, will constantly make attempts to escape.
Rules of maintenance and domestication
To treat an animal affection as a cat is impossible, the animal requires a special relation to itself. The baby must be cherished and loved. The animal needs a house, but it is impossible to restrict freedom, it must be allowed to move quietly around the apartment or house.
In his house should be snags and all sorts of hills, shelves, so that the animal could climb. The bottom of the cage or other accommodation device is recommended to be covered with straw.
With a quality education, the animal will go to the toilet in a special tray.
An animal must have constantly clean water. With the diet will be more difficult, it should be as close as possible to the natural. It should be meat and fish, other seafood is allowed. Uniquely included in the egg menu. But the animal eats very little, about 30-40 grams per day.
Weasel is quite independent in the process of self-care. With a varied menu, the owner does not have to care for the coat of the animal, but regular visits to the vet are recommended.
Pet weasel can swim independently, only it is necessary to create suitable conditions for him. To do this, even fit a bath with water.
In the process of molting the creature should not be combed. Only wet hands to remove excess wool.
Taking home affection, you should never forget that this is a predator, capricious and aggressive, although quite small in size.
Portrait of a predator against a background of nature
Smaller caress in the squad Predatory no one. Males can grow up to 26 cm in length and gain masses of up to 250 g. The body of the animal is elongated, and the legs are disproportionately short, like a dachshund. However, she surpasses with skill not only a dachshund, but even a cat. Rapidly moving with short jumps, the predator easily and often changes direction of movement. Even a lizard cannot escape from it.
For a complete description of the species, add:
- in the summer, brown short fur on the head and back, dazzling white - on the throat, breast and abdomen,
- winter fur is thicker and completely white
- head extended,
- short rounded ears,
- anal glands with a strong-smelling secret.
Affection is sometimes confused with ermine. They are really similar, but at the ermine there is a black tassel on the tail, the same one, due to which the slab of the royal mantle looks like striated strips.
Attention! Wild caress can carry rabies - do not come into contact with them.
Legendary and elusive
Laski live throughout Europe, Russia, Canada, in the northern states of the United States and a little in Africa - near the Strait of Gibraltar. It does not belong to rare animals, but it is difficult to meet and especially to catch it. Incredibly agile, she will climb into any narrow slot, burrow, under a snag, walk away over stones, windbreaks and fallen trees.
The predator feeds on any animals of comparable size: mice, voles, shrews, rats, snakes, frogs, and if it doesn’t find anything like that, then insects. The animal is attracted to household plots where it can eat chicken or rabbit.
Weasel loves to hunt on the stables: there are many mouse nests in the hay and bedding. In the old days, in the mornings, the peasants often found their horses soaked, tired, with matted manes — as if they had been riding all night. They thought that this “stable stable” was mischievous, riding a horse, it turned out to be a caress. The predator easily jumps on the horse's back to feast on grains of salt at the place of dried sweat. At the same time sometimes bites through withers and licks drops of blood.
Why is this aggressive quirky little animal called caress? The ancient Slavs worshiped him as the patron of the house - it is hidden, but it does not leave from the shelter. Many nations have a legend, according to which a kind daughter, unfairly cursed by her mother-in-law, turned with affection.
Caress in the house: comfort or disaster
In ancient Rome, the ability of a predator to exterminate mice was assessed and it was attached to their homes. But very soon merciless rodent fighters were replaced by more docile cats. Unlike the Romans, modern lovers of not quite familiar pets give birth to affection in order to enjoy its indomitable energy.
The condition in which the animal can become a cute pet is taming it "from a young nail." Taken into the house from two months and older, the caress will remain wild, aggressive, unpredictable, will bite and sooner or later run away.
For the lodger you will need a large cage, preferably a high aviary with a floor area of at least one square meter. The floor of the enclosure is covered with straw or hay. Inside post:
- cat tray with wood filling (there is a chance that the pet will learn to use it),
- steady feeding trough and nipple drinker
- wooden house for shelter,
- shelves and snags for climbing.
Weasel ration includes meat, poultry, fish, eggs - all that the animal produces in nature. Ready food for cats and dogs are categorically not suitable, as are the treats from the table.
Weasel happily bathes in the bath, takes care of the hair itself. Sheds in spring and autumn, changing the bicolor color to white and vice versa. At this time, the animal can be ironed with a wet hand to remove the hair that has come out.
Brisk and fearless, completely unfriendly, in nature, this predator devotes all his time to hunting. Diligently exterminating reproductive rodents, it helps other animals maintain balance in food chains for millions of years.
And whether affectionate caress?
Lusk is a small cute animal belonging to the marten squad. This mammal, in spite of its name, which symbolizes something good and gentle, is considered very bloodthirsty and aggressive.
Weasel, though small, but quite aggressive and bloodthirsty
Appearance caress
The body length of this animal does not exceed 22 centimeters, and the animal weighs only 40 to 100 grams! This tiny creature is very quirky and nimble. Weasel has a thin and long body. And the animal has a long, but not fluffy tail with a “surprise”: the fact is that right under its tail there are glands that secrete a very odorous substance, the smell of which is very sharp and unpleasant.
In winter, weasel has a beautiful white coat
The muzzle of a caress is elongated, the ears are round and small. The nature has awarded the animal with expressive dark eyes, thanks to them the weasel looks so cute animal! The neck of the animal is solid, not thin.
Fur cover is very beautiful, even though weasel and not fluffy, but it has a tight adjacent short fur. Weasel is a molting animal, so its color is different and depends on the season. With the onset of winter, weasel "puts on" a protective white fur coat to become invisible on the snow cover. But in the warm season, the animal becomes brownish-brown, and only in the lower part of the body remains white fur.
Apparently a squirrel lives in a hollow ... a weasel is very dangerous for her.
Affection lifestyle and behavior
This small animal has a very predatory nature, it behaves, at times, very boldly and brazenly. Can even afford to get into the outbuildings near the houses to get food.
Weasel is a very active animal, it is awake both day and night, but, most often, it hunts precisely at night. The animal does not like to appear in open, unprotected areas, preferring to spend more time in the bushes or in other solitary places.
Weasel caught the jerboa
The lifestyle of an animal is solitary. Each person "separates" the territory in which the hunt lives and leads, usually it is not more than 10 hectares. The boundaries of their "possessions" caress mark smells left by traces.
Where does the weasel dwell? Photo in nature
If we talk about the range across states and continents, the animal is found in North America, Korea, Mongolia, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, Australia, Europe, Algeria, Japan. As you can see, the weasel lives on almost the entire globe.
Weasel looks out of his mink
Что касается природных зон, то и здесь зверек не очень привередлив: может проживать в самых разных биотопах, только вот избегает полярные пустыни и заснеженные высокогорья. Ласка обитает в тундре, на берегах водоемов, в низменностях, в лесостепи, в лесу, в альпийских лугах и даже в пустыне. Иногда может поселиться недалеко от людского жилища.
Но сама себе «дом» ласка строить не спешит – ей проще занять чье-то жилье, например, нору грызуна. In addition, a weasel can equip a dwelling in a barn or in some ruins, natural holes (crevices) or under stones. Inside the “home” of this animal, everything is covered with leaves of chestnut, fern or any dry herbs.
How cares multiply?
In the first month of spring, these animals begin the mating season. It passes very brightly: the males arrange battles for females, all this is accompanied by various sounds, moreover, very loud.
Weasels are fearless and curious.
But, as soon as the pregnancy occurs, the males leave the female. Carrying babies lasts 35 days. During this time, the future mother prepares a home, where she will nurse her offspring. For themselves and their young, weasels lining the nest with soft grass and moss, so that the kids feel comfortable and warm.
Monthly puppy petting
After a little more than a month after the mating season, small puppies are born. They see nothing until they are three weeks old. Cubs are not just small - they are tiny, because they weigh only 2 grams. One female gives birth to about three to eight pups. The first three weeks they eat only milk, but then mom-weasel brings them a little mouse. Kids playing, fighting for the "prey." Already at 4 months, the offspring leave their mother and go to an independent life.
Very often affection is confused with marten. However, these are different animals belonging to the same type of weasel.
Weasel (Mustela nivalis)
In the summer fur, the top of the head, the back, sides, tail and outer sides of the paws are monochromatic brownish-brown. The throat, the edge of the upper lip, chest, belly and the inner surface of the legs are pure white. Behind the corners of the mouth over the brown spot. The density of the fur is the same in summer and winter, but summer hair is shorter and thinner than winter. In autumn, weasel, with the exception of some southern habitat areas, is replaced by a brown summer outfit with pure white winter fur. It is found in Europe, North Asia and North America.
He lives in the fields and forests, in mountainous and lowland areas, not avoiding populated areas. It settles under stones, in hollows, in ruins, in burrows, barns, etc. The nest is covered with dry grass, moss, chestnut leaves and ferns.
Weasel is very agile and agile, runs fast, climbs and swims well, is very bold and aggressive and is a dangerous enemy for all small animals, its food is made up of brownies, field and forest mice, rats, moles, young rabbits, chickens, pigeons, and also lizards, coppers, snakes, even vipers, frogs, insects. In places where it is not pursued, weasel hunts both day and night. By exterminating mice, it brings great benefits, which, in any case, outweighs the harm it brings sometimes to chicken coops. Weasel sometimes successfully fights off even from relatively large birds of prey (for example, kites).
Mating occurs in March. After a five-week pregnancy, the female gives birth from 5 to 7, less often 3 and 8 cubs, which is carefully protected and protected, transferring in case of danger in the teeth to another place.
In ancient Rome and early medieval Europe, weasel was a domestic animal because it hunted mice. However, due to the poor taming of affection and, to a greater extent, the appearance of a gray rat in Europe, which was difficult to cope with, it was driven by other animals, such as ferret, as a protector of stocks in this role, and for some time also genetts.
5. Weasels in culture
- In the cartoon "Ice Age 3. The Age of Dinosaurs" there is a caress Buck.
- The book Wind in the Willows also has affection, playing the role of negative characters.
- In the story of Jack London "White Fang", weasel attacked the main character - wolf cub
- In the cartoon, Peerless Fox, there is a weasel character who works as a real estate agent.
1. Sokolov V.E. A five-language dictionary of animal names. Mammals. Latin, Russian, English, German, French. / edited by Acad. V.Ye. Sokolova. - M .: Rus. lang., 1984. - p. 100. - 10,000 copies.
