Weasel is an animal (photos of the animal are presented in this article) with a flexible, thin and elongated body. She has an oblong head, a long neck and rounded small ears. This is the smallest member of the marten family. The length of her body is not more than 25 cm, of which about 5 cm falls on the tail, and at its base there are glands that produce liquid unpleasant by smell. The animal weasel in the summer is dressed in brownish-brown fur with a white neck, abdomen and chest. In winter, she dresses in a pure white outfit.
Basically, weasel leads a nocturnal lifestyle, but if she does not see danger for herself, she can hunt during the day. She perfectly runs, swims, jumps and climbs trees, but her main strength lies in her ability to climb through the narrowest holes and crevices. For example, she easily pursues mice in their burrows. This mammal also eats all kinds of birds, their eggs and chicks, as well as lizards, snails, various insects, frogs and fish. The weasel animal preys even on vipers, coppers and snakes. And if its main diet is reduced for some reason, then the weasel attacks animals larger than itself. This can be rats, hamsters, young hares and rabbits, ground squirrels, hazel grouse, partridges and black grouse.
A pet caress lives under piles of stones, in hollows of trees, in ruins. Sometimes it can settle in rat burrows or under shores washed by water. In winter, it is attracted by warmer places: attics and sheds of rural buildings, and it can also be found on the outskirts of the city. From May to June, the female appears from 5 to 7 cubs. This happens in a place hidden from prying eyes, which is necessarily covered with hay, leaves or straw. Mother is very kind to her babies. She feeds them milk for a long time, and then brings them living mice for several months. But if her children are disturbed, she will immediately transfer them to another place.
And now the grown cubs begin to leave the nest. Their mischievous and funny faces alternately emerge from it and inspect the area. If everything is calm around, then the kids go out one by one, arranging games on the green grass. The weasel has many natural enemies - these are all mammalian predators that are larger than it, and birds of prey.
In a natural habitat, weasel lives for 8-10 years, but in captivity, its life does not exceed 6 years. Adult individuals are very difficult to endure the loss of freedom, so for taming, you need to take a young animal, which is still with his mother. In this case, the weasel quickly gets used to its owner and becomes the most tender, justifying animal name. But for rural residents, she is almost the most fierce enemy, since it exterminates poultry and rabbits. In the old days, in order to escort her, a goat was brought to the farmyard. To do this, choose the oldest. After 2-3 days, a small predator left a favorite place.
You can also get rid of the unsolicited "tenant" with the help of windmills. The fact is that all underground animals react very sensitively to an earthquake, and the slightest, transmitted through a pole, oscillations into the ground force moles, rats, shrews and mice to leave their shelters. No exception and affection. The animal (how to catch it, is of interest to many) can be caught using such a device as a Cherkan, and sparrows are used for bait. Although many gardeners, beekeepers and hunters catch this animal specially in the wild, to run it into their underground, cellars or barns to exterminate mice and rats.
