When they see a photo of an animal weasel, people immediately think that this is a very gentle creature, like its name. However, appearances can be deceiving, and in fact it is an aggressive and very bloodthirsty representative of the wild. The animal has been seen more than once when committing robberies of household plots. On the other hand, affection was revered by many peoples of the world, even the Slavs believed that this creature is the keeper of the hearth, and the French generally believed that it brings good luck. Serbs never shot at a weasel, as it was believed that then the bullet would hit the hunter, and not the animal.
Brief description and lifespan
This is a very small creature from the weasel family. The animal has an elongated and thin body. Very sharp claws on short legs. Weight does not exceed 200 grams, and a forked nose on the muzzle. The neck is strong and long, the eyes are large and always dark, the ears are rounded.
It is quite difficult to make a separate description of the female and masculine weasel animal, since outwardly they are practically indistinguishable, onlyfemales are slightly smaller, about 30%.
Each individual has glands near the tail that secrete mucus that has an unpleasant odor. Thus, the animals mark their territory and scare away intruders.
Regarding the maximum age of affection, there is still a lot of controversy, some scientists claim that they live 20 years, others - that 30, and some sources even indicate 60 years. At the same time, animals of this size in nature rarely live more than 8 years.
When it gets cold
The animals have a warm, fluffy, long-haired brown coat. The belly and neck are painted white. However, as soon as the cold sets in, the animal changes its coat color from brown to white, becoming covered with even longer hair. This is not only a way to protect yourself from the cold, but also a good disguise, because a white creature on white snow is much harder to spot.
Behavior and lifestyle
Viewing the photo and description of the weasel animal, it is impossible not to admire its habits. This is a fearless creature that is not afraid of even a person. Many hunters and fishermen know that it is possible to lose some 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 crevice. Sharp claws help to quickly cope with prey. A weasel can run up to 1 kilometer in a day.
If the animal is full, then it doesn't carehunts, and lays off prey for hungry times. She puts carcasses in secluded places.
In the winter season, it mainly moves in voids under a layer of snow and may not appear on the surface for a long time.
Habitat
A natural question arises: "Where does the weasel animal live?" You can meet the animal throughout Europe, North America and Asia. Prefers fields, lowlands in the mountains, can settle near human settlements, in sheds and barns. Can live in hollows, burrows and under rocks.
Doesn't really tolerate neighborhood with their own kind, especially if there is little food. But sometimes the animals form entire colonies.
Diet
What does a weasel animal eat? The animal feeds on protein food and exterminates small rodents. By killing mice near settlements, the animal is of great benefit to humans. In addition to mice, eats:
- chickens;
- lizards;
- moles;
- rabbits;
- pigeons;
- snakes and vipers;
- frogs;
- large insects.
Reproduction
The process of reproduction of offspring directly depends on the number of mice-voles in the territory of residence. If there is enough food, then the female can bring children 3 times a year, sometimes 4. Moreover, the more satisfying life, the more children in the brood, sometimes their number reaches 10. If there is a “hungry” year, then everything changes with accuracy on the contrary, the number of offspringdeclining, as is the number of pregnancies.
Male weasel animals do not take any part in the upbringing of the younger generation. After mating with one female, the male goes further in search of a new mate.
Before giving birth, the female kicks out a medium-sized animal from her mink, as she does not know how to dig herself, and equips the 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, babies become completely independent and leave their mother.
Natural enemies
Being small, the weasel itself is a "tidbit" for larger predators. In the wild, the animal is afraid of birds of prey, kites and vultures. Martens, badgers, wolves and foxes hunt the animal, although the weasel is not a simple prey, it is able to fend for itself. It can even cut the throat of a larger predator.
Man is not a natural enemy for an animal, there is little meat from such a creature, and the skin is not much appreciated, as it is small in size.
Animal at home
Since ancient times, weasel animals have been kept at home. The tradition appeared in ancient Rome, then the animal was tamed to catch mice. But after some time, rats appeared in the houses, with which the weasel could not cope, and cats took its place.
In the modern world, there are people who prefer exotic animals instead of traditional cats and dogs. Weasel also fell into the category of such. But the animal can become a homeonly under one condition - if it is raised from infancy. Such an animal quickly becomes attached to its owner, sleeps with him in the same bed and even gets bored with a long separation.
Raising an adult animal is almost impossible. The nature of the animal is aggressive, it bites often and strongly, it will constantly make attempts to escape.
Containment and Taming Rules
It is impossible to treat an animal affection like a cat, the animal requires a special attitude towards itself. The baby needs to be cherished and loved. The animal needs a house, but it is impossible to restrict freedom, it must be allowed to move freely around the apartment or house.
In his house there should be snags and all kinds of hills, shelves so that the animal can climb. It is recommended to cover the bottom of the cage or other housing device with straw.
With good upbringing, the animal will go to the toilet in a special tray.
An animal should always have clean water. It will be more difficult with the diet, it should be as close to natural as possible. It should be meat and fish, other seafood is allowed. Eggs are definitely on the 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 take care of the animal's coat, but regular visits to the veterinarian are still recommended.
A weasel animal can bathe on its own, only it is necessary to create suitable conditions for it. Suitable for this evenwater bath.
During the molting process, the creature should not be combed. Only with wet hands remove excess hair.
When taking a pet home, one should never forget that it is a predator, capricious and aggressive, albeit quite small in size.
