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Help with animal identification


DrBlox
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Just seen scampering in the leaf litter and climbing over my neighbour's and my sheds: a small dark "weasel-like" (it wasn't a rat as it had a short furry tail) creature. A quick google suggests it was a mink - but we're miles from river/stream/reservoir?

Edited by DrBlox
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Pine marten?

 

That was my first thought as it was so small - smaller than ferrets I've seen - its colour was a very, very dark brown (rat brown?).

By sheer coincidence my oppo was telling me yesterday that he'd seen and watched a black grey sqirrel on the farm.

 

We've got these "up" at Letchworth.

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... It could also have been a polecat. What colour was it?

 

I've just done a google and I think this is the winner. Do they eat/hunt rats and if they do - how do I make them more welcome. Actually thinking about it - aren't they a bit "stinky" - my shed was a bit "whiffy" yesterday (a sort of not very nice cinnamon smell) - which I put down to a rat taking some "bait" I've put down for them.

 

 

Probably no other animal on the British list has had as many colloquial names as the polecat. In southern England it was generally referred to as 'fitchou' whereas in the north it was 'foumat or foumard... However there were a host of others including endless spelling variations: philbert, fulmer, fishock, filibart, poulcat, poll cat, etc. Charles Oldham identified at least 20 different versions of the name in the Hertfordshire/Bedfordshire area alone.

— Roger Lovegrove (2007)

 

Ahhhhh "Mr Fitch"!

Edited by DrBlox
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was it so weasel like it was a............weasel?

 

I think so!

 

This link has a neat photo and image showing the relative sizes of the stinkers suggested so far. http://www.mammals-in-ireland.ie/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/MustelidLeaflet.pdf

 

It didn't have the pale coloured under-side nor a black-tip on its tail.

Edited by DrBlox
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We have short tailed bank voles in our wood. They are quite dark brown and bigger than a mouse, but smaller than a rat.

We had to put anything chewable into metal containers. They seem to like plastics too little beggars.

http://www.wildaboutbritain.co.uk/forums/mammal-forums/93917-difference-between-field-voles-and-bank-voles.html

Edited by loriusgarrulus
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You said it was small. So I doubt it was a pine martin. We have a few about here and I wouldn't say they are small. Maybe mink, stoat or weasel. Or polecat. Jam and peanut butter if you want know if you have a pine martin about.

 

Trouble is - we have a "bit" of a rat problem here so putting food out is a bit of a no-no. I don't care what sort of Mustelid it is - if it eats rats they're more than welcome. TBF I'm open to suggestions to make it more welcome.

Edited by DrBlox
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Just done a google and the colour/shape and tail are all wrong. And it was a pretty poor climber.

With you saying it was going over the shed I thought it wouldn't be a stoat or weasel not unless it was chasing something, you'll have to keep an eye out see if it comes back.

 

Do you have an air rifle? Thinking of the rats, make a good back stop put out some bait?

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