Jonty Posted June 22, 2023 Report Share Posted June 22, 2023 I've been lucky enough to get 'up close and personal' with a pair of weasels for the last few weeks. My wife helps out with a local animal rescue, mainly looking after sick hedgehogs, but three weeks ago we got asked if we'd be able to take in an orphaned weasel who was found latched onto his dead mother by the side of the road. A day later, it turned into two weasels after another orphan (not related) was brought in. They were around 3 weeks (female) and 4 weeks (male) when I got them, both needed hand weaning with a syringe, but amazingly, even with their eyes still closed, they'd still tuck into a day old chick. Now they're weaned, I've stopped handling them and they are soon becoming wilder and wilder day by day. hopefully in two or three weeks, I'll move them into an outside pen in order to start a soft release back into the wild. I've had no experience with weasels up to this, but luckily I've had the support of some people who really know what they're talking about regarding these amazing little creatures. I do have to say, its been, and still is, an absolute pleasure looking after them and seeing them grow and develop. It's a bit of a tug on the old heartstrings that they won't curl up on my stomach and go to sleep anymore, but, the prospect of them making it back into the wild more than make up for it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dougy Posted June 22, 2023 Report Share Posted June 22, 2023 They really are amazing little creatures, how does so much ferocity cram itself into something so small. Its hard to explain to some folk how people that shoot actually admire and conserve nature. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve_b_wales Posted June 22, 2023 Report Share Posted June 22, 2023 My wife and I, while on a mountain walk last year, stopped for a break. While sitting down in a grass bank, I noticed something in the grass and it turned out to be a Weasel. It was my very first time of seeing a live one. I've seen plenty of Stoats though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scully Posted June 23, 2023 Report Share Posted June 23, 2023 Gorgeous. I’d make a useless ‘keeper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted June 23, 2023 Report Share Posted June 23, 2023 8 hours ago, steve_b_wales said: It was my very first time of seeing a live one. I've seen plenty of Stoats though. Weasels are very weasely distinguished, but stoats are stoatally different. Sorry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rim Fire Posted June 23, 2023 Report Share Posted June 23, 2023 Well done on the time you have spent on these pair hope they release back to the wild as a kid I used to catch all sorts I remember catching a weasel it bit me about 5 times before I knew it they are fast Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shambam1962 Posted June 23, 2023 Report Share Posted June 23, 2023 My wife and I walked down our local canal towpath with the spaniel 3 weeks ago and as we came near the lock gate the spaniel noticed movement near the edge of the bank, and I half expected a duckling to pop out. We sat on the side of the lock with the dog, and out popped, 30 feet away from some cover a very small weasel carrying a kit and watched her run over the towpath and disappeared down the other side of the bank. We sat there for 25 minutes and watched her move 5 kits back and forth. She was so small and her kits was almost as big as her, and she was on a mission moving them, and was so fast. My wife was thrilled at watching her go back and forth, and it wasn’t until we arrived home commented, she should have filmed her on her phone. I just nodded my head and fed the dog. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgan Posted June 23, 2023 Report Share Posted June 23, 2023 (edited) One of those creatures you rarely get to study for long, what an experience, especially returning them to lead wild lives. The mustelids have always facinated me. Edited June 23, 2023 by morgan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ian willetts Posted June 23, 2023 Report Share Posted June 23, 2023 Nice job we were doing a job over at ask rig James heriet county we used to se a mother with there young quite often on te side of the road it looked like a little wave of fur as the young would follow there mother into the hedge at the side of the road which might explain the demise of the orphans mother at the side of the road Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonty Posted June 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2023 On 22/06/2023 at 21:55, Dougy said: They really are amazing little creatures, how does so much ferocity cram itself into something so small. Its hard to explain to some folk how people that shoot actually admire and conserve nature. I can certainly vouch for the ferocity…. When I cleaned their cage at the weekend, I thought, naively, I’d maybe weigh them one last time. It was incredible (and encouraging) how wild they’ve got after only a relatively short period of not being handled. Suffice to say, I’ll not be trying to handle them again! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonty Posted June 26, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 26, 2023 On 23/06/2023 at 09:01, Rim Fire said: Well done on the time you have spent on these pair hope they release back to the wild as a kid I used to catch all sorts I remember catching a weasel it bit me about 5 times before I knew it they are fast On 23/06/2023 at 15:24, morgan said: One of those creatures you rarely get to study for long, what an experience, especially returning them to lead wild lives. The mustelids have always facinated me. On 23/06/2023 at 17:34, Ian willetts said: Nice job we were doing a job over at ask rig James heriet county we used to se a mother with there young quite often on te side of the road it looked like a little wave of fur as the young would follow there mother into the hedge at the side of the road which might explain the demise of the orphans mother at the side of the road Thanks guys, it’s been an absolute pleasure to get so close to them and see how they behave. Like most people, up to now, my only experiences have been that flash of reddy brown as they dart across a lane ahead of you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted June 27, 2023 Report Share Posted June 27, 2023 Great little animals. But it may take a month to get rid of the smell on your hands! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonty Posted June 27, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 27, 2023 2 hours ago, London Best said: Great little animals. But it may take a month to get rid of the smell on your hands! Trust me, after the nip he gave me the other day, my hands won't be anywhere near them to get anymore smell on them 😀 When I was hand feeding them, I had my 'stoat coat' an old fleece I'd put on whenever I handled them to save having to change my clothes. They'd take a feed of milk and then curly up on my stomach or in a pocket and go to sleep - in a matter of literally two weeks, you wouldn't have a chance of that happening now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ditchman Posted June 29, 2023 Report Share Posted June 29, 2023 what do you call baby weasels...............weaslets ?...........enlighten me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonty Posted June 29, 2023 Author Report Share Posted June 29, 2023 54 minutes ago, ditchman said: what do you call baby weasels...............weaslets ?...........enlighten me Kits - and very cute they are too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonty Posted July 7, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 Big day today, these two moved into an outdoor cage/pen about a week ago. Later this afternoon (when my 2IC weasel keeper gets home from school) I'll be opening up a small hole on the side of the pen so they can make a break for it. I'll keep feeding the pen for a few days and use a camera to see if they come an go. By all accounts it's 50/50 whether they'll use the pen as a base for a while or if they'll just head straight off. I've got mixed emotions about them going, they've been great fun and I'm incredibly privileged to have had them, but I'm really excited about them starting their next chapter. From knowing very little about weasels, I've got a new found respect for these amazing little creatures. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
London Best Posted July 7, 2023 Report Share Posted July 7, 2023 You, Sir, are truly privileged. I can understand your mixed emotions. We can only wish them luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jonty Posted July 10, 2023 Author Report Share Posted July 10, 2023 On 07/07/2023 at 20:59, London Best said: You, Sir, are truly privileged. I can understand your mixed emotions. We can only wish them luck. Thank you LB, I do feel privileged. I set up a camera on the release pen and spotted one coming back on the first night to help himself to a chick that I’d left in there. Our garden has fields on two sides, a beck running alongside and has a drystone wall all way round so I was happy they had lots of good habitat or cover to use whilst they found a new home. Yesterday, we spotted two small brown faces peering out of our rockery - when I built it, my wife suggested I put clay pipes and tunnels/chambers in it to encourage wildlife, it looks like it may have paid off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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