Any information or suggestions regarding attracting weasels? Are there any ways to create a weasel-friendly yard? (1 Viewer)

[Avon Avians]

Hello, folks!
I've already posted a thread regarding my curiosity regarding why weasels are so rarely encountered, particularly in the suburbs, where they are especially rare to see.
Now, my question is not regarding why they behave the way they do, but rather about what their preferences are so that we can attract them to our yard, if possible.

(I know that attracting weasels isn't for everyone, but we don't keep outdoor chickens or rabbits or anything like that.)

We live in a town in New Hampshire, but our yard is not overly urbanized. We still get wildlife that are generally considered to prefer less built-up areas, like black bears, sharp-shinned hawks, brown thrashers, gray catbirds, painted turtles, and tree frogs.
We generally see more wildlife during the warmer months than during the winter.

We've seen many wild animals here in the Northwoods. Moose, bears, deer, porcupines, turkeys, snowshoe hares, ruffed grouse, foxes, and otters.
But as of yet, I have still never seen a weasel in the wild.
Of course, I have also never seen a fisher or marten, but weasels are rather abundant, and are probably the best among abundant animals at remaining out of sight.
It figures that because they are so small, it would be possible to create an ideal habitat for them in our backyard.

Are there any ways to attract wild weasels to your yard?
I have heard of numerous ways to attract weasels, but few of them are actually intended to be for creating weasel-friendly lots. They are usually intended for trapping them.
While there isn't much information on attracting weasels, there is some information on deterring them. One website states that mowing lawns and getting rid of brush piles will repel them. Does that mean that doing the opposite (leaving tall patches of grass and brush piles) will attract them?
I've also heard that they like log piles and rock piles near water.

I believe that weasels have similar habitat preferences to "vermin" like mice and rats. But if the weasels themselves could be attracted naturally, they would serve as a natural control of the rodent population, and a "wildlife-friendly" way to eliminate rodents.

Does anyone have any suggestions or information regarding this topic?
Thanks! God bless!

 

[Bino Steve]

Baiting wild animals upsets their natural patterns and creates an imbalance in the prey-predator ratio that is currently in place for your area. This is not something to take lightly just for your personal uses. Please rethink your plans and think of the animals well being instead.

 

[dantheman]

Conversely, having a wildlife friendly yard/garden can only be a good thing - long grass and leaving dead wood/rock piles will benefit other wildlife too, even if no weasels arrive.

 

[Farnboro John]

You can only attract any mammals that are already using the area, so provided you are keeping to creating habitat and not over-feeding you are unlikely to upset the balance of nature. (Spoiler alert, I feed foxes nightly and I've had a regular, stable attendance for years, with a steady turn-over of dominant males but otherwise only slow change: my oldest fox is 5 years old plus - so I may be enhancing the overall fox population a bit but not by much. Say one or two animals out of a local population of a hundred or so.)

Weasels - and I know in the USA that word is used for what we call Stoats as well as Least Weasel - are more specialised carnivores than foxes, and less likely to be attracted by dead baits unless they are desperate in a lean year for rodents. So Dan is fundamentally correct about habitat and there probably isn't any bait you can provide that will work even if they are around: but if rodents are using any seed you put out then you may get an occasional visit.

Otherwise, walks in the countryside especially where there are colonies of rabbits (do any American rabbits create warrens like European ones?) could well result in sightings of the Stoat equivalent weasel, is that Long-tailed or Short-tailed?

Good luck. Mustelids aren't easy to see and that's a fact.

Cheers

John

 

[Sangahyando]

Otherwise, walks in the countryside especially where there are colonies of rabbits (do any American rabbits create warrens like European ones?) could well result in sightings of the Stoat equivalent weasel, is that Long-tailed or Short-tailed?

Short-tailed Weasel is the same as Stoat, Long-tailed Weasel is slightly bigger.

 

[Sangahyando]

One more important point is that weasels are preyed upon by stray/feral cats and dogs, so if you have any such pets, it's a good idea to keep them under tight supervision.

 

[Avon Avians]

Baiting wild animals upsets their natural patterns and creates an imbalance in the prey-predator ratio that is currently in place for your area. This is not something to take lightly just for your personal uses. Please rethink your plans and think of the animals well being instead.

I'm mostly just asking about providing them with the ideal habitat.

 

[Avon Avians]

You can only attract any mammals that are already using the area, so provided you are keeping to creating habitat and not over-feeding you are unlikely to upset the balance of nature. (Spoiler alert, I feed foxes nightly and I've had a regular, stable attendance for years, with a steady turn-over of dominant males but otherwise only slow change: my oldest fox is 5 years old plus - so I may be enhancing the overall fox population a bit but not by much. Say one or two animals out of a local population of a hundred or so.)

Weasels - and I know in the USA that word is used for what we call Stoats as well as Least Weasel - are more specialised carnivores than foxes, and less likely to be attracted by dead baits unless they are desperate in a lean year for rodents. So Dan is fundamentally correct about habitat and there probably isn't any bait you can provide that will work even if they are around: but if rodents are using any seed you put out then you may get an occasional visit.

Otherwise, walks in the countryside especially where there are colonies of rabbits (do any American rabbits create warrens like European ones?) could well result in sightings of the Stoat equivalent weasel, is that Long-tailed or Short-tailed?

Good luck. Mustelids aren't easy to see and that's a fact.

Cheers

John

Yeah, it would be rare for a weasel to venture into a town like ours, but in the once in a lifetime moment that a weasel would visit our yard (which is possible, because it is not very far from the woods) I would want our yard to be hospitable enough for it to consider returning to the site.

I wish we could feed foxes (and raccoons and skunks) around here, but we can't for two reasons:
1. Rabies is fairly common in New England and can be spread by foxes, raccoons, and skunks.
2. Coyotes, which are potentially dangerous, are often as abundant as foxes throughout much of North America. Bears are also easily attracted in all seasons but winter.

Because of these reasons, I only occasionally leave raw meat out as bait. I generally use non-edible lures like fish oil, beaver castor, and other oils and gland lures when I am trying to attract wildlife to my trail camera.

From what I've heard, weasels are actually pretty easily attracted by bloody meats, fish, and even suet, but I would prefer to attract them primarily with their natural prey. The only problem is that I'd have a rather large mouse population if the weasels never showed up!

No, we do not have rabbits that behave like European rabbits around here. Cottontail rabbits are rather solitary and don't burrow, although they may use already existing burrows. Cottontails are actually pretty rare this far north, with snowshoe hares being our most common lagomorph.
Around here, weasels feed primarily on mice and voles.
Although the short-tailed weasel is genetically closer to the stoat, it is actually the long-tailed weasel that fills the niche of stoats in North America.

But anyway, thanks for your reply!

 

[Avon Avians]

One more important point is that weasels are preyed upon by stray/feral cats and dogs, so if you have any such pets, it's a good idea to keep them under tight supervision.

We fence in our pets when they go outside. Unfortunately, we do get cats in our yard (probably free-roaming pet cats rather than true abandoned strays or ferals) and although they haven't killed any birds in our yard yet, I would still like advice on what to do to prevent potential feline-caused casualties.

 

[Jefrs]

Ferrets, semi-domesticated polecats, are fed on fresh raw meat several times a day. Kitten food may suffice as it is higher in meat protein than regular cat food. Ferrets are traditionaly used for hunting and/or flushing out rabbits from burrows. Cat food is often put out for hedgehogs, especially when fattening up for hibernation, but will also attract vermin (and cats), if the dog finds it, it will mysteriously vanish. Foxes will not come nears a dog's territiory, we have on-going fox wars, the dog barks, the fox yipps and scarpers. Weasels and stoats generally prey on mice. You do not want to encourage mice, or rats for that matter but excess spilt bird feed will do that. Cats and dogs wil make very short work of stoats and weasels, or ferret/polecat for that matter. When rabbiting, ferret and terrier have to be kept well separated. Ferrets are not very bright and will go for the dog. Cousin kept ferrets. I keep Airedale Terriers, and cats.

 

[Avon Avians]

Ferrets, semi-domesticated polecats, are fed on fresh raw meat several times a day. Kitten food may suffice as it is higher in meat protein than regular cat food. Ferrets are traditionaly used for hunting and/or flushing out rabbits from burrows. Cat food is often put out for hedgehogs, especially when fattening up for hibernation, but will also attract vermin (and cats), if the dog finds it, it will mysteriously vanish. Foxes will not come nears a dog's territiory, we have on-going fox wars, the dog barks, the fox yipps and scarpers. Weasels and stoats generally prey on mice. You do not want to encourage mice, or rats for that matter but excess spilt bird feed will do that. Cats and dogs wil make very short work of stoats and weasels, or ferret/polecat for that matter. When rabbiting, ferret and terrier have to be kept well separated. Ferrets are not very bright and will go for the dog. Cousin kept ferrets. I keep Airedale Terriers, and cats.

So what your saying is that weasels will not eat cat food?
I think that they would go for the more tasty wet foods on occasion, but I can't imagine that they would be interested in dry food.
But if I ever did put out food for weasels, it would probably be pure meat or fish.

Yeah, I guess the most significant way to attract weasels would be to attract mice.
I know that many people build brush piles to attract small mammals. Feeding mice, intentionally at least, would probably be rather foolish.

Rabbiting with ferrets is illegal in North America, probably out of fears of ferrets becoming an invasive species.
It's really rather stupid, I think personally. Ferrets are almost always neutered in this country, and most ferrets would not survive all of the predators in the wild, anyway. They are also usually descented, so they can't even "spray" if they need to defend themselves from attackers.

(Also, aren't ferrets truly domesticated?)

 

[Jefrs]

So what your saying is that weasels will not eat cat food?
I think that they would go for the more tasty wet foods on occasion, but I can't imagine that they would be interested in dry food.
But if I ever did put out food for weasels, it would probably be pure meat or fish.

Yeah, I guess the most significant way to attract weasels would be to attract mice.
I know that many people build brush piles to attract small mammals. Feeding mice, intentionally at least, would probably be rather foolish.

Rabbiting with ferrets is illegal in North America, probably out of fears of ferrets becoming an invasive species.
It's really rather stupid, I think personally. Ferrets are almost always neutered in this country, and most ferrets would not survive all of the predators in the wild, anyway. They are also usually descented, so they can't even "spray" if they need to defend themselves from attackers.

(Also, aren't ferrets truly domesticated?)

Not exactly. Ferrets can be given kitten food, or ferret feed. It is higher in meat protein. A ferret is a semi-domesticated polecat, they are sometime crossed back with wild polecat. They are not good pets with small children, they bite. You have the Mustela Nigripes in N.America and they survive pretty well. Largest british wild predator is the fox.

Attracting mice will attract rats, and you do not want rats.

 

[Avon Avians]

Not exactly. Ferrets can be given kitten food, or ferret feed. It is higher in meat protein. A ferret is a semi-domesticated polecat, they are sometime crossed back with wild polecat. They are not good pets with small children, they bite. You have the Mustela Nigripes in N.America and they survive pretty well. Largest british wild predator is the fox.

Attracting mice will attract rats, and you do not want rats.

Mustela nigripes is not the same thing as a domesticated ferret surviving in the wild at all.
Most domestic cats would probably live longer in the woods than a ferret in these parts.
I've interacted with ferrets at a pet store where we used to live. They are like puppies, and just as clueless.
A ferret would probably try to play with a fox or coyote.

(Also, we don't live anywhere near where M. nigripes resides. They prefer open land with prairie dogs, nothing like the woodlands that we have in New England, so even a black-footed ferret would not survive in our region. We have only weasels and mink around here.)

 

[Jefrs]

Mustela nigripes is not the same thing as a domesticated ferret surviving in the wild at all.
Most domestic cats would probably live longer in the woods than a ferret in these parts.
I've interacted with ferrets at a pet store where we used to live. They are like puppies, and just as clueless.
A ferret would probably try to play with a fox or coyote.

(Also, we don't live anywhere near where M. nigripes resides. They prefer open land with prairie dogs, nothing like the woodlands that we have in New England, so even a black-footed ferret would not survive in our region. We have only weasels and mink around here.)

The european polecat (our semi-domesticated "ferret") is the size of your mink, 1.5kg. Where I am we do have polecats, stoat and weasel. I have only ever seen a dead polecat, weasels fairly frequently. The weasel 50-200g, the stoat 200-450g. I am more likely to see otter than mink. Mink are an invasive species and should be reported to the riparian authority or fishery (owner) due to the damage they cause. The largest dog fox I've encountered, which nearly walked into me, about the size of our old border collie, over 2-feet tall and estimate 15kg, but that is an exceptional size. Foxes have a lighter build than a dog of the same height.

 

[Avon Avians]

The european polecat (our semi-domesticated "ferret") is the size of your mink, 1.5kg. Where I am we do have polecats, stoat and weasel. I have only ever seen a dead polecat, weasels fairly frequently. The weasel 50-200g, the stoat 200-450g. I am more likely to see otter than mink. Mink are an invasive species and should be reported to the riparian authority or fishery (owner) due to the damage they cause. The largest dog fox I've encountered, which nearly walked into me, about the size of our old border collie, over 2-feet tall and estimate 15kg, but that is an exceptional size. Foxes have a lighter build than a dog of the same height.

What's fascinating is how predators, even among the same species, can adapt to fill completely different niches depending on where they are in the food web. For example, in North America, our red foxes are much smaller, and it is actually coyotes which are our most abundant neighborhood canine. They generally don't weight over 44 lbs, and it seems as though foxes in the UK are growing larger to fill the niche of an apex predator there, since there are no wolves, brown bears, or lynx there. Where we live, red foxes are much more elusive, because they are preyed on by these predators, or rather by coyotes, black bears, and bobcats, their New England contemporaries.
And likewise, stoats in our region rarely prey on rabbits to avoid competition with our largest weasel, the long-tailed.