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What is the difference between a Stoat & a Weasel?

 
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Sparklepeeps



Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 1960
Location: Cheshire

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 7:59 pm    Post subject: What is the difference between a Stoat & a Weasel? Reply with quote

They both look the same to me! Question
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Magpie



Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 642
Location: Norfolk

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:05 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hi, easiest way to tell is by size;

Weasel looks like two mice joined together. Very fast.
Stoat is more like a small ferret. Inquisitive.

Another give away is that Stoats have a black tip to the tail.

Tim
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Sparklepeeps



Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 1960
Location: Cheshire

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:08 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

the size of two mice! Are they still a danger to chickens at that size?
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Sparklepeeps



Joined: 17 Jan 2007
Posts: 1960
Location: Cheshire

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think we must have a few Stoats locally then, I have seen about 3 of them run over. It took me ages to work out what they might be... for a while, I thought they were just some non-descript part of some other road kill.
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Magpie



Joined: 28 Aug 2007
Posts: 642
Location: Norfolk

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 8:35 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

We have Stoats and Weasels on the nursery and I have not yet had any problems with the chooks....but we have loads of rabbits which must provide the stoats with plenty. I still have to try and control the rabbits though

Tim
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bronskibeat



Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 1721
Location: Clawddnewydd

PostPosted: Thu Oct 18, 2007 11:26 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Magpie wrote:
Weasel looks like two mice joined together. Very fast.
Tim


Laughing Laughing Laughing
That conjures up some great images......

Weasels look like furry ginger pencils crossing the ground/road but stoats are much bigger with a black tip to their tail. Stoats can turn white in the winter and are then called ermine. I think weasels will take on small chickens given the chance but not sure if they will tackle a large breed chicken. They will certainly take chicks if the opportunity arises. They are beautiful animals and a joy to watch. We had a nest of stoats down the road in a stone wall and they used to play in the road when it was quiet. I often saw them whilst out hacking and they were so funny. I also saw a weasel a couple of times scooting along the outside of the polytunnels during the summer a couple of years back but havent seen one since.
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Itsybitsy



Joined: 11 Feb 2006
Posts: 1443
Location: Leicestershire

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 2:10 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

When you need to remember weasels are the wee ones! Laughing Laughing

I've had a weasel get into my broody hut and kill young chicks and take them away so there's no trace, I just happened to find a head on the ground one morning . . . The wire was ordinary 1" chicken wire, it has fine mesh on it now.

Itsybitsy
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jaydee67
Moderator


Joined: 14 Apr 2005
Posts: 5118
Location: Shetland Islands

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 5:23 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Weasels are weaselly recognised coz stoats are stoatally different!









Sorry - I'll get my coat!
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CP
Moderator


Joined: 13 Apr 2005
Posts: 16085
Location: Hampshire

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 6:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laughing Laughing
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Twigs



Joined: 10 Sep 2007
Posts: 99

PostPosted: Fri Oct 19, 2007 7:18 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Julia you totally stole my joke!!!


I'll have to go with

Whats the difference between a buffalo and a bison?




You can't wash you hands in a buffalo Laughing
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bronskibeat



Joined: 09 Sep 2007
Posts: 1721
Location: Clawddnewydd

PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 7:22 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Laughing Laughing Laughing
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sasha.p



Joined: 04 Sep 2005
Posts: 499
Location: gwent

PostPosted: Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:40 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

im glad i read this thread bonskibeat you have just answered a question i had for years but never found an answer to.me and my dh was coming home one evening from a meal out and came up the lane past our field on the way home and we had two badgers and a what i thought was an albino ferret or somthing that run out in front of our truck i tried looking it up on the net but never found anything and it has puzzled me all this time Confused we are also near a river and where it was at the top of the bank that leads down to the river if my memory serves me right it was pretty quick as it scarpered off down the bank towards the river i always wondered what sort of animal it was now im pretty sure it was a stoat Very Happy
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Old Man of the 80's



Joined: 22 Apr 2006
Posts: 308
Location: Wittering, UK

PostPosted: Sun Oct 21, 2007 10:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Well that's both my jokes expired then!! It's the main reason I read the thread to try and get one of them in.
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Attila The Hen



Joined: 19 Sep 2005
Posts: 440
Location: Shetland

PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:51 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

jaydee67 wrote:
Weasels are weaselly recognised coz stoats are stoatally different!



and Otters are otterly different!

hoho.

Attila
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Attila The Hen



Joined: 19 Sep 2005
Posts: 440
Location: Shetland

PostPosted: Wed Dec 12, 2007 4:53 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Twigs wrote:
I'll have to go with

Whats the difference between a buffalo and a bison?


You can't wash you hands in a buffalo Laughing


In a similar vein:

What's the difference between a Cormorant and a Shag?


You don't have a cigarette after a Cormorant.


boom boom!

Attila
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