Stoat kits-advise please...?

[Rottphoenix 3]

Guys,

 

Im looking for some advice please:

 

Driving along the road this morning I saw what I thought was a couple of twiggs in the middle of the road-three lanes at that point. With a couple of cars/lorries passing them the 'twigs' started moving by themselves and I saw they were actually a couple of stoat kits stuck in the middle of the road!

 

I pulled over while they rushed backwards and forwards from either side of the road and back again seemingly totally disorientated dodging traffic.

 

Anyway, long story short, I caught both and have them back at home in one of our empty ferret runs although one of them sprayed all over me in the process .

 

They look like older babies rather than young adults if you know what I mean and I was wondering if anyone had any experience of fostering stoats/returning them/raising them they could share...?

 

(I parked up for a while once I had them but nothing else came out).

 

Cheers

[watchman 256]

Guys,

 

Im looking for some advice please:

 

Driving along the road this morning I saw what I thought was a couple of twiggs in the middle of the road-three lanes at that point. With a couple of cars/lorries passing them the 'twigs' started moving by themselves and I saw they were actually a couple of stoat kits stuck in the middle of the road!

 

I pulled over while they rushed backwards and forwards from either side of the road and back again seemingly totally disorientated dodging traffic.

 

Anyway, long story short, I caught both and have them back at home in one of our empty ferret runs although one of them sprayed all over me in the process .

 

They look like older babies rather than young adults if you know what I mean and I was wondering if anyone had any experience of fostering stoats/returning them/raising them they could share...?

 

(I parked up for a while once I had them but nothing else came out).

 

Cheers

take them back and leave them safe distance from the road,after all that is where they belong,i know you was trying to do the right thing but in many cases this turns out to be quite the opposite,jmo

[The one 8,469]

Aye take them back and let them loose on the verdge ,What use are they going to be to you if you do rear them ??

[jac 12]

well done for getting them off the road. wait till its dark and find a safe place near where you found them. mum will be looking for them . just make shore its away from that road

[Guest RAB.MCKAY]

chances of mum comeing back to them

after you have handled them is slim .

has any one ever reared stoats and worked them.

[Rottphoenix 3]

Thanks guys.

 

The roads along side the last field before village and the harvest has just been taken from it so its very exposed now but I'll see what I can do.

 

Cheers

[Ideation 8,216]

To be fair now that you have picked them up, handled them and kept them at home for a while you probably shouldnt release them, chances of mum finding them and them surviving are VERY slim. You have them now, so make the best of it.

[pencoed hunter 7]

Hmm Get some pics up mate id like to see them

[lurcher lass 9]

wow i see your trying to do the right thing, by this point the mother would have been checked and gone and already stated after you handled them the mother probably wouldn't want to much to do with them..

 

BUT if it wasn't for you chances are they would be splatted in the middle of the road..

 

my dad mentioned having stoats once he had them for a good while but they broke out when they were adults and of course never seen again, but he liked watching the behaviour of an animal your normally lucky to get a glimpse of

 

this link should help mate, and all the best with them, be good to see some pics and i'd be interested to hear how you and they get on

 

http://wildlife1.wildlifeinformation.org/S/00Man/MammalHusbandryTechniques/UKMHusbIndTech/HR_M_Mustelinae.htm

 

look forward to hearing more

 

good luck atb lurcher lass x x x

[ferretertom 7]

Just put a dead rabbit in with them mate put a brick in there with water in it at all times and a drinking bottle but i doubt theyl use it at first.

[masmiffy 82]

Right if my memory serves me right we used to set tunnel traps for these on the shoot cos they were considered 'vermin'!

Any keeper would be glad to see the back of the bloody things and you have saved 2!!

[Ideation 8,216]

Right if my memory serves me right we used to set tunnel traps for these on the shoot cos they were considered 'vermin'!

Any keeper would be glad to see the back of the bloody things and you have saved 2!!

 

 

Thats right EVERYONE MUST THINK AND ACT LIKE A KEEPER. If your keeping birds then having stoats about is maybe a problem, if not then they dont cause any harm and are more likely to cause some good. They may be vermin in certain situations or certain places but thats a ridiculous basis for eradicating them on site or not trying to save one if found.

[Lab 10,979]

Right if my memory serves me right we used to set tunnel traps for these on the shoot cos they were considered 'vermin'!

Any keeper would be glad to see the back of the bloody things and you have saved 2!!

I've got to agree with you mate.........where is the benefit of sticking a wild animal in a cage just for it to spend the rest of its days shitting itself until it gets out or eventually just dies.

[bert the fert 28]

Right if my memory serves me right we used to set tunnel traps for these on the shoot cos they were considered 'vermin'!

Any keeper would be glad to see the back of the bloody things and you have saved 2!!

 

 

Thats right EVERYONE MUST THINK AND ACT LIKE A KEEPER. If your keeping birds then having stoats about is maybe a problem, if not then they dont cause any harm and are more likely to cause some good. They may be vermin in certain situations or certain places but thats a ridiculous basis for eradicating them on site or not trying to save one if found.

 

 

We have stoats knocking about and we keep chickens. I did wonder if the stoats would have a go at the chooks, but they never have. What's their natural prey ?

[Lab 10,979]

Right if my memory serves me right we used to set tunnel traps for these on the shoot cos they were considered 'vermin'!

Any keeper would be glad to see the back of the bloody things and you have saved 2!!

 

 

Thats right EVERYONE MUST THINK AND ACT LIKE A KEEPER. If your keeping birds then having stoats about is maybe a problem, if not then they dont cause any harm and are more likely to cause some good. They may be vermin in certain situations or certain places but thats a ridiculous basis for eradicating them on site or not trying to save one if found.

 

 

We have stoats knocking about and we keep chickens. I did wonder if the stoats would have a go at the chooks, but they never have. What's their natural prey ?

Anything they can catch pretty much but they love a rabbit. A great little hunter but can be a right pain in the arse when they get started.