Can anyone identify this animal that was lurking around my coop?

[Whiskey Bay]

Not only are members of the weasel family adept in getting through small spots,but they are also very clever at opening things.Of course they cant unlock things,but they will try pushing ,pulling and some turning.They learn alot by accident.I live out close to the marshes and we have them all over out here.I have watched the skill and antics of a few of them.

Kudos to kitty.You cannot imagine how many people squawk at my three cats in the chicken yard.Always saying I must lose a lot of bitties and crap like that.My girls are8 yrs and the other 2 are 12yrs.They have been through rabbits,squirrels,opossums,coons all growing up around the house as a rehabber.Never any problems.They sleep out under the shed with the chickens.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

I didn't think there were ferrets in the wild.

So where did you think the "pet" ones came from? LOL​

 

[woodmort]

Quote:
So where did you think the "pet" ones came from? LOL

True story: About 15 yrs ago I was out working in the garden, chickens were roaming all over and I looked up to see this white ferret bounding across the lawn. I immediately sprang into action and grabbed a big boat net and netted the critter that didn't seem the least bit afraid--in fact when it saw me is came running over--not aggressively, just to say "Hi". Not having a cage, I deposited him in a big Havahart and we feed him on canned cat food. Since it was obviously a pet I then call the SPCA who gave me the name of a women who did ferret rescues and the next day I took it there. Since it was never claimed I assume someone got tired of their pet and dumped it. I talked to the rescuer a couple of years later and she told me she found a home for it and it was a very good pet.

So there is one answer to your question.

 

[dieselgrl48]

Weasel.It's not a ferret.I have had ferret's as pet's for many year's and that is No ferret.There are Wild ferret's but i think mainly West coast.And yes they WILL kill your chicken's be it weasel,ferret or mink.

 

[bantyshanty]

Sourland said:

Yes, they will eat your chickens. The only reason they won't is if they can not remove them from the pen or coop. They will go into a killing frenzy then drag the carcasses to a cache for the feeding of themselves and their young. If you had ever seen a weasel's cache, you would not doubt that they eat what they kill. Their mentality says kill as much as I can and store it for leaner times.

On the subject of weasels & pet ferrets, I once had two pet ferrets, 15 years ago when I was in college. My favorite ferret, Squidbutt, liked to sleep near my bed, and I didn't cage her at night. My roommate happened to raise sSiberian Dwarf hamsters. He had a mated pair with 8 young in a fish tank with a lid.
One morning I woke up and didn't see Squidbutt. I looked to see her whisking something behind the sofa --usually it was my socks. That was her favorite nesting place. What I found was not socks but a baby hamster, of course. She had killed the entire family and was lining all her kills up in a row along the wall behind the sofa. I still loved my ferret, but my housemate didn't and I ended up rehoming the pair the next month.
They do make wonderful pets, sort of like a kitten who never grows up,. They're smart & affectionate. They just really like to kill "prey" animals when they get the chance.

Having had this ferret experience, I fear weasels even more.​

 

[mahsmaj]

There was one of them outside of my house the other day. Thank goodness it was dead.

 

[ThePolishPrincess]

Quote:
On the subject of weasels & pet ferrets, I once had two pet ferrets, 15 years ago when I was in college. My favorite ferret, Squidbutt, liked to sleep near my bed, and I didn't cage her at night. My roommate happened to raise sSiberian Dwarf hamsters. He had a mated pair with 8 young in a fish tank with a lid.
One morning I woke up and didn't see Squidbutt. I looked to see her whisking something behind the sofa --usually it was my socks. That was her favorite nesting place. What I found was not socks but a baby hamster, of course. She had killed the entire family and was lining all her kills up in a row along the wall behind the sofa. I still loved my ferret, but my housemate didn't and I ended up rehoming the pair the next month.
They do make wonderful pets, sort of like a kitten who never grows up,. They're smart & affectionate. They just really like to kill "prey" animals when they get the chance.

Having had this ferret experience, I fear weasels even more.

Yeesh, I just got a chill up my spine.

That's like something out of some creepy voodoo horror movie. 'There will be Ferrets'.