Can weasels climb?

[fisharescary]

I was wondering if weasels can climb. I know they can squeeze through any opening greater than 1" and so many people say to put hardware cloth around the bottom 3 feet of your run (for a variety of reasons really) and also to put down an apron of HW Cloth. But if they can climb, wouldn't we need hardware cloth all the way up?

 

[Rustywreck]

they climb very well - tough little critters to keep out.

 

[RHRanch]

Unless you use harware cloth all around and seal every little crevice, if a weasel wants in, he will get in.

 

[CityGirlintheCountry]

I don't know about weasels, but I know ferrets are really good climbers and they are related to weasels. I would guess that weasels can do some climbing. Hardware cloth all the way up would be the best plan, but it is so blasted expensive that most can't afford to do so. I lock mine back in the coops at night and that helps with the predator problems. It is easier to predator proof a coop than it is a full run. If you lock them in at night you only have to predator proof your run for daytime predators (hawks, dogs, etc).

 

[fisharescary]

Thanks for the feedback, everybody. Guess I will just be shelling out for more of the danged hardware cloth.

 

[Predatorfighter]

I was wondering if weasels can climb. I know they can squeeze through any opening greater than 1" and so many people say to put hardware cloth around the bottom 3 feet of your run (for a variety of reasons really) and also to put down an apron of HW Cloth. But if they can climb, wouldn't we need hardware cloth all the way up?

I am wondering if a hot wire run along the outside of the fence at the height of the hardware cloth would deter weasels I have it around the top of my fence and it stopped raccoons.

 

[cmom]

I am wondering if a hot wire run along the outside of the fence at the height of the hardware cloth would deter weasels I have it around the top of my fence and it stopped raccoons.

This is an old thread but still pertinent. I know there are weasels in my state but not in my area. I do have electric wires around my coops and pens and nothing has gotten past them. Hot wires only work if there is a ground so it might not affect a predator that can touch the hot wire and no ground. You will find a lot of good all around information here Good luck and have fun...

 

[Edb381]

I don't know about weasels, but I know ferrets are really good climbers and they are related to weasels. I would guess that weasels can do some climbing. Hardware cloth all the way up would be the best plan, but it is so blasted expensive that most can't afford to do so. I lock mine back in the coops at night and that helps with the predator problems. It is easier to predator proof a coop than it is a full run. If you lock them in at night you only have to predator proof your run for daytime predators (hawks, dogs, etc).

But our weasel seems to only come out in the late morning hours to kill our ducks and chickens. We've lost 5 birds total now in last week. It got 2 while birds were free ranging and got 3 in the pen.