OK All you Internet Search Experts

[debster812]

Yep, that's right Dan Murphy, I'm calling you (and anyone else who can help)

Got home from work today, and of course it's snowing again, so I left early, and got home while it was still light out. In the very back of the yard, at the edge of the wooded area there was this animal. Long, thin, short legs, no visible tail, kind of hopping over the snow. Dark Brown or Black, so it really stood out against the snow.

So, my question is, where do ferrets, weasels, etc live when they are in the wild? How would I find out? It looked like that type of animal, or even an otter? My DH does not beleive me, and thinks it was a feral cat (we have lots around) but it was too long and skinny, and no tail.

Anyone????? Can they live in New England? Do they live in New England?

[jipsy]

It's possible someone's ferret is loose and living in the wild, but ferrets have tails. So do weasels, unless for some reason it's tail was lost.

Go here:

www.enature.com

and do a search of mammals

[debster812]

Thanks jipsy--off to check it out now.

That would be so sad if it were someone's pet out there. It is cold and miserable here with lots of snow.

[Saffron]

Hmmm. I saw a ferret in a little patch of woods near my house. It was climbing in some shubbery. I thought I was seeing things, so I got my mom. I just assumed it had gotten lose from someone and was out having a ball in the woods. I wonder if they do live that far up north? For some reason I thought they were rare in the wild. But -- don't ferrets, weasels and otters all have long tails? Well, maybe not otters. But don't ferrets and weasels? :teeth: I don't know, part of me thinks they do and part of me thinks they don't! :p

Now I want to know what it was. :teeth: Go catch it Deb! :p

[Saffron]

Never mind what I said about the tails. Thank you Jipsy. :p

[debster812]

Hmmmm, we might have a winner with a River Otter

http://a1410.g.akamai.net/f/1410/1633/7d/209.133.64.45/mammals/mammals_m/MA0031_1m.jpg

They also have tails, but I might not have noticed it.

Maggie, you come up and YOU catch it!!!! :teeth:

[lilboo]

Did he look like this? Ferret:

http://www.dr4b.org/pictures/2001Nov29/Ferrets.jpg

Or this? Weasel:

http://www.mnh.si.edu/exhibits/mammals/Weasel.gif

Or...marmot:

http://culter.colorado.edu:1030/Niwot/Images/marmot.GIF

BTW...
Where's Pam?:)

[debster812]

Ooooh, the Marmot might be a good choice too. Heck, I am going to be out in the yard tomorrow stalking this little wee beastie, I just know it.

It's the whole long tail thing that is throwing me. I could swear this beastie did not have a tail (or a real short one) so unless he/she lost it...

In any event, the digital camera has freshly charged batteries, and an empty Memory Stick, so if I see it again, I will post a pic.

[Saffron]

Do you live real close to a river?

I've never seen a marmot before! Cool!

I'll come get it Debbie! :p Let me know know when it stops snowing! The way it's been this winter, I guess I'll see you around May! :p

[kejoda]

Invite Pam for a visit then you wouldn't have to worry about it. I wouldn't let her near the kitchen though.

[Dan Murphy]

Looks like you got your answers here, Deb.


Hi Beccy!!!!! :wave:

[SuiteDisney]

Manx cats don't have tails... also some cats lose their tails due to accidents - it happened to one of my cats.

[Pam]

Yeah, sure - let's poke fun at poor little Pammy when she isn't here to defend herself!!:(

(Hi Beccy - long time no see!!:bounce: )

DH says it probably was a pine marten or a mink. He thinks it was probably a mink (which was my first guess). Whatever you do , don't try to pet it - mink have very sharp teeth.

[airhead]

I live in the northeast corner of MA and what we have(just saw one yesterday!) are Fisher Cats . They have beautiful dark brown coats, pointy face,short legs and long bushy tail

[Towncrier]

Sounds like you might have seen SideshowBob's old coot. :)

[ennazus]

Originally posted by debster812
Thanks jipsy--off to check it out now.

That would be so sad if it were someone's pet out there. It is cold and miserable here with lots of snow.

A friend of ours lost their ferret outside.... in the snow. :(

[newmousecateer]

Invite Pam for a visit then you wouldn't have to worry about it. I wouldn't let her near the kitchen though.

LOL Beccy! Let's order Mickey D's on the ranch tonite.

[Ted and Holly]

Groundhogs (Marmota monax) have short tails, but they are usually less slender than the weasels.

http://photoweb.lodestone.org/photo/2313/en

The American Mink (Mustela vison) have longer tails, but not usually longer than half the body length. They are quite slim.

http://stockpix.com/stock/animals/mammals/smallmammals/2605.htm

Pine martens (Martes americana) also have longer tails, and are a bit stockier than the weasels.

http://www.sharpphoto.com/pm101.html

Fishers (Martes pennanti), which are not actually cats, have long busy tails. It is a rare treat to actually see these in the wild.

http://pws.prserv.net/rindge/fisher.html

Ted

[Saffron]

Oh! We have a ground hog that lives up on our hill! If it looks like a river otter, maybe it is a ground hog. Think Puxataunie (sp?) Phil. :p

Or, I bet it was a fisher! They have that humped over, jumpy kind of walk like weasels or ferrets! :)

Catch him, catch him, catch him! :p Oh, or her. :p

[lilboo]

Cuz I thought I saw her in one of these...;)

http://www.easleys.com/hats/A__B__C/Coonskin_Cap/coonskin14296.jpg


Beccy!!!:wave:

Smooches to Picked On Pam.:wave:

[Ted and Holly]

Their bodies measure 20 - 30 inches with an additional 13 - 17 inches of tail and weigh from 3 - 12 pounds.

http://home.mcn.net/~wtu/fisher.html

If it was a Fisher, you'd know it. From the size description in the link above, they are pretty big. They are nocternal and quite secretive. They are quite rare over most of their southern range.

There was a sighting near us last winter, unfortunately, it was attacking/preying on domestic cats.

If it was in the snow, any chance you can get a clear photo of the tracks? That'd straighten out the mystery pretty quickly. :)

Ted

[Saffron]

Oooooooooh! Cool idea Ted! :bounce:

I love a good mystery. :p

[debster812]

Ted,

You are a smart one!!!! I will be trooping out there tonight when I get home, and hopefully they have not melted to quick.

So smart!!!

Maggie, I am still waiting for you to come and help me stalk the wee beastie.

[Ted and Holly]

Let's keep this clean! This is a family board! :)

Ted

[jipsy]

So, do we know what it is yet?????

[debster812]

Well, I went tromping out through the snow and the mud and the slush, to where I saw the beastie. And....there were tracks, but by the time I got home, they were more like little divots in the snow, since we had lots of bright sunshine and melting here today. Drat!!!! DS and I are home all day tomorrow, so we will be keeping a sharp eye out for it.

[Ted and Holly]

I have my Peterson Field Guide to Animal Tracks ready!

Looking through this certainly brings back memories! Hey look! I can even use this to identify droppings! :)

Someday, I'll tell the story of the professor that used a rather unique research method with droppings...

Ted

[debster812]

TED!!!! :eek: :earseek: TMI and I don't think we want to know. ;)

Well, if there are ANY divots left tomorrow, I will take a pic and post it. But I really don't think they will help.

[Saffron]

ROTFLOL! Okay, I can't come up there tomorrow to help catch it, so it looks like you'll just have to collect some droppings for Ted to identify. :teeth: :eek: :p

[Ted and Holly]

Ted, you really should explain to Debster that you majored in Wildlife in College! These people are going to think you're REALLY geeky!

Holly

[debster812]

Thank You Holly. :teeth: I feel better now.

[Ted and Holly]

But I am YOUR geek!