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I really struggle to get my head round weasels

288 replies

HoneyDragon · 06/06/2013 18:46

I've seen them. I know what they look like, and often catch them whizzing across the road at weasel warp speed.

But their size always surprises me. Every time. I know they are small. But when you look at a picture of a weasel or think weasel, you think bigger. You don't think "oh, a weasel. That's a little bigger than a hamster that is". Or I don't. I go, ooooh a weasel. Wow, it's tiny, every time, the surprise never abates.

I struggle with weasel physics. That the actual weasel is not the size of the concept of weasel in my head.

I'm not sure how to fix it. Confused

OP posts:
Pennybubbly · 07/06/2013 07:32

OK, I've googled.
But really, they've been made up in recent years, haven't they?

Pennybubbly · 07/06/2013 07:31

What the fuck is a Pine Marten?
And why have I never heard of one?
Ever.

BeerTricksPotter · 07/06/2013 07:31

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Nagoo · 07/06/2013 01:50

I've been thinking, is it that the weasels look bigger as they are wearing unflattering lederhosen?

SoftlySoftly · 07/06/2013 01:07

I'm a bit shocked by weasel size, I'm a country girl too. Bastard weasels have shaken my rural knowledge!

How do they take down rabbits has that bloke just got finger skin like a rhino? ?

piprabbit · 07/06/2013 00:36

I saw a weasel once. I thought it was a mouse, but it went on for much longer than was reasonable. That was years ago though.

This spring I have mostly been seeing vast quantities of roadkill badgers and deer, far more than usual. Perhaps the weather is getting them down.

LittleFeileFooFoo · 07/06/2013 00:25

A polecat? Isn't that a skunk?

VivaLeBeaver · 06/06/2013 23:09

I've seen a family of badgers. Sat in a car park watching them for a good hour so they're real!

I've seen a stoat do a crazy stoat dance at the side of the road for no apparent reason.

I once had a ferret come in our house though the cat flap.

MoonlightandRoses · 06/06/2013 23:04

I think the males are - no-where near badger size mind, but they can be quite sturdy creatures.

There have also been cases of cross-breeding with other Mustelids to make properly large ones (according to Wikipedia anyway).

monsterchild · 06/06/2013 22:59

A friend lost the end of her nose to a horse, Weasels don't hurt people, teeth hurt people!

ComeAlongPond · 06/06/2013 22:56

Oooh it might have been a pole cat! That looks most like it - are they fairly large?

LadyBeagleEyes · 06/06/2013 22:55

Oh yes, otters.
How cute are otters.

AnnieLobeseder · 06/06/2013 22:51

I love a good weasel!

AnnieLobeseder · 06/06/2013 22:50
Grin
usualsuspect · 06/06/2013 22:48

Has Michaela danced with the weasels on Spring watch?

Sh1ney · 06/06/2013 22:48

A weasel is weasily told from the stoat by the simple fact that his tail is black and his figure is slightly bigger Smile

HoneyDragon · 06/06/2013 22:46

An otter ate Terry Nutkins finger.

OP posts:
monsterchild · 06/06/2013 22:43

Weasels just look cute!

And please tell me if there is another animal in the world that has as much fun as an otter? I'd just love to play with them!

MoonlightandRoses · 06/06/2013 22:36

Could it have been a Polecat ComeAlong? They are fairly sizeable.

HD - maybe you think weasels are cat sized because they think they are and are projecting the image to annoy you? Just a thought.

[ not desperate to mark place in thread or anything ]

Hassled · 06/06/2013 22:34

Google tells me:
Male and Female stoats and weasels are referred to as a dog and a bitch respectively. The young are called kittens or kits. Collective nouns for a group of weasels include boogle, gang, pack and confusion.

A Confusion of Weasels :o. How apt.

Bimblepops · 06/06/2013 22:32

Threads like this are one of the reasons I love Mumsnet.

Thank you all!

I love weasels too, even though they are tiny.

BellaDesconocida · 06/06/2013 22:31

I saw a stuffed stoat and a stuffed weasel in the same display case & was surprised (nay, astounded) at the the tininess of one of them. Thanks to this thread I now know that the tiny one was a weasel.

I hate the sounds foxes make. Really scaaaaary.

bladders · 06/06/2013 22:31

I was driving home a couple of years ago and saw what appeared to be a couple of lb of sausages linked together crossing the road. Thought I was going a bit mad but then found out it was Ma Weasel and her Weaselly crew of baby Weasels. Very cute. Collective name for a group of weasels ? A waggle of Weasels perhaps....

HoneyDragon · 06/06/2013 22:23

The weasels keep it quiet though.

OP posts:
usualsuspect · 06/06/2013 22:18

I'm amazed at the tinyness of weasels.

Who knew?