Critter Science
  • Store
  • Zoology
    • About Me
    • Critter Questions
  • Daily Critter Facts
  • BYET
    • About BYET
    • Ernie on Fine Art America
    • BYET Gallery 1
    • BYET Gallery 2
    • BYET Gallery 3
    • BYET Gallery 4
    • BYET Gallery 5
    • BYET Gallery 6
    • BYET Gallery 7
  • For Teachers
    • Teacher Critter Resources
    • What is a Marsupial?
    • Butterfly Life Cycle
      • Butterfly Metamorphosis
      • World’s Largest Butterfly
      • World’s Largest Moth
    • Types of Animal Dormancy
    • Hibernating vs Brumating
    • Metamorphosis – A Frog’s Life Cycle
      • Frog Metamorphosis
      • Poison Dart Frog
    • What are Species?
    • Animal Word Search
    • Connect the Dots
    • Coloring Pages
  • Contact
    • General Contact
Donate Today
long-tailed weasel

Meet the Ferocious Long-Tailed Weasel

  • 7 November, 2019
  • Critter Man
  • No Comments
  • 374 Views
  • 0 Likes
Daily Critter Facts

This cute little mustelid that looks kind of like a stretched out kitten is actually a voracious and relentless predator known as the long-tailed weasel, aka nature’s psychopath. These little scrappers have no problems taking on foes much larger than themselves, making them a “super predator”. They can be found from Canada down south across the U.S. and into Central America, Mexico, and even South America. They prefer tropical and temperate habitats. Their habitats include crop fields, wooded areas, and suburban areas. They are listed as Least Concern by the IUCN.

First the Stats…

Scientific name: Mustela frenata
Weight: Up to 6.7 ounces
Length: Up to 9 inches long, plus an 8 inch tail
Lifespan: Up to 8 years

Now on to the Facts!

1.) Their prey items include: voles, mice, rats, shrews, moles, squirrels, chipmunks, and rabbits, birds, bird eggs, frogs, snakes, and insects.

2.) Males are called a dog, buck, or Jack. Females are called a bitch, doe, or Jill.

3.) They are good climbers and swimmers.

4.) A group of long-tailed weasels is called a pack, gang, colony, or sneak.

5.) These weasels have been around for about 2 million years.

But wait, there’s more on the long-tailed weasel!

6.) The long-tailed weasel is primarily nocturnal (active at night) but they can sometimes be seen during the day.

7.) These critters have such fast metabolisms that they need to eat about 40% of their total weight each day.

Did you know…?
The long-tailed weasel is known as nature’s psychopath because they have no problems killing and eating their siblings or their own young if there is no other food around!

8.) In regions where it snows, their coats turn white in the winter. In other environments their coats stay the same color, year round.

9.) A loud chirping sound is made when they are threatened, scared, or ready to attack. When calm, then make a low trilling sound, like a whistle.

10.) Before attacking and killing prey, weasels will bob back & forth and hop in a dance which is meant to intimidate the other animal. This is called a war dance.

But wait, there’s even more on the long-tailed weasel!

11.) To kill their prey, they will clamp down on their prey’s neck and continue biting until the animal is dead.

12.) Long-tailed weasels are polygynous (mate with several partners).

13.) Mating occurs in mid summer but females undergo a delayed implantation where the embryo doesn’t start developing till March, with births happening from late April through early May.

14.) Females give birth to around 6 pups.

15.) Mom teaches them how to kill and by 56 days the pups are able to kill their own prey.

Now a Short Long-Tailed Weasel Video!

Learn more about all kinds of cool critters, right here!

Be sure to share & comment below!

CanadaCentral Americalong-tailed weaselmustelidnocturnalnorth americapredatorSouth Americaweasel
Critter Man

With over 45 years of critter experience to my credit and hundreds of zoology teaching hours to people around the world, I have amassed not only a continuing thirst for critter knowledge but a desire to teach others all I can about the majesty and wonder of our natural world. Critter Science is a culmination of such knowledge. I have hands on as well as book acquired intel on all kinds of critters. Whether they're on land, sea, or in the air. I will never say that I know everything about all animals. That's impossible, even for a savant. But, that being said, ask me any animal question and I'll answer it. If I don't know the answer, I'll get an answer for you!

The House Sparrow
The Pacific Tree Frog
Related Posts
  • basking shark
    The Big Mouthed Basking Shark 25 January, 2021
  • Pesquet's parrot
    The Pesquet’s Parrot 22 January, 2021
  • click beetle
    The Click Beetle 21 January, 2021
  • Store
  • Zoology is My Passion
  • Daily Critter Facts
  • Teachers
  • BYET
  • Contact

Copyright © 2021, Critter Science. All Rights Reserved.