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The weasel, whose scientific name is mustela nivalis, belongs to the group of mustelid mammals, which is home to approximately 60 species, among which we can also find the ermine, the badger or the ferret.
It is the smallest mustelid mammal and moves through jumps, however, despite its anatomical limitations it is a very efficient hunter and able to shoot down prey that exceeds its size.
If you want to find out more about this animal, in this Animal Expert article we tell you all about the weasel's feeding.
The weasel's digestive tract
In order to ingest its prey as well as digest and absorb all the nutrients it obtains through them, the weasel has an important characteristic, a lower jaw formed solely from a bone and some highly specialized dental pieces (there are 34 in total).
The weasel has a digestive tract formed by the mouth, esophagus, stomach and intestines, along this conduit, several glands flow that fulfill different functions, all of them linked to nutrition, such as the salivary, gastric, intestinal, pancreatic and hepatic glands.
Weasel feeding
Ferret feeding is a carnivorous diet, these mustelids mainly ingest rats, although they can also eat bird eggs and, to a lesser extent, some insects, reptiles, birds, rabbits, fish and amphibians.
As we will see next, the weasel is an exceptional hunter like ermine, and it can be fed in various ways thanks to its ability, easily ingesting a wide variety of foods.
How does the weasel hunt?
As we mentioned before, the weasel is the smallest species of mustelid mammal that exists, especially if we look at the females, whose weight is less than the males. In this case, they enter all of the rodents and surprise them, thus managing to hunt rats and small mice. Males, on the other hand, hunt rabbits and hares.
Birds that nest in the ground are also preyed on by weasels, which not only conform to bird hunting but also plunder any possible nests they can find.
Weasels have great ability as they can climb, enter small holes, run and even dive, so it is not surprising that they also feed on snakes, crustaceans and molluscs.
All the characteristics that make the ferret a great hunter are absolutely necessary, since this animal has a high metabolism and need to be much of your day hunting.
Feed a weasel in captivity
Fortunately, the weasel is not considered a threatened species, however, the species Mustela nivalis is part of the endemic fauna of some countries and as such its capture and maintenance in captivity in these same countries is prohibited.
If you like this animal as a pet, choose similar mustelid mammals whose possession is legacy, such as the case of the ferret as pet.
