Yesterday morning I heard Tasha barking like crazy out on the gravel drive. SHe was dancing around something on the ground that was trying to attack her, though I couldn't at first see what it was. When I went out I found this small creature, about a 6 inch long body with a furred tail and a longish face. It was screaming at her very shrilly, but did not seem able to run away. It had VERY sharp teeth and claws. So I scooped it up into a deep plastic box, covered it with grass and hay and put it in my shed to see if it would recover movement. A few hours later it had made itself a nest in the hay and was curled up but very much alive. I put a saucer of water and one of chopped raw liver in the box and left it overnight. This morning it was running round the box, though had not eaten much. So I have now let it go in a corner of a field and it burrowed its way through the grass.
But what is it and how did it get here? The cats were scared of it and I think it would have bitten them hard, so I do not think they were responsible. Tasha would definitely not go near it, and she doesn't hunt small creatures. But it was definitely in shock and could not move when I found it. So the most likely explanation I can think of is that it was dropped by an owl or kestrel, and suffered shock and bruising.
I think it is either a stoat or a weasel, and I can only hope that it is old enough to fend for itself. It would certainly not survive if I had kept it, and there is no wildlife refuge within 100 miles of here. So I can only say Godspeed little creature, I hope you make it in the wild. Here are some pix of it - anyone who knows what it is please tell me.
But what is it and how did it get here? The cats were scared of it and I think it would have bitten them hard, so I do not think they were responsible. Tasha would definitely not go near it, and she doesn't hunt small creatures. But it was definitely in shock and could not move when I found it. So the most likely explanation I can think of is that it was dropped by an owl or kestrel, and suffered shock and bruising.
I think it is either a stoat or a weasel, and I can only hope that it is old enough to fend for itself. It would certainly not survive if I had kept it, and there is no wildlife refuge within 100 miles of here. So I can only say Godspeed little creature, I hope you make it in the wild. Here are some pix of it - anyone who knows what it is please tell me.
