[Alty]

Hi everyone,

We currently have a mouse problem in our home, which we've been doing our best to deal with. The entire neighborhood (we are behind a huge field) has been dealing with mouse issues all winter.

Well, last night my son comes running upstairs to tell me that he saw a white mouse, but it didn't look like a mouse. Bigger, longer, skinny, and the head looked like a small ferret.

I didn't believe him. I figured he was just seeing things. But, I ended up putting up a mouse trap where he had seen this strange mouse, right by our gas fireplace.

This morning my son informs me that we caught a mouse, and that the little white mouse was sniffing it.

So I came downstairs to investigate. Well, the mouse, including the trap, were gone! I could hear the trap rattling in the fireplace. I pulled off the bottom vent and sure enough, there's the little weasel trying to get the mouse out of the trap.

I did some research, and I know what this little guy is. It's called a Least weasel. They're very common here, although I've never seen one. They're small, only 8 inches long fully grown. They are wonderful predators, eating mainly mice, voles, and other rodents, but, and here's where I'm worried, they have been known to eat rabbits and birds. They can bring down a rabbit 5 times their size. I have 4 rabbits that fit that description, and I have a bird!

I don't want to kill this little guy. First, I hate even killing the mice, and I don't find them at all cute. But this little guy is adorable, and if he wants to eat the mice he's welcome to them, and welcome here. But I'm afraid that he's going to go after one of the rabbits, or the bird.

Any advice? I don't think catching him and releasing him is possible. Even if I did, he got in once, he can get in again, or some of his friends.

I'm at a loss. The kids want to catch him and keep him. I don't agree with that. This is a wild animal, and a carnivore. It will never be tame enough that I'll feel comfortable handling him or letting the kids handle him. If I can guarantee that he'll stay away from my rabbits and bird, he can stay, but I need something to guarantee that.

Open to all suggestion.

Here's a picture of the little guy.

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[Wondergirl]

He's adorable! I'd use a humane trap (a vet or the shelter should have one), catch him with smelly food, and release him far away from the house. If you haven't seen one before, and if you keep your rabbits and bird indoors, your chances are good of not having problems with more of these creatures. Always be sure your own animals are safe in cages when a human isn't around.

Wikipedia says, "Rabbits are commonly taken, but are usually young specimens. Rabbits become an important food source during the spring, when small rodents are scarce and rabbit kits plentiful."

And I agree; he has to be put back into the wild. Tigers are cute too, but I don't want one in my house. It's good that the neighborhood mice have predators--weasels, stray or indoor-outdoor cats, owls.

[LadySam]

I have to agree, he is freakin' cute. I got curious and googled the little guy. Some interesting facts include that they reach sexual maturity at 3-4 months. In the wild their life span is about 2 years, and they make their homes on farmland, woods and hedges, they avoid open, sandy areas and deep forested places. And are found mainly in Northeast Asia. I'm sure you already found this stuff out, but it may help in trying to decide where to release him when you catch him. Shame you can't let him stay, he could be of some help with the mouse problem. Oh yeah, and they have few predators according to what I read, mostly due to their short life span.
They also breed in spring and summer and litters can be between 3-10 kits.
Good luck catching him and he sure hope he poses no problems for your rabbits and birds.

[Alty]

He is cute isn't he? He's pretty tiny too, only a bit bigger than a mouse.

I talked to Andy (he used to be an expert on this site), and he doesn't think that the weasel will go after the rabbits. I did a bit more research and found out that they don't usually go after full grown rabbits, and that they much prefer to eat mice (which we sadly have plenty of right now). When they do eat rabbits they usually go after the kits. Birds are something they very rarely eat, and again, only if they can't get a mouse.

So I think I'll let him stay for a while and help with the mouse problem. After that I'll catch him humanely and release him in the dog run area near our house. Lots of places to hide there, and lots of rodents for him to eat. :)

I'll try to get a picture of him. He really is adorable.

Thanks for the advice everyone. I'll keep you all posted.

[shazamataz]

I wouldn't be trapping it, I would be feeding it and calling him Itachi :D

[Alty]

I wouldn't be trapping it, I would be feeding it and calling him Itachi :D

LMAO! The kids named him Squishy, and, shhhhhh, I am feeding him! :(

I really wish I could keep him. He is absolutely adorable.

[Wondergirl]

I want one toooooooooooooooo!!

[Alty]

I want one toooooooooooooooo!!!!!!

Well maybe I can get Squishy a mate and I can breed them and... OMG, what am I saying? Bad Alty!

He is cute though, and I'm only calling it a he because it sounds right. I have no idea if it's a he or a she. If it's a she it's very possible that I could send you one very soon.

I may end up with a house full of weasels. How cool would that be? But only if they stay away from the bunny's and Marty. :)

[Wondergirl]

How would a weasel get along with four cats?

[Alty]

How would a weasel get along with four cats?

I think he'd avoid them. Cats aren't prey to a weasel, but the weasel may be tempting for the cats.

In my house I have prey galore, which is a worry. But so far he seems to be going after the mice. I've been trapping the mice (trap to kill), and I've been feeding him what I catch, but he's also hunting.

There are concerns with keeping Squishy as a pet though. He's a hunter. He's a predator. He will bite, and once the mice are gone the bunnies and the bird will start looking pretty tasty to him.

Also, I wouldn't think about trying to keep him as a pet. I could never tame him. He'll always be a predator. Not fair to him or us. :(

But I'm still tempted. He's so darn cute! My humanity and concern are getting the better of me. Once the mice are gone he's going to be caught and released to a place where he can catch food and be what he's supposed to be. :)

[Wondergirl]

You can buy frozen mice from a uni near you (research lab), keep them in your freezer, and have a ready food supply for him. :)

[Alty]

You can buy frozen mice from a uni near you (research lab), keep them in your freezer, and have a ready food supply for him. :)

Trust me, I'm tempted. But this little guy can carry disease because of the food he eats. So far it's okay. I told the kids to watch, but don't go near him. Buying and feeding him mice once our mouse problem is resolved, would be the same as making him a pet, and he can never be a pet.

He deserves to have a life, and that means releasing him, eventually.

Until then we'll enjoy having him around. But once the mice are gone he goes too, only not in a snap trap. :)

[Wondergirl]

Be sure to release him far, far away so he doesn't follow the bread crumbs back to your house.

[Alty]

Be sure to release him far, far away so he doesn't follow the bread crumbs back to your house.

No problem there. We're releasing him in the dog park we go to. It's a wooded area around 10km from our home. Plenty of mice, plenty of places to hide. He'll have a very good life there. :)

[Wondergirl]

Will you tag him or put a monitor or little web cam on him for us?