Animals / Dogs

Steppe polecat

Classification

Order — Carnivora. Family — Mustelidae. Subfamily — Mustelinae. Genus — Mustela. Species — Mustela eversmanii.

Habitat

Steppe polecats are found throughout central and western Europe and throughout most of central Asia (southern Russia, northern Georgia, Kazakhstan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, and northern and western China. Steppe polecats inhabit a variety of moderately dry habitats, including steppes, semi-deserts, pastures, and cultivated fields. They tend to avoid forested habitats. They are commonly found in the plains throughout Russia, Romania, Hungary, Czech Republic, Slovakia, Bosnia, Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia, and eastern China  They have been found at elevations of 800 m in Europe and 2,600 m in central Asia. Steppe polecats shelter in burrows, hollow trees, dense vegetation, rock crevices, or abandoned buildings during the day, and some have been known to take shelter in the burrows of their prey.

Outward appearance

Length: 52-56 cm. Tail length: up to 18 cm. Weight: up to 2 kg. Females are a bit shorter than males, and nearly twice lighter. Body is long and slender, similar to other species in the Mustela genus. Body is stray yellow or pale brown, generally. Dorsal pelage is dark. Becomes progressively lighter toward the ventral pelage. Thorax, limbs, inguinal region, and about a third of the tail are dark brown to black, and coloration on the muzzle resembles a mask. As a result, they are sometimes referred to as the "masked polecat".

Character

Positive things to say about polecats personality, is that they are smart and energetic animals. When living in a good home they bond to people a lot. They are playful like little kittens and they often like to play rather with human than ferrets though they would be living in the same house. Polecats are curious and love new experiences and they are easily trained to travel with you. A bit by bit you can train your polecat to be very social and to rely on you in new, a bit scary situations. Negative things to say is that they are very wise and persistent which isn't a good combination. When they want something, they'll do anything to get it and won't stop until they've got what they want. With the right attitude from human side there won't be any big problems. Lots of sense of humor and patience is required with polecats.

Maintenance care

Ease of care of many non-traditional pets depends on the individual owner’s years of experience and knowledge caring for a particular species. For the purposes of this website, we have geared information toward the benefit of the beginner. Ferrets are intelligent and social creatures that do well in a pair or small group, but can thrive alone if given proper attention by their owner. They need time out of the cage daily, ideally at least 4 hours. Ferrets can be troublemakers and it is important that they are trained to be on their best behavior when out of the cage. It is also essential that the area they are allowed in is ferret proof with nothing they can get stuck in or damage. They are known to ingest items around the house so be sure to monitor them closely. Ferrets need a large cage for sleeping with plenty of comfortable spots for them to curl up. Their diet should consist of a high quality ferret feed that has animal protein as the main ingredient. Ferrets are carnivores and should be fed as such, they can be fed wet cat food as a treat, but avoid fruits and vegetables. Ferrets can be a rewarding pet and very affectionate with their owner but they take a considerable amount of care. They may not be a great choice for young children as they have very sharp teeth and bite when scared and sometimes when they are playing. There is a high incidence of adrenal and pancreatic cancer in ferrets as they age. These diseases are difficult and very expensive to treat.

Feeding

Steppe polecats are nocturnal and do most of their hunting at night. Although they feed on birds, reptiles, insects, and fruit, their primary prey are rodents, which constitutes nearly 80% of their diet. Occasionally they store prey carcasses in their burrow for later consumption.

Diseases

Peptic ulcer disease, enteritis, adrenal glands diseases.

Breeding

Steppe polecats are polygynous, with males having more than one mate during breeding season. Steppe polecats breed seasonally, between February and March. If a female loses her litter (predation, illness, etc.), she may attempt to produce another litter later in the year. Gestation last for 38 to 41 days, and parturition occurs during March and April. Average litter size is 8 to 10 pups, which weigh approximately 4 to 6 g at birth. Pups begin to open their eyes at 1 month old and are weaned and begin hunting with their mother at 1.5 months old. Young disperse at 3 months old and reach sexually maturity at approximately 9 months old. Steppe polecats nurse for about 1 month after birth. After weaning, pups can open their eyes and begin hunting with their mother. By 3 months old, pups are independent and leave there mothers. Little information exists on paternal investment in steppe polecats.
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