Caught on (trail) camera...

Wren A. Magreet

I read somewhere before(I think it was a forum for ferret keepers and enthusiasts) that an American mink and a ferret will produce young,but as Srameen has said,they are sterile.However,the European mink(we obviously don't have them here) and feral ferrets can cross breed,producing young that can indeed breed themselves - I stand corrected if I'm wrong!

I still think what we're looking at in the trail cam images is a mink.

Half-cocked

dodderangler wrote: »

Lovely looking animal all the same.
Just curious as to how salmon carcass ended up there.

A large resident Otter is probably the culprit. I found 3 carcasses in a week. Look at the size of this one! I was hoping the Otter would displace the mink.

Joeseph Balls

So we should release a load of ferrets and breed the mink out....














































:pac::pac::pac:

Half-cocked

Joeseph Balls wrote: »

So we should release a load of ferrets and breed the mink out....

You beat me too it!

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Studies have shown that mink numbers declined in areas where Otters became reestablished. So we can only hope.

Capercaille

Maybe it's a mink that is recently escaped into wild or a 1st or 2nd generation offspring. They would more likely have a "domestic colouration".

magicbastarder

Melissa Purring Stammerer wrote: »

Studies have shown that mink numbers declined in areas where Otters became reestablished. So we can only hope.

i was talking to someone from the grey partridge project who said they'd heard rumblings that the recovery of pine marten numbers was suppressing mink numbers - but said it was just anecdotal so far.

sawdoubters

I was expecting the loch ness monster or big foot

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

magicbastarder wrote: »

i was talking to someone from the grey partridge project who said they'd heard rumblings that the recovery of pine marten numbers was suppressing mink numbers - but said it was just anecdotal so far.

Yes, I've heard that from a few people. I hope it's true.,

Wren A. Magreet

magicbastarder wrote: »

i was talking to someone from the grey partridge project who said they'd heard rumblings that the recovery of pine marten numbers was suppressing mink numbers - but said it was just anecdotal so far.

I know Pine Martens will prey on squirrels alright,but would they prey on mink or are they just forcing them out of their territories?I would imagine a mink would be a fiesty little blighter in a row with a Pine Marten!

dodderangler

Wren A. Magreet wrote: »

I know Pine Martens will prey on squirrels alright,but would they prey on mink or are they just forcing them out of their territories?I would imagine a mink would be a fiesty little blighter in a row with a Pine Marten!

Still reckon a pine Martin could handle himself against a mink.

Wren A. Magreet

dodderangler wrote: »

Still reckon a pine Martin could handle himself against a mink.

Yeah I agree,but I'm sure he/she would get a nasty little bite or two in the meleé!:D

Eddie B

Well i really am suprised to learn that a mink would breed with a ferret in the wild! A mink wouldn't tolerate other animals such as stoats e.t.c in its territory so i presumed it would be the same with a ferret!

Anyway this is a photo of just one colour variations in farm bred mink!

dodderangler

I'm sure a female ferret with a bit if chanel perfume and bit of lipstick would be irresistible to a big male mink
Seen the damage of what happens when a ferret meets a mink while out ferreting.
Basically the ferret lost and it's life aswell.

junospider

anyone who thinks mink and ferrets will interbreed is delusional.2 entirely different species.

Joeseph Balls

junospider wrote: »

anyone who thinks mink and ferrets will interbreed is delusional.2 entirely different species.

They can and have bred Well known they have been bred in farms.
While a ferret has 40 chromosones and a mink has 30, they can and have bred but their young will be sterile

fryup

Joeseph Balls wrote: »

They can and have bred Well known they have been bred in farms.
While a ferret has 40 chromosones and a mink has 30, they can and have bred but their young will be sterile

maybe thats a good thing, let them breed i say might help to wipe them out

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

junospider wrote: »

anyone who thinks mink and ferrets will interbreed is delusional.2 entirely different species.

I can assure you that I am many things, but delusional is not one of them. I refer you to post #51.

Eddie B

dodderangler wrote: »

I'm sure a female ferret with a bit if chanel perfume and bit of lipstick would be irresistible to a big male mink
Seen the damage of what happens when a ferret meets a mink while out ferreting.
Basically the ferret lost and it's life aswell.

Did you ever have to throw a bucket of cold water over them! Lol! I've heard of many an encounter with mink whilst ferreting, and as you say the mink won't take nicely to a ferret even during the breeding season!

junospider

just googled it,my mistake,apologies to all.

Eddie B

junospider wrote: »

just googled it,my mistake,apologies to all.

Ha i think everyone googled it lad! Still couldn't find anything about ferrets breeding with mink in the wild! Found a little information about polecats/mink and some Russian lad cross breeding
all sorts of yokes, but nothing about evidence of them breeding in the wild! Maybe someone will put up a good link that'll prevent our heads from fryin with this one

ytpe2r5bxkn0c1

Eddie B wrote: »

Ha i think everyone googled it lad! Still couldn't find anything about ferrets breeding with mink in the wild! Found a little information about polecats/mink and some Russian lad cross breeding
all sorts of yokes, but nothing about evidence of them breeding in the wild! Maybe someone will put up a good link that'll prevent our heads from fryin with this one

Firstly, I did not Google anything on this. Secondly, not all reports and fieldwork are posted on the internet. Let me just assure you from personal experience I know we have had crosses in Ireland. I'm afraid you'll have to take my word for it but rest assured I have no reason to post falsehoods and never would on a nature forum. Quite the opposite, I'm a stickler for accuracy in this particular field. I'm sorry you find it hard to give credit to any advice offered without a web page verification.

dodderangler

junospider wrote: »

anyone who thinks mink and ferrets will interbreed is delusional.2 entirely different species.

Had to laugh at that. Sorry.
Mink x ferrets were bred for fur with having thicker coats and colourful coats.
Both being small mustelidae family members they share a lot of chromosomes and is and has been done.
Both related to badgers otters and wolverines they're basically a smaller version of these.

Cork boy 55

Can these trail cameras trigger on rodents and small birds?

Half-cocked

Cork boy 55 wrote: »

Can these trail cameras trigger on rodents and small birds?

I've caught wood mice and wrens on mine, so yes they do. I have the sensitivity set to high and also have them pointed downwards so that they are aimed at a patch of ground. I think if you set them up horizontally and high up to catch larger subjects like deer, a lot of small stuff would get missed. It takes a while to get to know each model and how best to set it up in different situations.