Lifestyle. As places to live, bandages mainly use the burrows of their prey, followed by deepening, but sometimes they dig out a house for themselves. At the same time, neither stones nor plant roots are an obstacle for agile animals. They are active at night and spend the daytime in their shelters, which are changed every day. Outside mating season They prefer loneliness, and try not to enter into conflicts with their brothers.

When danger arises, these animals easily climb a tree in a matter of minutes, and if there is nowhere to go, they can scare the enemy themselves. In this case, their fur stands on end, their back arches, the animals begin to bare their teeth, throw their heads back and throw their tousled tail over their backs, taking on a terrifying appearance, accompanied by a growl. If this position does not frighten the enemy, then the bandages rush at the offender with a loud squeal and release a nasty pungent odor from the glands located under the tail.

The bandage is an animal that hunts equally well both on the surface of the earth and in trees. However, the main method of obtaining food is to hunt small rodents in their own burrows. Using its nose as the main guide, in one day the animal can travel about 600m, moving underground passages in search of mice, voles, gerbils, ground squirrels and hamsters. On the ground, the predator overtakes the prey with jumps up to 60 cm in length. If there is enough food in the surrounding area, then the overflights stick to sedentary lifestyle life.

There is evidence that a colony of gerbils is attacked together with foxes. Those gerbils that jump out of the hole in horror fall into the fox’s mouth, and those that manage to hide in the depths of the hole end up in the paws of the bandages.

Nutrition. The favorite food of these predators is gophers and gerbils. Less commonly, animals consume hamsters, jerboas, voles, birds, snakes, frogs and lizards as food.

If possible, they do not refuse to eat eggs, berries, tree fruits and, especially, the pulp of melons and watermelons. At home, in addition to natural food, dressings are fed with milk, cheese, cottage cheese, bread and meat. Pregnancy in females lasts 11 months, but the expectant mother carries the fetus for much less than this time. This feature in dressings is caused by the egg, the development of which begins much later from the moment of its fertilization.

A litter usually contains 4 to 5 babies. After birth, they continue to remain blind and helpless for some time. Babies develop quickly, and after 4 weeks they already refuse mother’s milk and begin to learn the art of hunting. Puberty comes to females 3 months after birth, and to males only at the age of one year.

The marten is considered a species with a sharply declining population size and a narrowing habitat. The reason for this was the development of the steppes for the needs Agriculture and mining industry. Many animals die from eating rodents poisoned as part of pest control, as well as in traps intended for steppe ferrets and ground squirrels.

In order to preserve the species, the bandage is included in the IUCN Red List and the Red Book of the Russian Federation with oranium status - 3: a rare animal with a shrinking range.

The polecat is a miniature predator with the appearance of a ferret, which literally translated from Latin sounds like “little worm.” The bandage is a rare animal, and not as common as ferrets and weasels, however, many people keep these animals as pets. This unusual animal is most often found in desert areas; sometimes it climbs into the mountains, but not higher than 3 km. The animal can be found next to the hole or inside it. Such animals can live over a wide area from the Balkan Peninsula to China. The animals are good-natured towards people, so bandages can live in parks, vegetable gardens or vineyards. This animal leads active image

lives in the dark and sleeps during the day.

Bandages are smart, they can build themselves a house or shelter where they will rest. Every time the animals make a new home for themselves. They can make such shelters in the area of ​​500 m. Predators are constantly moving and looking for food. The body dimensions of the animal are the same as those of the ferret. The body length is from 27 to 35 cm, the tail can be from 12 to 18 cm in length. The animal weighs on average 350-750 g. The ears are large, round in shape and have light stripes. The muzzle looks flattened, there is white stripe . The fur is dense and short, smooth to the touch. The animal can be easily distinguished from a ferret by its variegated coloring. The fur of the animals is colored, mainly with a predominance of yellow, brown, black and white shades.

The pet eats rodents. May eat jerboa, gopher, gerbil or hamster. It also does not disdain small prey, such as mice. To diversify his diet, he can eat melon, watermelon and berries. The animal hunts rodents that live in burrows or trees, for this it is helped by a developed sense of smell. According to their underground standards, dressings can travel up to 600 m. You can see in more detail what a dressing looks like in the photo.

Lifestyle and behavior

If there is plenty of food, then the animal leads a calm lifestyle. Active, night life begins in search of food. These pets have long claws, so they can easily dig holes with their front paws. If difficulties occur when digging a hole, the bandages use their teeth to dig holes.

Please note that, thanks to its grip and sensitive sense of smell, the bandage can find at least 4 animals in 60 minutes.

In some cases, the animal goes hunting for rodents together with the fox. Frightened rodents run through holes and eventually fall into the clutches of a predator. When the bandage smells distracting smells or some movement, it stands on its hind legs and listens warily. If the bandage senses danger, it turns into a ferocious predator: it roars, arches its back and presses its tail, the muzzle at this time can stretch out, the gaze can become embittered.

By what signs can traces of bandaging be detected?

  • if the footprint remains in the sand, then it is very similar to the imprint of a ferret;
  • on dense ground there will be no noticeable claw marks on the dressing marks;
  • The small predator moves at a gallop, so you can see the marks of all 4 paws on the print.

Conservation of rare animals

The bandaged ferret is listed in the Red Book of Russia. Numerous exterminations of small rodents on which the bandage feeds lead to the fact that the predator sits all the time without food. Hunters and poachers also destroy rare species animals that are valued for their beautiful fur. Various chemicals and spraying in fields and near food bases reduce the population of such animals. The number of bandages is declining due to the consumption of rodents poisoned by insecticides.

Various traps for gophers and foxes become an obstacle to trusting and kind dressings. Measures to preserve the animals have not yet been developed, but they are actively and successfully bred in some zoos, for example in Leningrad and Rostov-on-Don. In general, they are good-natured and sweet animals that should not become extinct.

The bandage lives for about 6-7 years in nature, and in the zoo - up to 9 years. Active copulation of these animals occurs in the summer months.

Kira Stoletova

The Banded Ferret is very similar in appearance to the common ferret, but is not as common in the wild.

The ferret of the Bandaging breed is considered a predator, but this does not prevent him from maintaining a good relationship with people. That is why this particular type of animal quickly gained its popularity as a pet.

Habitat

In nature, the polecat Perevyazka lives in the lowlands of the mountains at a level of 3-4 km from the ground.

You can find these animals near their burrows or directly in their home. These small animals live on the territory of the Baltic Peninsula and partly on the lands of China. Russia is another place favored by these predatory animals.

The ferret Perezya leads an active nocturnal lifestyle and sleeps during the daytime.

This animal lives in parks, vineyards, and vegetable gardens. He treats people positively because he gets used to the fact that they are around all the time. The predator is very smart, builds several houses in different places on an area of ​​approximately 500 m. He does this for his convenience and safety. A large number of houses allows the animal to hunt freely and successfully hide from predators.

Description and nutrition

Externally, as already mentioned, the polecat Peregyrazka is very similar to its relative the common ferret. On average, the body length of the animal is 28-35 cm. The tail reaches 13-17 cm in length. The average weight of a ferret's body is 300-700 g. The rodent's ears are large, have a round shape and have white stripes at the tips.

The animal's muzzle is slightly flattened. On the head, as well as on the ears, there is a white stripe. The ferret has thick, smooth fur. The color of the predator of the Peregyazka breed differs from the usual type of ferrets. The fur shimmers brown, yellow, black, and white. In the photo it doesn't seem as bright as in real life.

When it comes to feeding, the ferret Perevyazka gives preference to small prey, those animals that live in burrows or on tree trunks. Prey can be a mouse, gopher, jerboa, hamster, or gerbil. In hunting, the main assistant of rodents is their sense of smell. The animal can climb through a hole up to 600 m without a single way out. Also, this type of rodent likes to dilute its regular diet with fruits, for example, melon, watermelon, pumpkin or different types wild berries.

Lifestyle

The bandage leads an active lifestyle while hunting at night. If there is no prey, the animal behaves calmly. The ferret has long claws, with the help of which he digs holes. If the strength of the claws is not enough, the animal also uses its teeth to work. Traces of dressing can be recognized by the following criteria:

  • If you come across a Bandage mark in the sand, it should look like the footprint of a common ferret.
  • On hard ground, the Ferret Bandage does not leave claw marks.
  • The rodent of this breed is so nimble and agile that you can often find a footprint with prints of all four paws at once.

Thanks to its developed hunter skills, the animal can get at least 4 carcasses within an hour. On rare occasions, Bandage goes hunting with a fox. The redhead scares small rodents, out of fear they hide in holes, and the ferret appears a great opportunity catch your prey.

When the ferret Bandaging senses a foreign odor, hearing, smell and vision are strained to the maximum. To avoid a meeting with a predator, the animal stands on two legs, arches its back as much as possible and stretches out its neck. He does this in order to cover as much territory as possible with his gaze. The look becomes angry, the tail is pressed.

Reproduction

Rodents reach puberty at the age of 7-12 months. Males are able to successfully fertilize a female for an average of 5-7 years. The female can bear and give birth to healthy offspring for 3-4 years of life.

  1. Peace. This period lasts from the first pregnancy (or when estrus is interrupted) until the appearance of the second estrus. During this period of time, no changes occur in the female’s body.
  2. Before the start of sexual hunting. This period falls on winter time, around February, and lasts about 10-15 days. During this cycle, the female and male begin puberty.
  3. Sexual hunting. This period of sexual activity occurs in the spring, when day begins to prevail over night. This time falls mainly in mid-March. Females that have reached sexual maturity for the first time go out hunting a little later than the others, around the end of April. By by and large When a female goes hunting depends on many factors. If the female is sick, exhausted, or living conditions before the hunt were unfavorable, she will go hunting much later than other females.
  4. After the hunt. During this period, the female bears the fetus. After childbirth, the female’s body returns to its previous state. If mating did not occur or the pregnancy was terminated, at this stage the girl, after a short period of time, comes into heat again.

In places where bandages are bred, there are approximately 5 females per male. It is recommended to mate animals in the daytime, preferably in the first half of the day. Sexual intercourse lasts a minimum of 15 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours. After morning mating, the male can be paired with the female again in the evening.

When people think about predators, they often forget about the mustelid family, which includes the bandage (Vormela peregusna). Adorable animals are excellent hunters. Bandages prefer to move close to the ground or underground, so they can follow their victims. They also climb well.

UNFAVORITE RESIDENT

As a habitat, the bandage prefers wide steppe spaces without tree cover. But it feels good both in grassy areas with trees and in semi-deserts. Its distribution range extends from the Eastern Balkans in the west to the steppe regions of Mongolia and to Western China in the east. In the north, the range is limited to approximately 51°C northern latitude and extends in the south to the Near and Middle East.

An underground dwelling serves as a shelter for the bandage, which, if necessary, it can dig itself. But in most cases, the bandage tries to nest in the structures of other steppe animals, such as the ground squirrel, large gerbil or hamster. These rodents are also the main prey. Prey size varies, typically from hamsters to rodents almost the size of guinea pig, does not disdain dressing birds, reptiles and amphibians. In extremely hot areas, it feeds mainly on insects and other invertebrates. During night hunts for prey, she makes her way through the grass and rushes so fast after her victims that they have practically no chance of survival.

THE NOTORIOUS “STINKER”

The dressing is called “stink” because of its behavior in case of defense. She does not have much fear of other animals. If the bandage nevertheless senses danger, for example, it will be taken by surprise or it will find itself in a hopeless situation, then the animal first tries to ruffle its feathers, then arches its back and puts its tail on top of it. In addition, she hums and grumbles. If all this does not scare off the attacker, the bandage releases its foul-smelling secret.

Like all mustelids, the bandage has anal sacs filled with glandular secretions. She can shoot it directly at the enemy. From fear and a repulsive smell that causes vomiting, the attacker takes flight. This defense strategy was best mastered by the North American skunk, African ferret and Malayan badger. But the dressing is hardly inferior to them. Convinced of the effectiveness of her weapons, she has virtually no fear of humans.

MOTHERS RAISING THEIR CHILDREN ON THEIR OWN

Bandages, like all mustelids, live alone. Each meeting with a relative leads to a battle, during which many different sounds can be heard. Only during estrus do males and females come together to mate, and fights between rival males occur. Immediately after mating, the male leaves. After two months of pregnancy, the female gives birth to four to five cubs. A mother takes care of her blind and helpless babies in her own home. The offspring become independent after three months, and after nine months the bandages can reproduce.

Home-raised young animals taken from wildlife or nurseries, become tame. They are often trained to hunt rabbits and mice. The fur of the bandages has a beautiful color: on the underside of the body it is dark brown, and on the back it is almost white with a light brown pattern, but of rather low quality, so the bandages were never bred. Captive bandages can live up to nine years, but their lifespan in the wild is unknown.

A BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF

Bandage (Vormela peregusna)

  • Class mammals.
  • Predator squad.
  • Mustelidae family.
  • Distribution: steppes, semi-deserts and deserts of Eurasia.
  • Body length with head: 27-35 cm.
  • Weight: 370-710 g.
  • Diet: small rodents, chicks, eggs, reptiles, insects.
  • Puberty: from 9 months.
  • Duration of pregnancy: 56-63 days.
  • Number of cubs: 4-5.
  • Lifespan: up to 9 years (in captivity).

What associations do you have when you hear the word “dressing”? Probably a hospital, cotton wool bandages and everything connected with some kind of wound. But this is exactly what the little animal called the ferret bandage is called.

Ferret dressing

Ferret dressing

This animal belongs to carnivorous mammal family of mustelids.

They are found in Eastern Europe and in Asia. The animal itself is a true “steppe dweller”, and therefore inhabits dry areas where there are no trees. And these are steppes and semi-deserts.

The plowing of the Russian steppes has driven the animal much further south and to the states closest to us where the polecat is found - Ukraine and Moldova. They are also found in Azeibarjan (Absheron), Transcaucasia and Central Asia.

The bandage does not return to plowed lands and this is not due to the presence of humans, but to the absence of its main food - rodents. Currently, she does not so much avoid being around people: she has been met in villages, in vegetable gardens, melon fields, and even in the parks of some southern cities.

Ferret dressing


Ferret dressing

It can also climb mountains to a height of up to 3500 m and tirelessly pursues it everywhere.

Having killed and eaten the owner of the mink, the bandage slightly expands his home and can live there. She catches all rodents that can be found, but she will not refuse a hare, bird, lizard or frog. Can also enjoy berries.

By appearance the banded ferret is similar to the steppe and forest ferret, but is much smaller in size. Body type with an elongated body, the length of which reaches from 29 to 38 cm and weight from 370 to 730 g.

Ferret dressing


Ferret dressing

The upper body is dark brown, covered with yellow spots and stripes. Bottom part body-black. And the muzzle is black and white. The ears are large, and the tail is fluffy with a tassel.

The ferret has been identified as a special zoological genus and has been awarded this special attention for some differences from other ferrets. Here is the behavior, and a growl instead of a chirp, and an appearance - a blunt muzzle, large ears, a fluffy tail and motley coloring.

Scientists explain this coloring in two ways. On the one hand, she doesn’t seem to need it. After all, the bandage lives in burrows, chasing rodents in the dark. However, it is known that variegated coloring is a deterrent; it is often worn by stinging and poisonous animals, such as wasps, salamanders, and skunks.

In case of danger, the bandage raises its motley fur upward and points its tail forward. This appearance should scare off the enemy, but if such actions do not help, she sprays an unpleasant-smelling secretion from the anal gland.

Ferret dressing


Ferret dressing

This animal does not have many enemies - the secret acts as a remedy psychic attack. However, other ferrets also defend themselves this way.

It is known that pregnancy in bandages lasts up to 11 months, after which from 1 to 8 small and blind babies are born. Newborns are a little more than 8 cm long and weigh 3.5 g. But they grow quickly and within a month they wean themselves off mother’s milk.


This small, secretive animal has not suffered much from human predation. Unlike other mustelids, the bandage is not endowed with commercial fur. However, at the present time, two subtypes of dressing are in the Red Book.

The reason is that their habitats have been converted into agricultural land. But the bandage is capable of adaptation and can settle on cultivated lands. In addition, there is another human strategy - captive breeding.