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Drakyris — Polecat/Stoat/Weasel Differences

#differences #ermine #ferret #fur #mink #pelt #stoat #taxidermy #weasel
Published: 2014-11-07 09:29:32 +0000 UTC; Views: 3547; Favourites: 9; Downloads: 0
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Description A lot of people get Polecats/Ferrets, Stoats and Weasels mixed up... so I made a quick thing! 

Polecats/Ferrets are by far the largest of the three. Though having similar bodies and shape, it is pretty easy to tell a ferret from a stoat from its distinctive dark facial mask, that makes it look like a little bandit. It is also bigger and larger than stoats. Ferrets can grow up to a size of 68cm, nearly double the size of a stoat.

The easiest way to identify a stoat is by their tail. They have a black tip of fur at the end of their tail. Also, Stoat and Ermine are different names for the same species. The name "Ermine" is used to specify a Stoat in it's winter fur coat, which is pure white but keeps the black tail tip. Example of that -> gyazo.com/2692cc6c92ddb7699789… Correct me if I'm wrong, but I heard that the term came about because of their scientific name, (Mustela erminea.) Also, perhaps it became a name because royals used to specifically fancy the winter white fur as collars or for their cloaks, you know that typical white and black spotty collar they'd have? That's stoat/ermine fur.

Weasels are much smaller than stoats, have much shorter tails which have no black on them at all... (y) 

Also in the Mustelidae family is the North American Mink, which I have a picture of below -  They can come in many colours when ranch farmed for their fur. But when they are wild, most frequently they are dark brown and often have a white patches on their lower jaw... like mine!

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Hope that helped you, if you were having trouble differentiating!  


Don't like? Don't look.
Yes, this animal is 100% real and dead. No, it was not killed by/for me. It's fur/hide/bone has been preserved for taxidermy, and spiritual purpose, and ultimately to be appreciated.  I love all animals and I treat all of my pelts with upmost respect... Any flaming comments will be flagged as spam/deleted. If you want to ask me anything, please do so politely. Respect my craft, and I'll be happy to answer any questions. Thank you.

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Comments: 14

Howlecho [2014-11-08 01:15:33 +0000 UTC]

I never knew ferrets were also called polecats.... XD There was a ginger roadkill ferret in my street a few months ago but I didn't feel right wanting to take it as it must have been someones pet poor thing.

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Drakyris In reply to Howlecho [2014-11-08 18:51:06 +0000 UTC]

Yeah ferret is the domesticated form of a polecat. I didn't know until a week ago, ehehe. xD
Aww, yeah I understand. It could have been, or it could've been a wild polecat. But if it was ginger then it's likely it was a pet which was bred for that colour?

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Howlecho In reply to Drakyris [2014-11-09 20:05:02 +0000 UTC]

Very cool haha. I like learning new things.

seeing as we don't have polecats where I live I'm guessing it was an escaped pet. It was quite funny as my dog pulled me straight over to it and I was just like 'oh what's this fuzzy ball of ginger fluff.... ooh it's a ferret!'

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Drakyris In reply to Howlecho [2014-12-07 05:06:15 +0000 UTC]

Glad I could help then!

Haha, that's funny. I bet it was a shock, I would've been confused. xD

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CabinetCuriosities [2014-11-07 12:50:02 +0000 UTC]

Oh that's a tiny polecat! That's one of the polecats we got in the past.

What do you plan to do with the pelt?

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Drakyris In reply to CabinetCuriosities [2014-11-07 12:54:32 +0000 UTC]

Woahhhh, it's hard to believe they're the same thing! Yours is huge! ;O; ... Also, I can almost smell the blood just by looking at that picture, he looks pretty smelly. xD

It's salted right now, but I plan on tanning and mounting it myself as practice. Perhaps a soft mount, since polecats/ferrets are quite bendy and flexible.

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CabinetCuriosities In reply to Drakyris [2014-11-07 12:57:53 +0000 UTC]

It was horrible to skin and very, very smelly.
And so fat that I had problems to lift it longer than a few seconds and I was loosing my grip all the time since the table and the animal itself were so oily.
Sadly the pelt got ruined by the one who tanned it

I am looking forward to the result!

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Drakyris In reply to CabinetCuriosities [2014-11-07 13:14:51 +0000 UTC]

Oh wow, yeah I didn't have a great time skinning myself. Mine wasn't oily, but I swear I popped a scent gland or something, near the genitals... because I had to run out the room and grab an air freshener. Not a nice smell at all.

Damn, that's such a shame. It's such a nice tubby looking animal!

Aw thank you! I'll be sure to let you see it!

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CabinetCuriosities In reply to Drakyris [2014-11-07 20:37:33 +0000 UTC]

Oh yes... the scent gland.
Polecats do smell without cutting it. But cutting it is like sticking your nose up to satan's ass.
Horrible.

Thanks!

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Drakyris In reply to CabinetCuriosities [2014-11-07 21:22:21 +0000 UTC]

I know! Phewwww... Nothing I'd want to repeat! ;O;
It happened with the stoat too, but wasn't as bad smelling...

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Jewel-Wing [2014-11-07 12:18:10 +0000 UTC]

Really interesting comparison I would have thought the polecat would have been much bigger than the stoat.

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Drakyris In reply to Jewel-Wing [2014-11-07 12:28:05 +0000 UTC]

Thanks, b-but the polecat/ferret is the biggest.

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Jewel-Wing In reply to Drakyris [2014-11-07 12:53:48 +0000 UTC]

It's only a little bigger whereas I thought the difference would be huge

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Drakyris In reply to Jewel-Wing [2014-11-07 13:15:54 +0000 UTC]

Oh I see, no there wasn't much size difference at all. The polecat was just a little fatter, and slightly longer. 

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