Beech marten - what kind of animal is it?
The beech marten, also called the stone marten, is a small carnivorous mammal belonging to the mustelidae family.
The lifespan of a marten is about 10 years, although there is a known case where a marten lived up to 18 years. Beech martens are found naturally in Europe, America and Asian countries. We will not find this mammal throughout Europe, only in the British Isles and in cooler places such as the Scandinavian countries, Estonia, northern Russia and Denmark. The marten is also absent from the Mediterranean islands. Currently, martens live mainly in buildings and structures that are rarely visited by people (outbuildings, barns, attics and ruins).
What does a beech marten look like? How to recognize it?
The fur color of the beech marten can vary from dark brown to gray. A characteristic feature is the stripe on the marten's neck, reminiscent of a white tie, which stretches to the chest. However, there are exceptions when the marten does not have this special sign.
Martens do not have hair on the soles of their feet, and the softness of the pads makes the animal move very quietly. The marten is similar in size to a cat, but slimmer. The beech marten is about 50 cm long (without tail).
An interesting fact is that the beech marten can jump up to 3 meters. In addition, she is an excellent climber, so the gap in the roof is enough for the marten to settle in the attic. She has very sharp teeth and strong paws.
Other types of martens
In addition to the beech marten, American martens, Japanese martens, piscivorous martens, Tamil martens and yellow-throated martens are also found in nature. In Russia you can only find domestic and pine martens, so we will focus on these species.
What does the pine marten look like and how does it differ from the beech marten? The pine marten is primarily larger than the beech marten. She does not have a white collar stripe that extends to her chest, but has a yellow or orange patch on her neck. Legs are very hairy. She also has a different fur color that changes depending on the season. In summer the fur is short and dull, and in winter it is fluffy and shiny. Its color is darker than that of the beech marten.
How to recognize whether a marten has settled in the attic?
The marten can be easily recognized: by the noise in the attic, by the destruction of insulation, by damaged cables. If a marten is in the attic, we will know about it, for example, by the presence of feces with a very unpleasant odor. There may be dead birds, rodents, and other small animals in the area. Martens feed on them and bring them to their shelter for later consumption. There may be holes in the material on the roof - this is a very characteristic sign of the presence of martens in the house. In addition, these animals make noise by knocking over objects or hissing. A marten can reveal its presence outside the home, for example, by cutting wires in a car.
How much can you earn from breeding minks?
Breeding minks as a business is an interesting idea for breeding fur-bearing animals.
Very few species of animals with valuable fur can be bred in captivity. And minks are just one of these. Moreover, the demand for finished products is very high - many ladies prefer to buy winter fur clothes made from this noble animal.
Moreover, they are ready to purchase not only fur coats and vests, but also accessories for their wardrobe - warm mittens, large collars, beautiful scarves. For many, the presence of a mink coat is an indicator of well-being. It's no wonder women love these clothes so much. Hence the high demand for mink fur.
Therefore, if a businessman wants to open a profitable and profitable business, then raising these animals will allow him to more than return his investments and start making good money. But you need to approach opening a mink farm responsibly - you need to think through your actions in advance, study the legislation, and receive all the necessary orders , understand how to raise animals.
When attempts to get rid of martens are unsuccessful... Why does this happen?
You probably have a marten at home and are unable to lure it out since you are reading this article. A trap has been purchased, and so has a repellent device, but the marten still won’t leave the attic... The problem with getting rid of this animal is twofold: firstly, martens are neophobic, that is, they are afraid of new things. If a new object (such as a deterrent or trap) appears nearby, they will avoid colliding with it. However, over time, the marten may get used to these means and will no longer react.
The second problem is the marten's sensitivity to odors. There is a lot written on the Internet about the amazing deterrent effect of broken eggs. Admittedly, this is one of the effective methods, but only if you do not touch it with your bare hands. If we don't follow this rule, the marten will smell the person and pass by the egg.
How to get rid of beech marten.
How much can you earn from breeding minks?
11362 June 2, 2022 Reading time 9 minutes Mink farming as a business is an interesting idea for breeding fur-bearing animals.
Very few species of animals with valuable fur can be bred in captivity. And minks are just one of these. Moreover, the demand for finished products is very high - many ladies prefer to buy winter fur clothes made from this noble animal.
Moreover, they are ready to purchase not only fur coats and vests, but also accessories for their wardrobe - warm mittens, large collars, beautiful scarves. For many, having a mink coat is an indicator of well-being.
It's no wonder women love these clothes so much. But you need to approach opening a mink farm
How to get rid of marten? Effective ways
Method of fighting martens - repellent odors
Martens have a very sensitive sense of smell, which should be used against these pests. For example, the smell of dog hair can repel this animal. There are ready-made liquid scents available on the market that will repel both martens and other rodents.
It was also believed that the smell of the toilet cube would repel the marten. This is an effective solution as long as we do not leave human body odor (we must wear gloves). You must also change the scent from time to time (for example, first the smell of dog hair, then the toilet block) for the methods to be effective, because the marten quickly gets used to even very unpleasant odors.
The method of fighting martens is a live trap.
Marten traps are often ineffective due to improper use. A trap with a tempting treat (for example, an egg or bread with honey) should lie in the attic for at least a few days so that the marten gets used to the smell. Only after time passes, when the food starts to disappear, should we unlock it. Be careful not to leave any human scent behind.
The method of fighting the marten is a deterrent
Acoustic deterrence can be an effective method. The marten repeller operates at an audio frequency in the range from 7 to 65 kHz. This type of device should be installed on a wall or under a roof. However, this is not a long-term method, since the marten will eventually get used to the sound. The Sonic Repeller, unfortunately, can be a double-edged sword if you have other animals in your home who will also hear the ultrasound.
How to get rid of martens - electric shepherd
An electric shepherd can also be effective. It is installed along the eaves of the roof, usually at the gutters. Low voltage may discourage martens from visiting our attic. Be sure to plug any holes or holes through which martens enter your home. We don't have to do this work during the day as we can trap the animal in the attic - we do this after dark when the animal comes out of its den in search of food. Secure attic windows with mesh and apply bird tape to gutters.
Homemade traps
Some farmers catch animals with homemade traps.
The simplest version of the device is a bucket or box with a support. The bait is a piece of meat containing a large volume of blood.
The support is positioned so that the animal knocks it down by pulling the bait. The downside of the trap is the need for constant checking, otherwise the ferret will have time to get out. The caught animal must be removed quickly.
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More reliable is a cage that has a vertically lowering door held open by a rope, which is released as soon as the bait is touched. To attract the animal, meat is taken with copious amounts of blood.
Care should be taken when removing a captured ferret. The teeth of polecats, martens, and weasels are very sharp, easily bite through the skin, and damage joints.
A wild animal may be infected with the rabies virus. Thick, thick mittens are put on your hands, and thick leather gloves underneath. It is convenient to use a lasso when getting a predator out of a trap.
You should not try to tear off a ferret that has grabbed your hand: the injury will be worse. The animal's nose is pinched to loosen its grip, then a wooden stick is inserted between the jaws and the mouth is opened.
A cage with a vertically lowering door is more reliable.
After being bitten, you should immediately seek medical help and get vaccinated against rabies. You should try to take your ferret to a veterinary laboratory for diagnosis.
What to do with the captured animal is up to the poultry farmer to decide. If possible, you can act humanely: release the ferret far into the forest, from where the animal cannot return. When long-distance release is not possible, the pest must be destroyed. The skin of a healthy animal is used.
Some farmers know how to catch polecats with a rope lasso. The method is complex and requires experience. If the hunter's skill is insufficient, the animal will easily escape the noose and become more careful.
Important! Experts do not recommend using homemade products for catching polecats, but recommend professional devices that provide guaranteed results.
How to get rid of martens and protect your roof from martens
If you don't want martens getting into your attic, you need to properly design your roof and attic - prevention is better than cure. How to effectively block a marten's path to the roof? The most important thing is that there are no places through which martens can get into the attic. The entrance to the roof must be tightly closed. It is worth keeping an eye on roofers, because even a small leak in the roof will allow martens to get inside. In addition, ventilation and other openings should be covered with steel grilles or perforated metal strips.
Roof ventilation.
In addition to the sprue installed between the cornice strip and the trim, use heavy-duty metal perforated tape. It will cover all inlet holes under the cover. Install tight screens in shingles and chimneys. The same caps are used along the ridge gap.
Soffit is an important element of roof finishing. Regardless of what material it is made of, it must be fastened firmly and tightly. Air enters the soffit through tightly spaced small-diameter holes. The holes can be replaced with fine-mesh metal gratings.
Soffit is an important element of roof finishing.
Insulating rafters can provide effective protection against martens. Mineral wool, laid on top of a rigid sheathing and tightly insulated with roofing felt, is an insurmountable obstacle. It is interesting to note that martens do not like polystyrene foam, especially XPS or PIR boards - they are annoyed by the squeaking noise that occurs when they bite or scratch holes in these insulating layers.
How to start a sable breeding business at home?
Nowadays, many people have ideas about opening their own business, which would not only help correct their shaky financial situation, but also arouse a new interest in life, bring pleasure and joy.
Hence the high demand for mink fur. Therefore, if a businessman wants to open a profitable and profitable business, then raising these animals will allow him to more than return his investments and start making good money.
Such a project undoubtedly carries a certain amount of risk, because it is always associated with some costs. One of the attractive ideas is to organize your own sable farm. Taking into account the specific popularity of the fur of this fur-bearing animal, bred only in our country, one can expect a fairly good effect from the implementation.
The content of the article
As with starting any business, you first need to register with the tax office and immediately begin preparing the necessary package of documents for starting a farm.
