ХОРЁК

a Ferret

Vocabulary:

ПОТРЕНИРУЙТЕ СЛОВА

Краткое описание хорька

Look at the picture. You can see a ferret standing on a light surface. It has a long slender body with a flexible spine. A narrow neck holds a small head with a pointed muzzle. Short rounded ears sit high on the head. Dark alert eyes look up. Long white whiskers stick out from the cheeks. The fur is brown with darker legs and a pale mask on the face. The front paws are short with sharp claws. The back legs are strong for quick turns. A long tail tapers to a darker tip. The animal looks curious and ready to move.

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15 Интересных фактов о хорьке

Ferrets belong to the family Mustelidae; the domestic ferret is Mustela putorius furo. They are close relatives of polecats, weasels, and minks and are skilled carnivores. Typical body length is 40–50 cm including the tail. Adult weight is usually 0.7–2.0 kg depending on sex and build. In captivity they often sleep 14–18 hours a day and are most active at dusk. The female’s gestation lasts about 42 days. A typical litter has 5–10 kits. Ferrets have a very flexible spine and can twist quickly while hunting in burrows. They use sensitive whiskers for navigation in narrow tunnels. Special scent glands can release a light musk when they are excited. Their hearing is keen, and they communicate with soft clucks and hisses. Ferrets molt seasonally, changing coat thickness with temperature and light. Average pet lifespan is about 6–10 years. They are curious and can be trained to come for food and walk on a harness. In many countries ferrets help control rodents by entering holes where larger animals cannot go.

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