weasel or ferret......or are they the same thing

[AutomaticGal]

are they?

[good_egg]

weasels are tiny little things, maybe 10 inches long including the tail, reddish brown with a white belly. Ferrets or polecats are much bigger. colouring tends to be pale close to the body but with darker guard hair and markings on the face as if were wearing a mask. True wild polecats are pretty rare, tho starting to pick up a bit. Escaped ferrets are probably more common, and the colouring of them can vary from dark to all but blonde.

just to confuse you that little bit more, theres stoats, that kindve sit in the middle, maybe 15-16 inches including tail. stoats have a black tip to the tail, and are more brown as opposed to the weasels red, but also have the white belly.

[showcatbenga]

Just to add, that stoats turn white in Winter with a black tip to the tail. From the bad old days of using them for their fur this is called 'ermine' & the black part refered to as 'tips'. Only seen nowdays on ceremonial robes, collar & hem - like the Queen's coronation robes.