Weasel war dance
The weasel war dance is a colloquial term for a behavior of excited ferrets and weasels. In wild animals, it is speculated that this dance is used to confuse or disorient prey.[1] In domestic animals, the war dance usually follows play or the successful capture of a toy or a stolen object and is commonly held to mean that the ferret is thoroughly enjoying itself.[citation needed] It consists of a frenzied series of sideways and backwards hops, often accompanied by an arched back, and a frizzy tail. Ferrets are notoriously clumsy in their surroundings during their dance and will often bump into or fall over objects and furniture.[2] Most often, the act includes a clucking vocalization, commonly known as "dooking". It normally indicates happiness. Although the weasel war dance may make a ferret appear frightened or angry, they are often just excited and are usually harmless to humans. The stoat (also known as the Ermine or the Short-tailed weasel) often employs a "war dance" to transfix and attack rabbits.
References
- ↑ King, Carolyn M. et al The Natural History of Weasels and Stoats , P. 120
- ↑ Balmain, David (2008). Ferret. O'Reilly Media, Inc. p. 101. Retrieved June 9, 2011.
External links
- Ferret doing war dance in snow
- Pet weasel doing war dance against fur garment
- Wild Stoat performing a war dance while hunting rabbits