Mole cub: photos and features of little moles
Everyone is familiar with such interesting animals as moles. Newborn moles are similar to mice and small rats. At birth, they are completely helpless.
Content
What do moles look like: photo
Description
The cubs are born naked, blind, toothless. Their weight is up to 3 g. Babies have an excellent appetite. They gain weight quickly. After 7 days, a soft yellow fluff appears on the body and the eyes begin to open.
The appearance of a mole cub is influenced by the period of growing up. The first week is not very attractive. The body is pink without hair. After 2 weeks, the animals become cute creatures with short fur, as well as small round eyes and large front paws.
Reaching the age of one month, they can be safely compared with adult. In length, the animal reaches 16 cm, the length of the tail is up to 4 cm. Weight - 120 g.
breeding season
Moles: masters and aggressors.
Animals lead an underground lifestyle. The mating period involves leaving the burrows to search for a mate. Males often fight for females.
The mating season falls on April and May. The gestation period varies from a month to one and a half. The duration of this period depends on the type of animal. Accordingly, they are born in June or July. One litter consists of 3-9 cubs.
The females are not particularly fertile. There can only be one litter per season. A great rarity is the appearance of a second offspring.
Food
The females take great care of their offspring. They feed babies with milk. Moles eat well, which contributes to good development. Within a month, teeth are formed and claws grow. Animals begin to eat solid food. A hungry baby cannot live more than 17 hours without food.
mature offspring
At 1,5 - 2 months, the baby becomes an adult. It can kill mice, frogs, snakes. Mature individuals are aggressive towards each other. On day 35, they can leave the nest in search of a new home. At this moment, animals often die from the attack of predators or they are knocked down by cars.
At 2 months, a separate burrow is built, which has numerous labyrinths. During the day, the animal is able to plow up to 45 m of land. The volume of the daily ration is equal to its own weight. The mole is looking for food for stockpiling.
The pest eats several times a day. The digestion process reaches 5 hours. Sleeps between meals. The diet consists of:
- worms;
- caterpillars;
- urine;
- larvae;
- slugs
- snails;
- bear;
- spiders;
- centipedes.
The natural enemies of moles can be called cats, dogs, foxes, wolves, hedgehogs.
Length and lifestyle
In the wild, the mole lives from 2 to 5 years. The offspring survive almost always due to the absence of enemies underground. The gestation period and the birth of one litter keeps the females healthy and vitality. The life expectancy of males and females is the same.
Young moles are very affectionate. However, as they grow up, they become quarrelsome and pugnacious.
Adults arrange fights. They tend to bite the enemy. They are incapable of empathy. In case of danger and the threat of death, they do not come to the rescue. In such cases, they settle in the burrows of the dead. Only the mating season can force them to unite.
Labyrinths can be at different depths. It depends on the type of soil. In loose and moist soil, they make a small depth for holes, and in dry soil - more than 20 cm.
Under the forest path, the animal makes the deepest tunnel. The nest is located at least 1,5 m from the ground. It is lined with leaves and grass.
In the summer they choose a lowland, in the spring they prefer a hill. In spring, males tend to expand their home. This is due to the fact that the search for a female begins.
Moles have poor eyesight. It doesn't really matter underground. They are afraid of sunlight, but they distinguish:
- contrasting colors;
- light from darkness;
- objects in motion;
- large items.
If the mole first settled on the site, gardeners need to act quickly and efficiently. First, recognize the enemy "by sight", then move on to protecting property.
Conclusion
Pregnancy of moles does not have a negative impact on life, and young offspring quickly become independent and build a separate dwelling.
