Stoat/Weasel Homes

[sometimes]

This is a bit off the wall but, I'm doing some 'work' in my small garden at the moment. I'm fortunate enough to have it back onto an arable field. I've a quantity of 18" square paving slabs which have been lifted from an unwanted patio. I was wondering if it was possible to place them in such a way as to provide an environment for stoats/weasels? What sort of volume of space might they want? I guess there might be a chance that mice/rats might take up residence, so I'd have to be wary of that. Is the idea a complete non-starter? At the end of the day the slabs will be there, I might as well arrange them to the benefit of wildlife.

[The Woodman]

No, I don't think it's a non starter sometimes, not off the wall at all but good thinking.

Both species love tunnels and paving slabs forming the roof of tunnels either by elevating them on the narrow sides of bricks or stones or by propping them up against an existing wall may well encourage them to hunt or even den up.

If mice, voles and rats do take up residence, Stoats and weasels will be attracted to them as prey.

Both species like to scan their surroundings regularly so if, for example, you are thinking of laying a row of slabs, leave a gap of 2" between each one so that they can "spy" the area.

18" square slabs will make a very wide tunnel, consider cutting them in half either by hand with a bolster chisel or with a cutting disc.

Other species will benefit such as toads, frogs and newts.

Good luck.

[sometimes]

Thanks for that.
The boundary between my garden and 'the field' is a double row hedge about 3 feet wide (it was planted with native shrubs when the house was built. i may able to wangle something in there so it would have particularly close 'footfall'. I let my mind fester on the idea as I'm doing some other bits and pieces......