This is how the next generation is growing up

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When are young marten born?

the Mating season for martens is in summer; it extends from June to August. Mating is followed by about seven months of dormancy, the so-called presentation time, during which the fertilized egg cell rests in the body of the marten. The actual gestation period does not begin until January / February and lasts only one month.
Marten Fae then have three to four young in March / April.

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Digression

Closed time for marten children

In order to save young martens from starving miserably, from March to mid-October is in almost all federal states Closed season. That means, martens are not allowed to be hunted at this time. Sensitive penalties await the perpetrators if the closed season is violated.

Characteristics of the newborn marten

Young marten are only 15cm tall and 30g in weight when they are born. At first you are completely blind and deaf. They only open their eyes after five weeks. They are suckled by their mother in the nest for two months.

The marten's nest

The marten's nest basically looks like a bird's nest; often martens even use abandoned bird's nest. The nests are built and padded from branches, leaves and straw. In contrast to bird nests, no feathers but hair or leaves are used for the upholstery.

The rearing of the young

The boys get their first teeth at the age of six weeks, and from the seventh week the mother marten begins to offer them solid food. From the ninth week onwards, the mother begins to take turns taking one of her cubs with her on the hunt to teach them how to hunt and how to orientate themselves. The little martens only begin to leave the nest from the age of four months. Do you have a marten's nest? on the roof, you will notice their presence at the latest now, usually in June, July or August.

Martens are only completely independent from the age of six months!