The long-tailed weasel likes its prey to be fresh or alive. It only eats the carrion stored in its burrows. Its mainly hunts animals such as mice, rats, squirrels, chipmunks, shrews, moles and rabbits. Sometimes, it may eat small birds, bird eggs, reptiles, amphibians, fish, earthworms and some insects. The long-tailed weasel has also been seen eating bats. It sometimes kill animals in big numbers, usually in spring when the kits are being fed, and again in autumn. Some of the surplus kills may be stored, but are usually left uneaten. When stealing eggs, the long-tailed weasel removes each egg from its nest one at a time. It carries them in its mouth to a safe place. It bites off the top and licks out the fluids in the egg. If they have babies in the burrow they may hold it in their mouth all the way back to them.