The young are weaned after 22-25 days, after which they are fully independent of their mothers. When disturbed from the nest, the young will sometimes follow their mother in a caravan fashion, using their mouths to hold on to the tail of the sibling in front. Their main predators are owls, but they are also hunted by weasels, stoats and foxes. Domestic cats often kill shrews but they are apparently distasteful to them and are rarely eaten. British shrews are protected by the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981, and it is an offence to kill them without a special licence.
Common shrews are the second most common British mammal.