Three nights ago when I opened the tin of marshmallows they came running over at break neck speed...
Last night they were taking a paw and batting the marshmallows out of my hand...
Tonight I said to Ken, "I think they could be my pets..." to which he replied, "I think they already are..."
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Noon-Aug 13 ... If you've just come across this, read Denise's @lyndemc comment below! She's my hero! What a delight it must have been!!!
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We're just back from trying to photograph the moon rise...a bit tricky in a cloudless sky. But if I came away with nothing, we watched it, immense and orange, come up over the hill behind the golf course...**Spectacular**! I hope I have something worthy of sharing, but we came home to the raccoons and I went with that first!
Just fantastic! It's so wonderful to have wild life come to your door. Years ago on the farm e had a possum who came for his nightly feed of apple and pear. Enjoy :)
@ceilidh@parisouailleurs For "a cat lady" these seem to be all I can muster up this summer...and no complaints you understand! They truly are a joy that they're learning to trust me, probably because they're so young. @gilbertwood We have "possums" back in California...then I remembered... you in Australia have "the beautiful possums"! I recall one following us on a walk way in Freycinet
Park in Tasmania...they're darling! @digitalrn I'll work on that Rick... @chard Yah...who's got whom trained... and they have the sweetest little pads on their feet...they leave very recognizable footprints! @lynnz Life up here decidedly leaves open the possibilities for "fun, entertainment, education and relaxation, just by doing it all"!, If it's not happening, well, shame on me!
You're having too much fun! Raccoons are so amusing to watch and even interact with. Living in the country where I do, I've had the pleasure of raising a few litters of motherless babies. Let me tell you, there's nothing quite like a young raccoon sitting on your lap, its little padded feet kneading your hands like crazy in the hopes there's something hidden there for it to eat. All mine have been rehab'ed back into the wild save for one who was hurt when the den tree he'd just been born in was felled. He stayed with us for nearly 11 very entertaining years.
@lyndemc If I still have anyone seeing this photo who hasn't yet commented, I directed them to your note here! What fun that must have been! As a child, my grandmother lived in a rural town of 400 in IL, and a boy in town had a pet raccoon...which probably began my love for them! Between the "purring" and the "kneading", they seem awfully cat like...and when God was assigning faces, they got good ones! Thanks so much for sharing all that! (Any further suggestions as to what they most like to eat? We've gone from cat food to dog food which isn't as expensive...since they eat a lot!...I save them fish scraps...mix a dollop of bacon fat with hot water to moisten the food... Well, they DO eat everything! Ken laughs as I'm doing thes and worrying about what to feed them...says, "Louise, they eat GRUBS!"..."They'll eat anything you feed them!" well...ha ha!
Cute! They sure are sweet - a little warning though (for when you are away) - if they decide they like it there and find a way to move in, it is disastrous. Racoons moved into a neighbors cottage and totally destroyed it. It is costing approx. $8000 to be cleaned out by professionals (and has to be done due to the toxic mess.)
@linah I certainly can appreciate a word of advice from one who lives locally! I have heard of such situations & it would be a hefty price to pay for "summer fun"! For sharing " the summer variety of animals" here, I have no doubt at all that the locals think I'm quite nuts! To hedge my bet, we do have neighbours who do a walk through twice a week when we're away... Thanks for the justifiable warning!
@Weezilou That's terrific you have someone to check up :) I hope I didn't sound "preachy" as that was not the intent ... I just know how upset our friends were and disheartened. They can't use their cottage at all this summer - and they are still waiting on the professionals to do their job. I love all wildlife too ... and racoons are just so cute.
@linah Absolutely NO offense taken! Here I am...big city girl, sashaying into rural Nova Scotia and flaunting all local propriety regarding the somewhat unpopular raccoons... I've heard it from every corner that I take too many risks with animals, but I've always felt a connection that draws me to them...go figure! (In Jr High I wrote to the San Diego Zoo and asked what preparations I needed to make to work there!) (Never did, however)... I suppose I could use a conventional house pet for a summer... Know of anyone who needs to board one?
I knew it was a Louise photo too. Great picture! I think many of us enjoy animals through your pictures. The closest I've ever got to a raccoon was at Beacon Hill Park, I took a close up picture of one in a tree. We used to see them roaming the neighborhood at our last place but they ran when they saw people.
EEeek Rabies! Hey, watch out. Next thing you know, they will be climbing the rain spout, tearing through you screens, climbing down the chimney and getting treats themselves. Crafty little buggers. And NASTY DIRTY! They get into your attic and then they do something called "toileting" It is what it sounds like. They use the same spot OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER and OVER... until one morning you find that there is water leaking through your roof into the room and damaging the sheet rock, but it ain't water. Plus they are big carriers for roundworm infections, and in certain areas leptospirosis, which is highly infectious to humans and neighborhood pets. They are cute, for sure, and I like them too. But just thought I would say something. It's a bad idea to feed them. And, sometimes they can give a REALLY nasty bite. Google Raccoon bite images.
@adambralston Oh, hello Adam...I didn't hear you come into the room ;)
I know when I post my animal photos I get those who (justifiably...I get it...) sound the alarm. Take a look at the tags...I have a friend who sounds a lot like you, so I left that note for him! I'll probably never be as sophisticated or sensible as women my age should be, but I'm enjoying myself as I pass this way... I won't, however, be carting one of these back to California with me!
Baylisascaris, the raccoon roundworm is capable of VLM (visceral larval migrans). It can actually land up in your central nervous system. You don't want these guys around. Trust me. Soon your yard will be full of them. And they also follow the same pattern every night. They hang out in "gangs" and you can actually map each gang's territory. They patrol the area every night. Once you are part of that territory, they will not forget, and they will tell their friends.
Anyway, felt like I needed to tell you. I know you are a clever woman, and know all this already likely. But, as a health professional, I needed to tell you to clear my conscience. They are cute, but wild animals. And should stay that way.
@adambralston I sincerely appreciate the information and with your background (that I recall seeing through some of your photos) will seriously consider your suggestions. We do have a friend who likes to come here with his dog, and I know he has (justifiable) concerns, so I will temper and phase this out before going further. I truly like this site for all I can (and have) learned from it. I always hate to back down if I think I'm not hurting anyone, but I see the good sense in what you say. Thanks for putting it in this fashion...I acquiesce...
@golftragic Adam gave me some very legitimate reasons to back off... I set food way out in the yard tonight instead of at the back door... And I just posted a picture of our "newcomer"...who spent a lot of time with us last summer... Some might call me fickle!
@Weezilou Since this has become a 'hot topic', perhaps I should elaborate a little on my situation in working with rehabilitating wild animals. I was licensed by the state of IL to work with raccoons (only) and in a very specific manner. The babies were kept in a quarantined area and handled only during feeding time with the goal of keeping them wild for their eventual return to the woods. The one little guy who sustained an injury that would've jeopardized his ability to hunt in the wild was the exception. He lived outdoors in a huge enclosure that was decorated to resemble as natural a setting as possible. He's the one that provided the experience of little coonie feet kneading and prying. It's definitely not something that should be attempted or allowed with a wild animal and I apologize if my earlier note suggested the wrong message. I shared my raccoon experience with you because of an equal interest in the joys of wildlife. I did not put forth any sort of warning as I feel you have an an intelligent sense of what's wise as well as an exceptional way with God's creatures. Some excellent advise has been shared concerning wild raccoons and their potential hazards though. Bummer about those risks, huh? Raccoons are so darn fun! (There I go again, saying positive things about 'coonies.)
@pyrrhula I read your note to Ken who said, "I doubt it"! Alone in the wild, they would never know they love sweets! Like small kids...after we give them their first birthday cake, they're hooked on sweets for life!
@pyrrhula Their "Marshmallow Daze*" are about at an end ;) While out this morning, we'll stop at the grocery for Kitty Treats and some nice food for Fred... :) (Daze* is a play on words for "Days"...they sound the same, but daze is "out of their mind...a little crazy" in this instance...) (Sorry if you already know that :)
Yes, please heed the warnings Louise. As cute as they are, they should be left as wild as possible for their safety and yours. The more you entice them to stay - the worse off they will be. Many will trap and kill them because they carry disease. Also, what no one has mentioned, is that raccoons can kill cats as well. We unfortunately saw it in our old neighbourhood. Here's an article from a couple of years ago: http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2011/07/21/gang_of_raccoons_snatches_family_cats.html
@kass Thanks, Kass...I truly do appreciate and can respond to the sincere concern of those who live their lives here and the health professionals who know whereof they speak. I can't bring myself to read your article...I hate dreadful images/stories that linger in my brain, but your warning is enough. Fred the Cat comes trotting in, and stays half the night with us, so I'm coaxing the raccoons further from the house until they're in our back driveway... Lesson learned :)
August 15th, 2014
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@gilbertwood We have "possums" back in California...then I remembered... you in Australia have "the beautiful possums"! I recall one following us on a walk way in Freycinet
Park in Tasmania...they're darling!
@digitalrn I'll work on that Rick...
@chard Yah...who's got whom trained... and they have the sweetest little pads on their feet...they leave very recognizable footprints!
@lynnz Life up here decidedly leaves open the possibilities for "fun, entertainment, education and relaxation, just by doing it all"!, If it's not happening, well, shame on me!
I know when I post my animal photos I get those who (justifiably...I get it...) sound the alarm. Take a look at the tags...I have a friend who sounds a lot like you, so I left that note for him! I'll probably never be as sophisticated or sensible as women my age should be, but I'm enjoying myself as I pass this way... I won't, however, be carting one of these back to California with me!
Baylisascaris, the raccoon roundworm is capable of VLM (visceral larval migrans). It can actually land up in your central nervous system. You don't want these guys around. Trust me. Soon your yard will be full of them. And they also follow the same pattern every night. They hang out in "gangs" and you can actually map each gang's territory. They patrol the area every night. Once you are part of that territory, they will not forget, and they will tell their friends.
Anyway, felt like I needed to tell you. I know you are a clever woman, and know all this already likely. But, as a health professional, I needed to tell you to clear my conscience. They are cute, but wild animals. And should stay that way.