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Raccoon Roaming Welby

Discussion in 'Nature/Habitat/Garden Corner' started by bazoda, May 1, 2009.

  1. GeauxTigers

    GeauxTigers Member

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    Late last year one of these "sweetie pie" welby raccoons jumped toward and snapped at me when I cornered it unknowingly in the dark between my car and the closed garage door just after dusk. After I backed off and it had a chance to run away, I noticed it was feasting on some garbage that had been recently put out. I then saw the loose plastic bag ripped open a few doors down with a trail of garbage. I am not trying to make a statement against the raccoons as they have every right to exist here, however I do think there is an inherent danger when we invite them closer.
     
  2. Ozgood

    Ozgood Not a space alien

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    I never knew that. Thanks for posting this and the rest of the interesting information. When I was living in CA we had an extended family of racoons living near us. We never had any problems with them and enjoyed that aspect of nature.
     
  3. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    Your neighbor should have been using their trash can instead of a bag on the curb. A bag full of yummy chicken leftovers, other meats, veggies, etc, will attract cats and other animals, not just raccoons...

    I'm just making a general comment about the trash attracting wild animals and NOT about your experience with the raccoon which I understand would probably freak me out as well...
     
  4. GeauxTigers

    GeauxTigers Member

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    Certainly my experience directly resulted from a neighbor's negligence and I agree that this particular situation would have been preventable by everyone just doing what they are supposed to do. On that note though, this could have very well happened by me going out my back door in the evening and unintentionally cornering a raccoon while it's feeding from my neighbor's bird feeder/etc. My main point is we are taming these otherwise wild animals to the point where they become indifferent to human proximity however this changes drastically once you get just a little too close to them. While I wouldn't mind feeding the birds/etc, I don't wont the unintended consequences of feeding the other animals that could pose a threat to myself or worse my 2 year old. I do enjoy seeing the random climbing/playing in the trees of the raccoons at dusk behind my deck, but that is about as close as I'd like to invite them.

    On another note, I am not sure if it is common here but where I grew up it is very common for raccoons to break their way into the eaves of homes and make nests in attics. I guess the modern style of house around here are a little too tall to enable this.
     
  5. polar8825

    polar8825 Human Propulsion Expert

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    Right you are, Monday morning at 0600 I emerged from the house to a turkey vulture and a crow picking apart my neighbors garbage, and generally making a real mess of things.

    If I put the garbage outside in just a bag, I wait until the morning of pickup to cut down on the wild interlopers enjoying a midnight feast.
     
  6. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Mamma raccoon just showed up with 3 or 4 little ones (very little)! One heard a noise or something and three of them climbed up a tree. They're adorable!
     
  7. napper

    napper New Member

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    Awwww....I can't wait to see them!!
     
  8. chattycat

    chattycat Member

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  9. jcrosby

    jcrosby New Member

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    Our home backs to woods and we have a raccoon destroying the grass in our back yard. Does anyone have advise on what will stop them?
     
  10. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    What are they doing to your lawn?
     
  11. jcrosby

    jcrosby New Member

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    Maybe digging for food under the grass???? My hubby has treated for grubs as we have been told that they could be after them. It looks as if someone took a shovel and rolled back our grass. The raccoon doesnt bother neighbor's yard on either side of us.
     
  12. KTdid

    KTdid Well-Known Member

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    Are you sure it's not your neighbor doing it?:scaredeyes:
     
  13. jcrosby

    jcrosby New Member

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    We have seen the raccoon at work.
     
  14. Mr. Linux

    Mr. Linux Senior Member & Moderator Forum Staff

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    Maybe spray your lawn with a low concentration of cayenne pepper mixed with water?
     

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