They are amazing. I wish I had met you about 15 years ago! DH and I were living with his parents and we had a couple of raccoons that managed to get into one of garages every single night. They were very ill behaved- as in pooping everywhere. They would try to get into the horse feed. Had I know about feeding them I would have! They destroyed the big carrier that we used on the top of the car for vacations. They were certainly not afraid of us either! I smoked back then and I would go out and stand by my MIL's car. One night the dog followed me out. Now, there are no street lights where they lived, they had 9 acres with "forest" around them. I felt something brush my leg. It hit me at about hip high. So I started petting it, thinking it was Nellie, the dog. Um, nope- it was Mr. Raccoon checking to see if I had anything good in my pockets! Scared the life out of me! I screamed and ran one direction, he screamed and ran the other.

But I loved to watch them. They did a lot of bathing in our pool. It was a little above ground one for the kids. Mama would wash her babies right there!

Trish

I love watching the racoons when we RV at the lake. Dumb campers get their ice chest ransacked. You have to have a ice chest that locks. Ask me how I know. LOL!

We were robbed of eggs, bacon, steaks, and chicken. Didn't touch the milk. LOL! You should have seen the mess.

The problem with feeding them is they tell their friends and you end up feeding a multitude.

"The raccoon mafia" LOL

I know how destructive they can be, but boy, they're cute!!

This Spring I began throwing out ears of corn for a mother raccoon and her two kits. Soon that wasn't enough and she and other coons began emptying the bird feeder and finally ripped it apart. They would start arriving right before dusk. Besides that, I would be awakened by terrible critter fights out there - such noises I never heard before - scary! So I stopped filling the feeder and eventually stopped buying corn. To tell you the truth I was afraid for my cat!

They are beautiful though. Now the field corn is nearly ready so they'll have plenty to fill their bellies.

Oh, wanted to say how much I enjoyed your photos, marilyn. And I wouldn't have believed that they get along with cats, like I said I was afraid they would attack mine.

The don't bother the cats or the possums...eat side by side, although I don't purposely feed the cats with the raccoons, but they will come up and eat the cats' food. I try to get the cats fed early, although the old raccoon that lives in my yard will come out in the early afternoon and eat cat food.

I've always wondered how you got started rehabbing. Congratulations on another win--I think you should buy a lottery ticket!

The Mafia!!! That is so funny but I know exactly what you mean. It's the lesser of two evils. I see so many of them run over around here. I enjoy your postings so much so I just stopped by to say so. Keep up the good work.

Darling pictures. I always love seeing your pics. I too would have thought that the coons would attack the cats. To see them all eating together is just amazing to me.

In Ohio we fed a momma and her babies on our back deck every night. They were such fun to watch. After the babies were full grown, they all left. Momma had parked one baby on a pile of cement blocks we had. I got pet the baby. They sure are cute.

It's fun to see the pictures and see the coons and cats eating together but I never met a coon that I really liked. They are mean and vicious when they want to be and will kill for the sport of it. I have had them raid my chicken house and just cause a melee leaving a wake of dead chickens..night after night...It is very heart breaking to have to endure their viciousness.......once they find your place, they will come until you kill them or there is nothing left for them to kill or eat..they will eat a bit and then go chase another. I have found that they can get into just about anything that a human being can build. I had a Mama duck that decided to build a nest and set on her eggs. When I found her, I tried to secure her as best I could and managed for nearly the whole period of time but before the hatch, they got to her...killed her and tromped through destroying most of the eggs....You can stand there watching them and they will shoot a bird at you they are so reckless...shoot at them and in 5 minutes they will come back and say, let's try that again...........

I am enjoying your photos too, marilyn. I had a pet raccoon way back in the early 70's but he got mean and ended up going to someone who did rescue. His name was Ronnie and he was fun, for awhile.
We have never seen one around here, maybe they don't like the desert much !

I pen my chickens up every night...they can't get to them, but if any get left out, chances are they will be eaten by morning. During the day they don't bother them. Although some coons come to the cat food dishes.

I like all wild life....in it's place.

I hope your animals have had their rabies shots.

Congratulations on the pet food -- I'm happy for you and the critters!

* Posted by vala55 (My Page) on
Sun, Sep 5, 10 at 17:28

I like all wild life....in it's place.

And what place would that be, whatever is left after habitat destruction??

Marilyn, congrats on winning the horse feed and getting all those donations.

Not mixing with my pets, even if they have had their shots. They could be killed.

I am sure Marilyn knows exactly what she is doing and would not willingly jeopardize her pets.