Anyone else keep the "pests" around?

[McChooky]

Feed them once and you've made a friend for life. They'll also eat your other little friends the ones that lay those lovely breakfast eggs

 

[NotabitaiI]

I live in quasi-suburbia (aka hell). We still have racoons, skunks, possums, owls, Hawks, ..etc. I personally let them be. Even when living rather remotely, the only thing I exterminated were ground squirrels. I had a foal break a leg in a hole out in pasture and I took that personally.

I'm sure you felt absolutely gutted!
I have six dogs and ten cats so all the little holes in my yard are from my own animals digging up moles and voles, then the goats keep it mowed down to a flat 3 inches and I can't see the holes, stepping in one will have me spilling feed, twisting my ankle, writhing in pain and sputtering insults but luckily I'm the only one who suffers consequences, I can't imagine if a foal ever broke a leg in one

 

[NotabitaiI]

Feed them once and you've made a friend for life. They'll also eat your other little friends the ones that lay those lovely breakfast eggs

In my experience whenever a skinny mama coon showed up and stole some cat foot (I left it out for her) and grabbed any leftover eggs she always respected my cats and my free ranging chickens. I have had several generations of racoons grow up in my car port and we all hang out without issue. My thought is that I live in the woods, so when they show up and don't cause problems I leave them alone, if I run them off something else will occupy their space, whatever that thing is could be far more problematic than some teenager racoons nomming handfuls of kibble right beside my cats. I've never had a mice or bug problem and I credit all the critters for it.

 

[NotabitaiI]

I will say I lost most of my pears this season to the coons, they had an absolute feast

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Where I live, almost all the "pests" that pose a threat to my animals are non native and don't belong here to begin with (foxes, dogs, cats). With the exception of the snakes and birds of prey probably, both of which are protected by law. I hold a decent respect for the wildlife cause I do love it. Snakes are not encouraged to stay around though because they're a serious danger to animals and humans.
Everything else is mostly left alone too, even the crow/raven that likes to steal oranges.

 

[NotabitaiI]

Where I live, almost all the "pests" that pose a threat to my animals are non native and don't belong here to begin with (foxes, dogs, cats). With the exception of the snakes and birds of prey probably, both of which are protected by law. I hold a decent respect for the wildlife cause I do love it. Snakes are not encouraged to stay around though because they're a serious danger to animals and humans.
Everything else is mostly left alone too, even the crow/raven that likes to steal oranges.

Well where you live the snakes are mad scary tho

 

[EmmaDonovan]

the only thing I exterminated were ground squirrels.

How did you exterminate them?

 

[Evadig]

I rarely see predators (fox, weasels, coyotes, raccoons, hawks) though I know they exist. Their presence doesn’t bother me. The hens are safe at night and while I try to minimize daytime attacks…well, death is hard but it’s a part of life. And in the four years I’ve lived here, I only lost one turkey.

 

[Somewhere_In_The_Clouds]

Well where you live the snakes are mad scary tho

I was walking around looking for eggs the other day thinking about how nice the weather was... for snakes They'll be showing up soon

 

[McChooky]

I will say I lost most of my pears this season to the coons, they had an absolute feast

Case in point lol