Baby Raccoons, new pics, post #26, Face to Face.

[Imp]

Got home from work the night before last and found these 2 playing in my pond. They were eating the Iris bulbs. Mom was under the deck. After recent events I am no fan of raccoons, but thought I'd share.
I stood on the edge of the deck. They showed no fear of me. I grabbed the pond net and reached across the pond and gave them a smack. That got their attention. After a few minutes of snarling, growling, and hissing; I realized that mom was just under the deck, inches from my feet. I beat a retreat, when mom came out, I chased them out of the yard so I could feed the cats.

Imp
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[Dogfish]

Should have shot them when you had the chance.

 

[Imp]

Quote:

Yeah, but they won't let me post on BYC from prison, and it would cost me $400-$500 to repair the pond.

At that moment there was not much I could do. Wasn't prepared for it. They are urban raccoons, so they are trap savvy. Going to have to use different means.

 

[Yay Chicks!]

Imp, I grew up loving raccoons. But, then again, I didn't grow up with chickens. We lived in Edmonds, WA, next to a woodsy greenbelt. My dad would actually feed them. They were so different than the urban raccoons that would sneak through my cat door when I was living in Seattle.
Being on BYC, I have to see the dark side of raccoons, but still have fond memories of the mother raccoons bringing their babies up to our back door and waiting patiently for a treat.

 

[greymane]

Fortunately, ours are not "trap savvy" yet (as witnessed by the last two nights - 2 for 2).

 

[bobbi-j]

They're so darn cute! Too bad they grow into the nasty, snarling, growling chicken killers that they do! We're not fans here. Nephew caught a baby once, fed it, made a pet out of it, played with it, and one day it attacked him when he went to feed it. They had to kill it and have it tested for rabies (turned out to be negative). It was just being the wild animal that it was. They are fascinating creatures, though. Very smart and agile.

 

[howfunkyisurchicken]

You should have netted them and taken them for a swim in the pond. I don't find them cute, not even as babies. They are vicious, stinking pests. My uncle used to have a pet coon that lived in his house. That thing loved chocolate chip cookies. He would come up and tug on your pants leg for a cookie. What happened if you didn't have said chocolate chip cookie? He'd take a crap of the floor and smear it all over said pants leg. Ick! I was so happy when that mangey thing finally met his maker.

 

[calista]

Quote:
Absolutely agree with you and Dogfish. They'll be back to visit as predators when they're grown.

 

[Imp]

There out there just about everynight. When I got home tonight, I could hear them. One of the little ones was on this side of the pond, next to the deck. Wasn't paying attention, so he got a good smack.

They are just tame enough that I can get close to them, but I really don't want to deal with angry mama raccoon, mano a mano, in the dark. So I just chased them around the yard a bit.

Imp

 

[bryan99705]

Contact your fish & game or animal control to see if theyn will relocate them, if not then net them and drown them. You are on their food source list and they will be back