racoons are so tame its scary, you have to read this

[Uzuri]

Quote:
And if you hate your neighbors.

Seriously, I had neighbors who fed coons, deer, and turkeys. The turkeys weren't a big deal. The coons and deer essentially destroyed a dozen of our (full grown!) fruit trees, multiple windbreak pines, and much of the strawberry bed. They came for dinner and stayed for dessert. Be nice to your neighbors: don't feed wildlife.

 

[Judy]

I would like Post #37 here to be required reading for anyone who deals with coons, and it doesn't even mention the worms they often carry or how easily they can be transmitted (it also doesn't purport to be the whole story, of course.)

 

[teach1rusl]

We pretty much grew up with lots of "wild" critters around. Possums and raccoons would eat our catfood (in the shed), we hand raised two squirrels for about 6 months...there were groundhogs, etc. My mom was such a sucker for just about any animal, and we loved it, since we loved animals too. As an adult with chickens, I don't encourage wild critters to hang about (although honestly, if I thought an animal was starving I'd probably still feed it, just away from our set-up). But I still think they're beautiful to watch

 

[xyresicchick]

Quote:
Know why??? Because if a dog has ever had one rabies shot, and sometimes even if its mother had recently had a rabies shot it becomes immune. Forever. Of course the money hungry country and vets don't want to agree with that though.

I just wouldn't be feeding a coon.. It might be okay now but who's to say it won't become rabid down the road?. And you've got a cat, the coon could end up in a fight with it.

rabies shots do not last forever. Whoever told you that was wrong. You need to get one for your pet every year or they can catch it if they are bitten by a rabid animal. My cats are all indoor cats and i live in the city so i don't get them vaccinated. But the two dogs in my house do get vaccinated as they go outside.

 

[TheFeatheredTempest]

I mentioned parasites in my post..... I had a friend in college who had a saying, "The world is covered in a thin layer of feces". Parasites, viruses, bacteria, spores, etc. are everywhere (unless you live in a bubble or a top biosecure government lab). There's no point getting too worked up over it. NOTHING is ever clean. E V E R Wash your hands and try to keep up a strong immune system. If you do pick up a parasite - and it happens - then get treated. But I remain far more worried about exposure to my fellow humans than I do my pets or the wildlife I work with!
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And if your coop isn't secure why not tend to that instead of just mowing down critters with your car as a means of "predator control"?!