Wildlife: Heidi Chronicles 2012 - The Little Guys & Gals, 3 by DreamOfSpring

DreamOfSpring wrote:
Here are a few pics I meant to post recently. Don't think I did so. These are pics of the raccoons' toys.

Photo 1 - practice golf ball in grass about 30ft from patio. Note that I gave them this ball by placing it on the patio. They took it across the lawn while playing. I've given them some 3 of these balls this year along with a cat toy ball. A few nights ago I stepped out onto the patio to feed them and found one of these white balls a few inches from the door facing. These days the kits crowd around the patio door while waiting for me, so that's where they had the ball (not where I put it). Some weeks back when the kits were afraid of me. They used to hide behind the patio trunk/bench, so that is where the ball used to stay, along with some of the [very wet] plush toys.

Photo 2 - plush toy in grass a short distance from the ball pictured above. This is one of the old, plush, dog toys from prior years as you can see from its condition and loss of color. What I find amusing about this one is that I didn't give it to the kits. I didn't even know where it was stashed. The kits found it for themselves, or their mom showed them where it was. I doubt I will ever cease to be amazed that wild animals recognize these items as toys and will find them and play with htem tirelessly no matter how old, faded, soaked and dirty the toys become over the years. Note, btw, that this is a very small toy about 5-6in long, designed for 'toy' dogs. I find that raccoons prefer small toys, toys which are the size of their babies and/or prey. Older kits, teens and yearlings, will play with slightly larger plush toys up to about 8in long, but these very small plush toys marketed for dogs under 10lbs are perfect for raccoons of all sizes, especially kits.

Photo 3 - Another tiny plush toy. This is the tiny, 5in, blue donkey I gave them last week. It was one of Widget's toys. You can't see it all that well hidden there in the rose shrubs where the kits were hiding and playing with it in a safe place. Here again, I put it on the patio for the kits. They took it over there to their hiding spot in the rose bush. It's no bid deal that you can't see it well, because it's dirty and soaking wet from all the recent rains. I just wanted you to see that the kits had relocated it to their 'play pen'. Also, note the little tag which points to the velcro opening on the donkey's tummy, the slit where I removed the voice box. I have no idea whether kits prefer the sound effects or not. I imagine the parents prefer silence. I removed it so it wouldn't startle the kits - and so Mom won't be tempted to hide it when she tires of the noise.