Wow, Karen, good point about the 2 chickens I just ate, and shared with Heidi and the others. When I 1st heard the news about the melanine entering the human food supply by way of animals fed tainted wheat gluten, they only mentioned pork. I don't eat a lot of pork either. The very 1st news report I heard about this indicated that the FDA had somehow identified and tracked down some 54 people who had purchased potentially tainted pork. I found that odd in so many ways. Odd that only 54 people were exposed. Odd that the FDA could so quickly identify and contact all of the people who purchased pork from specific animals. I mean if you buy with cash and don't use a store bonus card then they have no way of knowing who you are. I knew that had to be wrong. Later the number of pigs grew to the thousands and it was only today that I heard about the chickens which number in the 10's of thousands.
As far as I know there is no way of knowing whether a particular chicken is part of the effected group - which are not being recalled BTW. The chicken carcas and parts I put out yesterday were from the deli at the local Publix grocery, no brand name info, no way to even begin to trace origin - plus as far as I've heard they've only released the name of state from which the chickens originated but not the factory or brand(s). Honestly, it's pretty difficult to protect the dog and the raccoons from tainted food when I can't even be sure of protecting myself these days.
As for Heidi being less "friendly" today, although it's true, I was being somewhat "tongue in cheek" above in lamenting my loss of popularity. And, yes, you are right. I'm sure she must be on a hormone roller coaster, and I imagine that she may feel better some days than others. One thing that happened to night showed significant trust, however. She was eating maybe 4ft from me. She had turned her head toward the others to growl at them. I accidentally tossed her more food while she was looking behind her. When the nuggets struck the ground beside her unexpectedly and while she could not see me or what was happening on my side of her, she was visibly startled. She "jumped" or flinched for an instant but did quickly caught herself, realized what it was, and did not run. It think that shows significant progress in the trust area.
Also, tonight they all came out while I was literaly potting up plants. I had also moved my bench considerably closer to their area in order to get to the pots/plants. In the beginning, I had to be ultra still around them. Later they got used to me moving to toss them food, etc. This is the 1st time I've been "doing something" while they were eating. I was troweling dirt into pots, etc. Still they were milling around and eating. Juliet even trusted me enough to bury her entire head in the melon with me nearby. The trust issue seems to be going well.
If I recall, when I started this I would put the food down and then move back and sit somewhere farther back. I'd call them and wait for a while. If they didn't come, I'd leave and try again the next day. It took a while doing that before they started to ever so slowly and cautiously approach the food with me there. Sounds like things are going well with yours. I think moving to a seat a little closer sounds like a good next step. Good luck with that.
Heidi - Awaiting the Delivery
Hi Ruth -- I was typing while you were posting. You noticed the same thing I was mentioning, both that I was "doing stuff" this time and that I moved closer. Heidi was very late arriving although I could have sworn I heard her over there fussing. It occurred to me that she might be a little on guard due to the changes. I was actually encouraged by the fact that the raccoons were fairly cavalier about my movements. (Of course, once it got dark I stopped gardening.)
At this point there does seem to be a corelation between Fraidy moving back to the feeding stations (instead of coming up to eat by me) and Heidi being less "friendly". I'll have to see if that pattern continues to hold.
No, I haven't seen HRH in quite a while. I think he is off chasing his dreams. I'm actually not too sure about Trouble. He and Juliet are very similiar except that he is larger, and his head is visibly larger - I can usually notice the head difference even when they are not together. It used to be easy to tell them apart because she wouldn't come near me. Now that she is comfortable around me, it's getting more difficult to tell who's who, especially after it gets dark. Likewise, Juliet and Fraidy are similiar except that Fraidy is much smaller and thinner. And again, it used to be easy to tell them apart back when Fraidy was afraid to leave the fence. Anyhow, in the last few days or so I'm not sure if Trouble has been around. I'm inclined to think not, but again, not totally sure. I need to find some distinct marking differences to go by. For that matter, lately I've become accustomed to using "chubbiness" as a means of easily detecting Heidi in the crowd, but obviously that won't work for long.
As to the melanine thing, I find it also interesting how the media only mentions it very briefly and infrequently. As to the decision that it not bad for us (Right), the FDA is rationalizing based on the size difference between us and dogs, the fact that unlike dogs we don't eat the same thing every meal, every day, and the fact that the amount in our food has been further diluted in that is coming to us 2nd hand. None of that makes me very comfortable, however.
Do you guys think I should stop feeding chicken to the raccoons for a while? I don't feed them chicken often, but I do have anothe carcas in the fridge right now.
What I learned in my epidemiology course, years ago is "When in doubt--throw it out." Referring to food. But if you are particularly trusting the source, the give it to them. If not, don't. How long has the malamine been getting into the chickens? Anyone know? Karen
Unless the digestive tracts of chickens and pigs have magically learned to process melamine, I don't see how the second-hand factor helps, do you? Gotta love the bureaucracy and its wisdom. If we had information as to when meat was possibly contaminated, or when it might be gone from the marketplace, either through sale or recall, I'd say to pass on chicken and pork for the duration. But we don't know; and for myself, I'm not willing to forego both kinds of meat for the indefinite future. That would just leave beef and fish, basically; too much beef isn't the best idea, and my other half won't eat fish. I guess what it boils down to, Cheryl, is if you continue to eat those meats, I'd probably continue to feed the coons the leftovers, if I were you. Remember that they routinely snack out of dumpsters, eat carrion, etc.; their digestive tracts are a whole lot tougher than ours or our dogs' and cats'.
It would not be surprising if Heidi has made determined "offstage" efforts to drive Trouble off; as she approaches her delivery date, her tolerance for males in her territory becomes nonexistent.
It's a great sign that they're now able to eat comfortably while you are moving around relatively near them: trust level is definitely increasing as time goes on.
Currently the chickens Identified were in Indiana, but that doesn't mean the will only be in Indiana by the time the get to the grocery store. The pork was in 4 states including both North and South Carolina! The chickens date back to Feb 07, and it is expected that thousands have already been consumed.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18405363/
Looks like they are trying to contain the poultry that hasn't yet made it to the market; however, even that is voluntary.
http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2007/NEW01621.html
Oh great: death (or organ damage) by bacon: how ignoble.
Don't forget, there's always turkey, the other other white meat, and turkey bacon. However, there's still no guarantee that turkeys won't be added to the list of tainted foods next week. Veggie burgers, anyone?
One of the raccoon rehabbers on the raccoon list recommends (and uses) Strongid-t for the raccoon worms; she says the dose is:
You go by weight
1cc.to every 10 pounds
Since I don't know so much about strongid, you would have to look it up. This is what pet raccoon people worm their pets with, also (it seems). I'd have to find out the size syringe, but I think I've only seen one size in the feed store, but who knows. I was late getting food out tonight to the kids, two were waiting and crawled half way up a tree until I filled the bowls. Then they waited till I got to the porch and rushed down to eat. Then as I was on the porch talking to them, I heard one chittering. It is the first time I have ever heard it live. I said something else and he chittered again. Neat. I don't really know if he was thanking me or talking to the other raccoon. But it was still neat to hear it in person (instead of on a website). It was a warm fuzzy. Don't get many these days. Karen
Yeah, turkey's great, but there seemingly is no such thing as a turkey of the appropriate size for two people. My other half insists on making one every Thanksgiving; we eat it in every conceivable dish and form for what seems like forever, and never manage to use it all in a timely fashion. Doesn't taste the same once frozen, either. Guess I'll just risk the odd bit of melamine...
Isn't that chittering a great sound, Karen? I never tired of listening to it.
Strongid is an excellent wormer; we used to use it for the dogs and cats when I worked at shelters. I've never seen it in anything but huge containers, though; and Cheryl would need very little. It also doesn't seem to taste too good, judging from the way it was received by the dogs and cats; this could be problematic for wild critters since they'd have to eat it voluntarily (disguised in treats, of course). I haven't heard back from my rehabber friend yet; they are busy beyond belief at this time of year.
It's finally raining here tonight; the new plantings need it badly, but my sinuses don't seem to understand that. Can't please everyone.... Have a good night, ladies-
Ruth
Ruth, I haven't heard back from this rehabber either, yet as to what form she is talking about. I am "assuming" (and you know what that means) that it is the horse syringe wormer, using 1cc/10#. But, I would wait till we find out.
Tonight was really a first. It was just getting dark when I went out to put the raccoon food out. No coons were there, but at the squirrel feeder on the tree right there were the flying squirrels-They were quite a site. First there were three then two more "flew" in. They were chasing each other up and down the tree. They would stop and look at me (I was only about 5 feet from their tree) periodically and then go back to grabbing peanuts, running off, running about the tree, gliding here and there. It was so neat. I never saw so many of them there. Just to look up and see them gliding in was a joy. (The infrared heat lamp was on and I could see a little.) I watched them awhile in awe, and then started walking back to the house. After I got so far, I turned around to see that two raccoons had already hit the feeders. I quietly made my way back a little to a garden chair I had out there. A couple times they looked up at me and kept on eating. This is totally a first. I imagine they could see or smell me, so I was surprised they stayed. (Kent estimates it is about 30 feet from them.) At one time there were 5 there, a couple of tiffs and one went off. Never have that many come to the feeders with me still out in the main yard. My theory is that they are ravenous-having or had kits. Some are smaller and a couple look like large males (or preg. females?) Then I heard some leaves to my left, and as I expected, Little One was coming to "her" tree for her bowl of food. When she saw me so close, she hid behind the tree awhile. But I kept softly talking to her and she came out and began to eat. It was like having a real life nature show. I was out so long, my husband came out to check on me to make sure I was ok. That's it from our place, Karen
What a great experience, Karen! I'm jealous of the flying squirrels; know we have them in this area, but never see them. Envy the infrared light... And the coons are beginning to show trust, if they're willing to behave normally and eat while you're in the yard: that's awesome!
The Strongid we used at the shelters was also given at 1 cc/10 lbs., but it was a liquid. I was hoping we could find dosages for a paste-type dewormer that comes in a syringe for livestock/horses; the smaller volume/solid texture would make it easier to disguise, I think. We'll have to wait and see what we hear back when the rehabbers have a minute to write.
Things here have been pretty calm.
Fraidy showed up very early (daylight) and ate quite a bit from "Heidi's" feeding station while the others weren't around. I had watched her arrival and was thoroughly amazed to see her descend head 1st and with ease some 30-40 ft down the trunk of a large tree. As she was eating, I noticed that she seemed about the same size as my prior dog who weighed in at around 10lbs. Still, the dog was a maltese in full coat, and they usually look much bigger than they are due to all the hair, so maybe Fraidy weighs 1.5 - 2 x that. I am referring her to her overall stature, not whether or not she is pregnant. After a time, she turned to observe something from the forest, something of which I was completely unaware. Then with a look of, "Oh, ##@$%!" she rushed back over the fence. I knew from that behavior that others must be on the way. Moments later Trouble arrived.
As though he had been reading the thread and "heard" his name, HRH returned last night shortly after Trouble. With little more than a shouting match he quickly acquired Trouble's dish sending Trouble over to the now empty feeding station #2. A bit later, some movement from me sent him hurrying back to the fence. With a bit of verbal reassurance I was able to call him back. He seemed to receive this as a sort of invitation more than an attempt to calm him.
Heidi showed up late as has been the trend the past week. She came up to eat in the center area near me. I tossed her a few handfuls of dog food which she immediately began to eat along with a few grapes and 2 eggs. The 1st one had stopped too close to me so I'd tossed the 2nd a bit farther.
Later when Trouble's food ran out he tried to sneak in and join Heidi. He managed to get to one of the eggs, but after a brief attempt at wrapping his mouth around it and biting did not work, he dropped it in favor of dog food, at least, that is, for the brief interval before Heidi chased him away.
In time Fraidy returned. She sneaked well around everyone and behind the composter to come to me in search of a treat. She was just beyond arms length to one side of me. I gave her a grape. She like it. I continued to toss her the remaining grapes one at a time. She was so close, so adorable, and appeared so calm as she sat their like a little dog waiting for each grape to fall, seeking it out in the grass, sitting back to pop it in her mouth and point her nose up into the air a bit as she ate it, then looking back at me as she waited for the next one.
I've been more vigilant lately in keeping the water fresh and the containers full. They've all been drinking quite a bit. Heidi now makes as many as 4 trips over to drink during her meal. Perhaps because the water has been so readily available lately, she has begun to allow the others to share her water supply.
Beautiful: a peaceful domain with ample resources for all. Congratulations! Isn't that adorable, when they lift their nose in the air, like Fraidy, while sampling a special treat?
My thoughts lately are that when observes truly wild animals that must fend for themselves, there are sets of rules about their behavior that are often repeated. In this situation food is plentiful and the rules about running off the male that she has mated with and offspring from previous years does not really hold. Now Heidi did have to provide completely for her self in earlier years so she exhibits some of that behavior. Fraidy on the other hand has pretty much been able to get food in spite of what nature may or may not provide. I would not worry too much about changing their ways because even in the wild things change constantly and those who survive are able to handle the changes.
The so called domestic animals are animals that have changed so as to provide something that man-kind wants or needs, in turn man takes care of them and their species continues. Eventually those who take care of raccoons may produce a variety of raccoon that is more domesticated and thus will be cared for by people.
George wrote: " Eventually those who take care of raccoons may produce a variety of raccoon that is more domesticated and thus will be cared for by people." And that seems to be true. As Heidi was wild until she met Cheryl, now her offspring have come to trust Cheryl and so there you have a first generation of more domesticated raccoons. If Fraidy has babies, that may continue (if Heidi lets it). Raccoons are so adaptable as we have seen as they move into towns. There was an article in our local newspaper about coyotes being more adaptive and moving more into the more populated areas around here. There have been many coyote sightings in towns near Pittsburgh. The only thing they are afraid of is that the coyotes will cease to become afraid of humans (as they are now) and become more dependent on them for food (OR as food sources). As of now, some smaller animals, rabbits, cats and small dogs can be seen as food. Haven't personally seen them yet, but we did hear one was killed by a car about a mile from us. Makes me a little nervous. That's what happens when we move into their habitat. I just hope my raccoons and their babies will remain ok. Karen
Karen,
I've seen the damage to plenty of dogs from raccoons they decided to take on: usually not pretty. If the coons have a tree or two to escape into, I'd put my money on the coons rather than the coyotes. Caveat: if the coyotes are hunting in a pack, or the raccoon is a juvenile, all bets are off.
There's a big difference between wildlife becoming acclimated to people, and becoming domesticated. I'm all for letting them acclimate to us, if it ensures them a ready food supply and preserves their wild nature; but domestication is a different story. I'm all about leaving wildlife wild, and preserving their habitat so they can prosper there. Perhaps my view is jaundiced from years in animal sheltering: our track record with species we've already domesticated is less than glorious in too many cases, unfortunately.
Right. That is why I go out to watch my raccoons and am glad they allow me, but I want to keep them wild. At least we have plenty of trees for them to escape coyotes (about 30 acres or so).
AS for the worming medicine, it seems that Strongtid is pyrantal palmoate, the same we use for worming the little puppies starting at 3 weeks, so it is safe for pregnant moms and baby raccoons. Just have to get the dose. I know there are two strengths, one is 1cc per dose and the second is twice as strong, so would be 1/2cc per dose. IF it holds true for raccoons as for dogs, I buy the 1cc for 5 pounds for the little puppies and as they get bigger, get the 1cc/10 pounds dose. I believe it comes as Nemex and Nemex 2, but some other generic are more inexpensive-that's what I use, I think Hartz. Have to look it up on some of the dog catalog sites. Karen
You're right, Strongid, Nemex and Nemex 2 are all the same basic drug, just in different concentrations. For purposes of disguising in food for the raccoons, I think the strongest concentration/lowest volume is your best best.
Hey, Cheryl, has Heidi had those babies yet? Waiting nervously. Karen
(PS last night at 2:30am I went out to do a last look at the kids and I heard coyotes howling from a distance.)
Hi, Everyone!
I didn't see the raccoons for a couple of days. I had a few cranky, moody days of my own. Sat night I waited only a few minutes and then, as the mosquitos were quite ruthless, I gave up. As I hate to leave too much food out to attract rats, I left only about enough food for 2 raccoons. Sun night I had another engagement. By the time I got home it was well after dark. Still, I grabbed some food and went out to call them. When no one showed in a few minutes, I again left food for 2 before returning to the house.
Tonight I almost missed them again. After work I fell asleep while reading. When I awoke, it was way after feeding time. I jumped up and ran to the back door expecting to see 3 or 4 raccoons swinging from the poor bird feeder. What I found instead was a handful of raccoons rumaging about on the patio, looking like "where is she. I know she must be here somewhere. hello in there. we're ready for our dinner now."
I grabbed the container of dog food and rushed out. An apparently very hungry Heidi almost ran me over on the way to the feeding area. Juliet and Fraidy were close on her heals. It was "girls night out", I guess. With the usual grumbling, they ate like they hadn't had dog food in days. They seemed very happy to see me again.
For a while it was quite the party. Then when the food started to run low, Heidi started ordering everyone around. Since I'd fallen asleep early, I'd forgot to replenish the water. Both ground level basins had water as did the birdbath, but each was only about 1/2 full and the water was a few days old. Heidi allowed Fraidy to drink from the basin but drew the line at Juliet, growling threatening as the latter even approached the water. Hearing the threats, Juliet stood frozen, all 4 feet in the basin, having not yet take the 1st sip. She paused as if to assess the veracity of the threat, then lowered her head toward the water.
In a flash, Heidi spun about, and with moves that said she's not so disabled after all, she tore across the lawn to enforce her "words".Juliet got the heck out of the basin and ran for the forest.
Tonight it was clear that the others weren't going to cross Heidi. When she growled, they backed up. She drew imaginary lines on the ground and told them where they could go and where they could not. Fraidy came up to me, ate some grapes, and then approached to sniff the empty carton at my feet. At that point, Heidi scolded her, sending her to the back of the yard.
I had 2 eggs with me. I tapped the pointed end of each on the side of the bench a few times to dent the end (which in itself is pretty incredible considering that both Heidi and Fraidy were within 4 ft of me and neither even seemed to notice). The 1st egg I tossed out landed between them. Fraidy grabbed it quickly. Heidi attacked her so violently that Fraidy cried out in pain. It looked like Heidi bit Fraidy in the side.
With no time to think about what to do, my response was completely reactionary as I heard myself chide her gently with, "ok, now, let's be nice." I hadn't intended to talk to her, and i hadn't expected any particular reaction from her. I have no idea if my words actually had any effect, but with that she stopped, looked up at me, then still looking a bit disgusted walked back over to her food. I immediately tossed her the other egg. What struct me as most novel about the incident was the fact that even though the attack was sufficient to cause Fraidy to cry out, she did not give up the egg. On the contrary, while she made no attempt to retaliate, she did crouch down around the egg in a manner that indicated she had no intention of loosing the treat. (Now that the others are starting to recognize the eggs, it is getting difficult to distribute them without starting a fight. I'll have to practice tossing 2 at a time to see how that works.)
Both "ladies" ate their eggs together. This was the 1st egg that Fraidy had eaten entirely by herself. I think it helped a lot that I had smashed the pointed end of it. If you recall, the last time she got her own egg she was unable to figure out how to crack it, and after wrapping her entire mouth around it and biting it a few times, had given up. This time, with the end smashed, she could easily get her teeth into the cracks to break away enough of the shell to expose the yummy egg inside. With the egg thus compromised, she actually did a very good job of chipping the end of the shell off and eating the contents. Hopefully, by pre-smashing her egg, I've helped to teach her about the egg so that she will be better equiped to open it entirely by herself the next time. When Fraidy had eaten the last of her egg's contents, I started hearing crunching sounds, and, yes, she ate the shell as though it were the shell around a taco salad. As she broke off pieces and popped them in her mouth, I was reminded of someone eating potato chips.
When Heidi finished her egg and as soon as she withdrew her face from the shell, she turned and walked back into the forest. While she was gone, I was treated to the absolutely zaney antics of 4, that's right 4, raccoons, none of which was HRH, and, frankly, I don't think any of them was Trouble either! Clearly these were all fairly young raccoons. They were all over the place, rumaging about, acting silly. At one time or another each of them came around to check me out. Without Heidi around they squabbled a lot amonst each other which was odd to witness considering that in the presence of the elder matriarch, no such quibbling EVER occurrs. From time to time I could see one or the other of them looking over the others toward me and clearly trying to plot a course around the others to get over to me in search of a treat, especially upon 1st entering the yard.
They were hungry but clearly not starved as they wandered past torn sections of flatbread, a block of white rice, and 3 chicken and sun-dried tomato sausages (which I just didn't care for) in search of dog food, grapes, and eggs. As my Mom was so fond of pointing out to my brother and me, if you aren't hungry enough to eat what is served, you aren't really hungry.
Much to my surprise, Heidi returned a bit later, ran everybody off, and resumed eating. I have no idea why she left or where she went in the interim. It seemed as though she had needed to visit the powder room... ; )
After a few days off, it was very nice to see them again!
Hi, Karen, again, I was typing when you posted. No babies yet. Ruth says they're on track for delivery on the 19th (to quote UPS tracking). That's not so far away now.
I imagine that the raccoons can elude and defend against those coyotes. After all, coyotes can't climb trees, and from what I've seen, raccoons are as comfortable up there as on the ground. It is amazing to watch them. They walk on tree limbs and even gently sloping tree trunks in a manner that makes high wire artists look klutzy. Any time something spooks them, they head for the nearest tree as Trouble did that night when he brushed against me on his way to climb the weeping willow beside me.
When I was out recently I heard an owl hooting out there in the night. I don't let my little dog stay out there without me since at 4.5lbs I figure he could easily be carried off. I don't know how much an owl can lift. I figure an adult raccon is likely too much for him to handle, Right? Although, Fraidy still looks fairly small so she might be at risk. I guess the newborns will be easy fare for the owl if he finds them without Mom around to protect them, but, hopefully, Heidi will stash them somewhere close enough so that she can listen after them when she comes for a quick meal.
Hi, Cheryl - We missed you too; hope you're feeling better.
Wonder who those four youngsters were? Seems like Heidi has run off the males, and has the females well in hand. I can just see her "almost running you over" en route to the feeding station; I've tripped over many a dog or cat in that situation, but never a raccoon...
Interesting that Fraidy wouldn't give up the egg, even when attacked; makes me suspect that she too might be pregnant, since this was unusually nervy for her. Look at all the new skills you're learning! First egg rolling, now working on double egg toss: juggling next?
Depending on the species of owl in your area, a large owl can carry off an adult rabbit if they happen to be out and about at the same time of day; so I think you're wise to be cautious about Widget. An adult raccoon would be massive overload for any owl I've seen. As for newborns, they are usually stashed in a small tree hollow or other nest site inaccessible to most flying predators; and I'm sure Heidi is building her nest somewhere within easy access (and hearing) to your yard!
And BTW, your mom was right; those kids clearly weren't all that hungry if they bypassed so much perfectly good food.
Hi Ruth,
Feeling great, thanks!
As to the 4 youngsters, I'm imagine that Fraidy and Juliet were in the mix, although by that time it was late enough that about the only thing about which I'm certain is that neither Heidi nor HRH were there. Again, I really don't think Trouble was there either; I scanned the group for and did not see his big head - if he is, in deed, male I guess the larger head goes with the territory. Still, any way you stack things and even if you assume Trouble WAS in the mix, there is at least 1 extra raccoon out and about - maybe more. These were all on the smaller size, roughly the size of Juliet, so I suspect they are females. They were all fairly comfortable around me so I'm inclined to think...the kids from last year.
Yes, Heidi definitely has things under control now. I can tell that not only from the way they behave around her but also from the way they behave when she's not around. BTW, I've been noticing that they always seem to arrive more or less as a group. I know that raccoons are supposed to be solitary but they sure seem to be living as a community if not a family. At a minimum it seems like the others must be living close enough to listen for cues from Heidi as to when it's time to go to dinner.
About Fraidy and the egg, that surprised me, too. She usually listens to Heidi and runs away when threatened by Heidi, but she sure held her ground when it came to that egg, and Heidi lit into her pretty good, too.
BTW, a few minutes ago I let Widget out. When he didn't come back right away, I went out to check on him. Imagine my surprise to find him standing about 20ft from a raccoon, one of the ladies but not Fraidy. The raccoon was scrounging about the back lawn area for any remaining dog food nuggets. (Oh, I noticed that all of the flatbread, rice, and sausages were mysteriously gone. I'm starting to think that the little wise guys "play me" by eating only their favorites while I'm around.) Widget was just looking at the raccoon. Odd, seems like maybe he only chases raccoons when I'm around.
Anyhow, I ended up going back for food for the raccoon who still seemed hungry. When I returned and almost as an afterthought, I picked Widget up to insure that he would not cause problems. Then, still holding Widget on one arm, I sat down on my bench and tossed food to the raccoon. Incredibly, the raccoon that was only about 5ft from us, continued to eat quite calmly, nose buried in the grass in search of kibble. Being so close to the raccoon made Widget visibly anxious. A few times he started to growl. I was able to gently reprimand and reassure him even as the raccoon continued to eat. Maybe 1 out of 3 times when Widget growled, the raccoon reacted by raising her head to look at us. When I reassured her that "it's ok", she resumed eating. After a few minutes, seeing that it was getting late, I stood up, dog still in hand, and without scaring the raccoon away and walked back to the house. I thought, "Wow, we really are making progress here!"
Better get to bed now. This morning I managed to sleep for 1 hour and 20 minutes with the alarm screaming in my ear!
Well, I'm still up. Can't sleep. Old habits die hard...
Just heard a spat outside my bedroom window. Sounded an awful lot like raccoons. Hard to believe there are STILL hungry raccoons out there. Earlier I took out the whole package of flatbread, 3 sausages, pint of rice, 32 oz box filled with dog food, a large bunch of grapes, and a handful of dog biscuits ALL of which is gone. They sure seem to have voracious appetites lately!
>>3 chicken and sun-dried tomato sausages (which I just didn't care for)
these wouldn't happen to be from Trader Joe's ??
those really are not very tasty.
fascinating events. So glad to hear Fraidy held her ground.
Hi, Terese, sorry I didn't even pay attention to the name on the label. I used to get a brand a few years ago that was great. These were all soggy and taste-less but I don't know the name. Glad you are enjoying the thread.
This morning when I went out with the dog I noticed that ALL of the water basins and the large birdbath were bone dry. Ok, the water could not have evaporated over night, so all those raccoons and other creatures of the night must have drunk it. I guess that explains why Heidi gets a little selfish about the water. Looks like I need to hurry up and get that pool - for a water dish.
Nothing unusual tonight. The guys got here early. While I was dragging a new bag of dog food around the house, they were helping themselves to hors d'oeuvres at the birdfeeder. They had the Purina chicken and rice tonight. (no wheat gluten) They realy seemed to love it. Ok, I confess, I sneaked Heidi a few handfuls of the Fromm Wisconsin Duck with Sweet Potato. I think she like it. She ate like she'd just returned from a deserted island.
They had arrived before I had a chance to fill the bowls, so everyone ended up eating from the lawn. As usual, Heidi chased everyone around. HRH was there. For the longest time Heidi refused to even let him enter the yard. Eventually he sneaked in. One of the other ladies ended up coming right up beside me to eat, at least until Heidi chased her away.
That's about it. A pretty normal day in raccoon land.
11 days and counting...
Cheryl,
will you have your camera fixed, or have a different one in time to get pics of the litter?
I'm sure we are all excited about the delivery.
Terese
Oh, GOOD question. I haven't been able to make a decision about which camera to buy so I did what I normally do - nothing. Getting my camera fixed in 11 days is out. I'm told it will take a minimum of 2wks. Because new flowers open every day this time of year, I've been unable to part with my camera long enough to send it for repairs. I'm eager to buy another camera to serve as a backup now and in the future, but don't know which type to get. Whatever camera I get must be capable of taking very high quality closeups of my flowers. I had been seriously considering the Canon Rebel XTi DSLR but some of the feedback I've been getting seems to indicate that a digital SLR may not be the way to go if I am primarily interested in closeups. I don't know if that is true, but it seems like what people are trying to convey.
If ANYONE can shed some light on this problem for me, I would greatly appreciate it and it would go a long way toward helping me to get the new camera in time for the arrival of the kits. Ruth gave me a great recommendation on the Canon brand, but now my problem surrounds the question of whether to get the DSLR or to stick with a "regular" digital.
Given that I am pretty much photographically challenged, I have been very pleased with the quality of photos I have been able to achieve with my Nikon 8800 (but not so happy with its apparently delicate nature). Even though I don't know what 1/2 of the buttons do and have not begun to tap its full potential, I have been able to take some fairly breathtaking floral portraits - almost be accident. For my 2nd camera, I don't want another identical camera or even another Nikon. I figure 2 different cameras will allow me to take advantage of the strengths of each. I'd like another camera that is capable of taking floral portraits that are atleast as good as the ones I can take with my Nikon, and preferably without requiring me to spend an additional $1k for a special lens just to do the macro shots and another $1k for telephoto lens, etc. I'd like one that gives me the option to invest in extras but which pretty much allows me to take decent pictures out of the box and with minimal added expense.
So, with all that said, if I can make a decision I can get one here in a few days. Any ideas?
Don't know much about cameras, sorry. But my raccoons are also ravinously hungry for some reason. I keep adding a little more dog food to each bowl every night and it's still gone. Then their animal cracker treats. Of course, one always empties the squirrel feeder of shelled nuts. The other night everything was gone, so they were eating the bird seed off the ground. Even Little One came around the corner of the dog run (from her tree) and walked up in front of the house, even with me talking to her from the porch. She started eating the bird seed on the ground. (Thank goodness they didn't hit the bird feeders.) I wonder why they are all so famished. They can't all be pregnant females--CAN THEY??? The other night after I went to bed I heard something crash. I thought they got a bird feeder. But the next day I found out it was the wheelbarrow tipped over. I had put the empty shells from the bird feeders into the wheelbarrow and I guess they decided to check them out. Curious little things. Wish I had seen it.
It's good to have you back. Hope you are feeling better. Saw my sleep dr. today and he's very happy with me using the CPAP machine, but he wants me to try Rozerem (sleeping med) to see if I can sleep longer than 2 hours at a time, so tonight will be my first try. I go out to say goodnight to the coons and see what they are up to. The most I seem to get at one time is 7. They know exactly where I put all 4 bowls and will come and each go to one. Another will go to the peanut feeder, and the rest will either wait or just cut out for awhile. Sometimes we have a little tiff, but not too often. Then Little One has her own tree and bowl. That's all the coon news from this site. Going to take the sleep med and get to bed. Catch up with all the news tomorrow. I love how Fraidy kept the egg, and the 4 coons playing. Aren't they all a riot! Karen
About the camera question, Cheryl; I'm no expert on digital, having never used a digital SLR, but as said previously I loved my old Canon SLR and worked it to death (without ever managing to kill it). I used a "moderate wide-angle" (35mm, if memory serves) lens as my basic workhorse; it was capable of critically sharp focus at only a few inches from the subject, which was great for the animal portraits I did at the time, and would be great for your flowers as well. This would also do well for the raccoons, but of course would not make them appear closer than they are. If you feel the need for a second lens, a normal-to-moderate-telephoto range zoom would work to bring the raccoons up close and personal. Would also be useful for lots of other stuff, of course.
And you don't need to feel a time crunch! Remember that the babies arrive blind, deaf and totally helpless; I would expect it to be a minimum of six weeks before Heidi starts bringing them around, probably longer. Think of the rather pathetic coordination of baby kittens and puppies; takes a while to learn to navigate fences and trees, even if you're a baby coon.
Not surprised HRH put in a cameo appearance; like I said, it's the only 24-hour diner in the 'hood, he'd certainly want to keep checking it out. Also not surprised Heidi ran him off.
I'll just bet she liked the Fromm kibble! A filet mignon of dog food...
regarding cameras... I've always been a Nikon gal. My very first "good" camera was a Nikon 8008s SLR (i have a few lenses for that one) I managed a get a 1958 Roli from my Aunt before she passed (She was a photographer in the AirForce) I inherited a Canon AE1 (which i hear is a fabulous camera) but i've honestly never used it.
For digital: first was a Nikon CoolPix 900s (gave that to my mom, which she proceeded to use for years)
second Nikon CoolPix 950 (which i still have a love, but the shutter lag is just too long and the battery door doesnt wanna stay closed)
Currently using a Canon PowerShot A95 (bought it for DH for father's day a few years back because he hated the shutter lag on my CoolPix)
comparing the 2 for close ups, the Coolpix wins hands down.... i can hardly get good (focused) shots on the macro setting on the Canon.
what i would probably do is.... wander over (like you have time) to the photography forum and ask for opinions on (pointNshoot) non-DSLRcameras that are great at close up shots.
One thing I love about my 8008s SLR is that it will not allow me to take an image that is out of focus.... was totally foolproof.
and you figure with the way technology has advanced in the past decade, 5 yrs even.... prices has plummeted to the point you can get a really great lil camera for a coupla hundred or less.
my 2 pennies this early in the Am.
Thanks very much for the camera info, Ruth and Terese. I'm going to come back to the camera a bit later. Tonight I only have a few seconds - well, more like negative 30 minutes - and I wanted to say a few quick words about this evenings events.
A tropical storm is just sitting off our coast so it's really windy. I was afraid that the raccoons might not show up - I keep forgetting that regardless of the weather they still have to eat. I went out early while it was still quite light out. Heidi was the 1st to show up. At this point she seems to tumble over the fence more so than climb down. In fact, now I can identify her by her somewhat less than artful "dismount".
She was there waiting in the tree limb above the fence when I arrived. Even as I was filling the bowls, I could hear her close by, hear the slight creeking of boards, etc. As soon as I sat down and called to her, she came down. At 1st she started walking toward me. Then, seeing/smelling the food in her dish, she stopped there to eat.
We were alone for a good while before the others showed up. When they did, Heidi got quite a workout chasing everyone around - not necessarily a bad thing considering that by feeding her I'm eliminating much of the need to roam around in search of food. When it became obvious that she could not continue to eat from her isolated postion and still keep all of the others away from me, she gave up her dish and came over to about 4ft from me. At that time there was no food on the ground there, but I quickly provided lots. She ate there for the duration.
HRH showed up and provided considerable entertainment. The ladies have clearly ousted him. Heidi was quite ruthless in letting him know that he was not welcome. At one point when he was sitting atop the fence after Heidi had chased him off, another female who was crossing the fence on her way into the yard, paused for a moment at the top of the fence to growl at him and send him back into the forest.
Still, he persisted in his efforts. At another point, he sneaked down the fence and dissapeared into what is the currently abandoned and overgrown vegetable garden to the left of where I sit. A little while later, I cast a glance over there and saw his upper body as he stood on hind legs amidst the tall weeds peering at me with a somewhat forlorn expression. He was so adorable standing there looking like a miniature bear, and I felt a bit sorry for him outcast that he was. I was about to toss him a dog biscuit, when Heidi growled at him and he headed back for the forest. Throughout the evening he would make several more attempts to sneak around via various routes in an attempt to reach me.
Once when he was on the other side of the potted plants and only a few feet from me, I actually tossed a handful of food over there, but before he even had a chance to take a bite, Heidi STILL managed with little more than a snarl to send him away. On yet another and final attempt, he had managed to sneak up behind me and was just about to tap me on the shoulder when Heidi, who was still eating some 4 ft in front of me, alerted me to his presence and sent him away yet again. Despite his amusing and endearing antics, I'm afraid the poor fella was forced to earn a living the old fashion way this evening as he was not permitted to partake of the free buffet.
Perhaps the most incredible moment of the evening came near the end. Heidi appeared to have pretty much eaten her fill by that time but was still noshing a bit. She had left me to go over to the basin for a drink. Afterward, she meandered about the lawn eating a bit here and there. Then - and I don't know why, it just happened - I called her as you would call a pet, and incredibly she stopped nibbling and walked directly to me in a most deliberate manner, stopping at about the 4ft mark. This was a most incredible 1st. I had called her down from the forest before but had never called her in this manner. I suspect that she came thinking I might have a treat of some kind to give her, still she came and that was a most unexpected 1st. I gave her food and she ate there until I left.
When I left, I went back for 2 eggs for Heidi. (I brought the extra one in case I made another tossing error.) By the time I got back everyone except Fraidy was gone. Without Heidi there, she came right up to me like a pet. After chipping one end on the bench, I gave her an egg. As long as I chip them, she's doing a very good job of eating them. She really enjoyed the egg, so I gave her the 2nd one. Unfortunately, in an effort to avoid hitting her with it (as she was so close - maybe 2 ft), I didn't give the egg enough of a push and it ended up maybe 10" from my foot. I was tempted to try to retreive it but feared that maneuver would scare her away entirely. She looked at the egg for a minute then looked at me and deciding to chance it, she came over, grabbed it between her paws and then rolled it back over to her prior location to eat it.
All in all it was a most enjoyable visit.
10 days and counting...
This message was edited May 10, 2007 3:00 AM
Ah, the sad life of a stud male: used for one purpose only, then soundly rejected by all. Of course, the other viewpoint is that this is the price one pays for the "love 'em and leave 'em" way of life... Sounds like you're seeing the charm to the boy; they are remarkable creatures, and I don't blame you.
Fraidy had a great night, scoring both eggs: great! And Heidi sounds like she's handling the third trimester like the old hand she is, and keeping up her muscle tone chasing away all comers...
Last night there were quite a few special moments. It seemed liked everyone wanted to either get to me or get my attention to see if I would toss them something. For me the highlights were: (1) HRH standing upright behind a bunch of tall weeds looking over at me apparently trying to figure out a way to get to me without alerting Heidi, (2) Fraidy coming so close to eat and especially to get the 2nd egg, and (3) Heidi coming when called. The latter is potentially very big - if it's repeatable that is. When I "call her" down from the fence/forest, she's more or less waiting there for a sign that it's ok to enter, so I'm not so much "calling" her as providing that sign. Last night she was browsing/grazing for kibble in the grass when I called her and she actually stopped what she was doing to come all the way over to me in a most deliberate manner. That was very new, but again, I need to see if it is repeatable.
Lately, before tossing her an egg, I've been calling her name just as a way to alert her to "incoming" so I don't accidentally bowl her over with the egg. I suspect that has inadvertantly caused a connection in her mind between me calling her name and her getting a special treat, perhaps an egg. I think that is probably why she reacted as she did to being called, but I'm still pretty happy about the results.
BTW, just wanted to mention that this morning I found that my laptop at home has gotten the sniffles (virus). I may not have time this evening to disinfect it in time to post. If not, I'll be back by the weekend one way or another.
>>my laptop at home has gotten the sniffles (virus)
oh, that stinks. I'm sure you know we all will be anticipating the next addition to the Heidi saga.
and OH -- wouldn't it have been precious to have gotten a pic of HRH while he was on his hind legs eagerly looking at you.
Is there an additional feeding station over there that could be hidden away from Heidi, or would she just smell it, and still not let HRH there?
what an experience you are having.... just think what next year may bring.
OH and i was thinking back to when you originally thought you'd have to displace Trouble.... how things changed.
Things sure have changed a bunch since then, Terese. I'm so glad I found out about ALL of the others before I sent Trouble away for nothing. As for HRH, not only is that area a bit to overgrown with weeds right now - and I didn't mention the copperhead I found on Saturday. that has me stepping carefully about the garden already - but right now I'm trying not to interfere (any more than I already am just by virtue of being there) with Heidi's attempts to deal with the others. She has little ones on the way, and it still remains to be seen how that is going to work out with such a large gang. I feed anyone who shows up, but otherwise try not to hinder her efforts to banish anyone she sees as a threat to her kids. Aside from providing the food, I'm trying to let them do what they do, if that makes sense.
As to the pic of HRH, I wish I could remember to take the camera out with me more often. I usually only think of it after the fact.
----
BTW, just an update in case any of you missed it. Fish (from Canada, I believe) have now been added to the items in the human food supply that are potentially tainted with melanine.
>>camera out with me
put it by the dog food. ;-)
LOL. That's where it LIVES! I have a baker's rack by the back door. That's where I keep various things that end up going outside often, such as the raccoon food, the camera, pruning sheers, etc. Often the camera is about 5" from the container that I use for their dinner, and STILL I can't remember! Half the time I can't remember to turn the outside lights on - even though the switch is also beside the back door. ...hopeless...