The Heidi Chronicles: They're Here at Last!

Diva and her kit were there, as well. At some point he ran over to the pool, grabbed the rubber chicken and ran back into the weeds with it to play. I tried to get that pic, too, but as I mentioned the other night with the rice cakes, that little fella is FAST.

In the photo below, one kit, having found the treat filled toy in the pool, has taken it over behind the pool to retrieve and eat the treats.

I was fun to watch them play. Like any other kids (or adults) they had quickly noticed the new toys (even though they now have quite a collection of toys out there). To see that they noticed the new toys and played with them right away was heartwarming. I could see that my "work" was not in vain.

Those little fellas spend 9/10 of their time in the pool. It is the perfect toy for them.

ROFL at the image of the kit wrestling with the toy and smacking Mom up side the head with it! Oh, and as I was reading, I heard a critter right outside my window shuffling around outside--didn't want to frighten it by opening the curtains to see it. Mainly 'cause sometimes it's Pepe le Pew. :p


Edit: That woulda been a funny sight with the rubber chicken, too! I could see that winning America's Funniest Videos.

This message was edited Aug 27, 2007 12:09 AM

In the short time since the kits started coming to dinner, it has been interesting to see the difference in parenting skills among the 3 mothers and the resulting differences in the kits. I have also seen specific ways in which the kits have begun to model the behaviors of their respective parents. This is particularly noticeable with Rupert (Diva's little Survivor) who is quickly becoming Diva Lite, a perfect clone of his mom. I gather that, lacking siblings, Diva is his only example of how to be a raccoon. If you go back and view these pics again, you will see that in each he has copied her posture verbatim. In one of the photos you can even see him looking at her as if to better replicate her stance. I have numerous other pics in which he is doing the same thing.
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=3893431
http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/fp.php?pid=3888873

None of the parents seem to like the kids crowding around them eating from their dish. Heidi lets hers do it maybe 60% of the time, but nudges them gently out of the dish the rest of the time, perhaps knowing they need to learn to forage independently. (I need to remember to give them a separate dish beside hers.) Diva never lets Rupert eat from her dish, AND when I toss him food to the side, she frequently steals that if it's something she likes. But Juliet may be the worse yet. When her kits try to approach her dish, she snaps at them and/or uses her head to shove them violently. I was shocked the 1st time I saw this. I have seen it several times since. I guess it's no wonder considering she is the one who attacks all of the others almost daily.

Out of necessity to avoid Juliet and Heidi, Diva has been bringing Rupert around beside me to eat. I leave food for her in a dish to my right (opposite Friday's side). Because they are close by, I can easily make sure to toss food and treats to Rupert and keep him eating despite his mom's lack of generosity. Juliet, on the other hand, eats over to the left of the pool about 12-15 ft from me. Because she doesn't trust me very much, neither do her kits. When she runs them off from her dish, they won't come over in front of the pool so I can feed them (like Heidi's kids do). Sometimes I can get a handful or so to them right in front of Juliet, but they spend most of their time in the weeds behind her where I can't get food to them.

I notice Rupert rearing up to stand on his hind legs a lot. His mom also does that a lot. The 2 of them will stand upright several times per visit. The others may do it once or twice all season. As we saw with Diva's attack on HRH, she is overly aggressive and inclined to fight. Now I see her kit launching mock attacks on the adults around the pool - this happens whenever Heidi is not there, Diva and Rupert have temporary ownership of the pool, and one of the others (Juliet perhaps) walks over near the pool. It is interesting to notice the extent to which he already models her behavior.

On one recent night when all 3 moms brought their kids, the contrast between Heidi's kids and the others was incredibly clear. Heidi's kids are so much better adjusted. They appear happier, bouncier, more playful, less fearful. The other kids show up and either hide behind their mom's "skirt tail" or hide in the weeds most of the time. They rarely play in the pool or with the toys. Heidi's kids come down the fence like happy, carefree kids at the playground, their eyes wide with excitement as they head for and tumble into the pool. There is no comparison.

Hi KyWoods,

I couldn't believe my eyes when the kit smacked the toy dog into Heidi's head as she was eating - luckily it was a stuffed dog - but it was even more incredible because the kit couldn't see over the dog to realize that it was his mom's head that was blocking the dog from following him into the pool; so he kept tugging on it, and for a moment or 2 while she got her bearing back, Heidi was just standing there locked in this impossible dance with the dog.

My dog would never play with the chicken so I never understood the point of the silly thing. It's squishy and stretchy. Then when I saw the kit (who got it right away) holding the body and tugging on the head, stretching the neck, I finally got it.

Pepe le Pew. LOL. I didn't get that at 1st either. We don't have skunks. That must be a real treat. I'd be leary of opening the door, too. ;-)

Ky,

How are we doing on loading time with dial up? LMK when we need to switch.

Does the one still sniff your foot? I would hope that at some point you will rub the bravest with a twig.

Years ago there was a kitten dumped at work. Classes were taught and the students were given a lunch each day so most of the time the kitten had something to eat. One evening she was hungry and crying. I could get quite close but not enough to pick her up. I found a twig maybe three feet long and began jiggling it near her. She played and then I rubbed her back. She arched and began to purr and I picked her up.

So now you see my fascination with a twig and rubbing them.

Love your match teepee solution for the citronella candles! Would make for really hot glass, however; trust me, the Cutter spray is much easier. I'd always heard that Skin so Soft works well, but have no nearby Avon lady (lol).

I'd noticed in the photos how much Diva's kit watches and imitates her. What a shame; he/she will probably grow up to be equally aggressive, especially in the absence of littermates to socialize him. I'd hoped he might be able to play with Heidi's kits and learn from them, but know that was an unrealistic hope. Since Juliet is one of Heidi's kids, I'm surprised she's a lousy mother; she should surely know better! I know she was grumbly and PMS-ish with the adults, but hoped she'd be mellow with her kits.

The image of the kit smacking mama Heidi with the dog is priceless; and she certainly is a tolerant mom not to pitch a fit about it. Yes, they do instantly notice and try out new toys, don't they? Just like human kids, but so much easier to please; no need to buy them cell phones or X-Boxes...

LOL at the PMS remark! And the mental image of all the kits jabbering to each other on cell phones...ROFL

George,

Heidi doesn't bring the kits every night - more like every other night; so I have only seen them once more since the time when he was deterred by the candle. On the more recent occasion he stopped about a foot from me and then went back. Sorry to disappoint you, but I don't think they are ready for me to reach out to them, not even with a stick. The slightest move will send them scurrying back to safety. My instincts tell me that although they are curious about me and want to explore me a bit, any movement on my part would be seen as a threat and would likely cause them to stay away from me in the future.

There is something very different between a ferral kitten and a wild baby raccoon, especially when the latter still lives in the wild and still has a mother - not the least of which is the fact that Heidi would likely beat up on me if she saw me try to pick up her baby. The kits' mothers are teaching them to fear humans. They are being taught to trust me to a certain extent, but they still equate people with danger. Any attempt to reach toward them even with food provokes an instinct to view me as a potential predator. I don't really know how to explain it. I just know that for now my success with them and my ability to get so close to them depends in part on not trying to touch them.

Hi Ruth,

If only I could remember to buy the spray. I didn't get to the store today as I'd hoped. I did put several of the mosquito spray/wipe products on my order from drugstore.com which should be here in about a week.

I am horrified every time I see Juliet snap at the kits and use her head to toss them away from her food. On the other hand, Juliet does seem to watch over them. She seems protective and were it not for her behavior around food I would otherwise think her a good mom. Of course, I can't see what she's doing in the forest. Who knows what other things cause her to snap at them.

On one occasion one of Juliet's kids got scared and ran back to the tree. After a few minutes he started calling to his mom - that same Whoop, Whoop sound. She immediately stopped eating and went up the fence to get the kit and bring it back down with the others. Juliet's kits stay close by her most of the time. Rupert, on the other hand, often wanders 20ft or more away from his mom who never seems to care where he is, and he no longer bothers to call her since she never responds anyhow. But, like the many human kids with less than perfect parents, they will survive.

Heidi is incredibly patient with her kits. The 1st time they came to dinner, they ran over to her and started climbing all over her while she was trying to eat. It was cute to watch but probably not so cute for Heidi, but she took it all in stride. I've never seen any of the other kits climb on their moms.

BTW, remember that one time when 2 of Heidi's babies stayed behind to play after she left and even ignored her when she tried repeatedly to call them from the tree? The next time she brought them to dinner she held a series of drills to see if they would all follow her back to the fence on que, and they did, and they still do. She managed to get that across to them. Now as soon as she goes, they all go, too.

The kits are still pretty young yet. Maybe they will want x-boxes and cell phones when they get a little older. ; )

Terese,

Did you see that I named Diva's kit Rupert? I meant to tell you that I had already started labelling his pics that way. Sometimes I do that to test the waters.

I'll bet Brittney-Diva wouldn't care if you grabbed at her baby! LOL just kidding....poor Diva. I'll bet that kid of hers will grow up with a lot of street smarts, though.

Tonight I was late getting out there. Heidi and Juliet were waiting for me, but no kids showed up. I didn't see Diva or Rupert either, although I didn't stay very late.

Some of you might remember the incident last year when Trouble sat down on the bottom shelf of my garden seat. He looked hilarious in there - as though he were sitting in a toy car. Well, here is Rupert in the same garden seat. He's not sitting down like Trouble did last year so not quite as cute, but still...

Ky,

You are right on both counts: she likely wouldn't mind (or notice, especially if I feed her), and the kit is developing street smarts already. That one won't get close to me. His mom doesn't trust me much, and he picks up on that.

Rupert again (when Trouble did this he sat back on his hip and leaned back so he looked like a driver as seen through a car window)

Awwww, how cute! He fits perfectly--great coon hideout!

Yes, KyWoods, I think he feels safer in there - like a little portable den. Unfortunately, Sunday while doing yard work I moved it to another part of the garden without thinking about it. That evening I could see that he was looking for it. I'll have to put it back for him. I have another one anyhow. Here he is crawling into it.

Diva and Rupert again. Looks like something in the bushes scared him. (These are from a few nights ago.)

LOL, what a fat little tail! I don't suppose you could locate the one with Trouble in it, huh?

Diva Britaney and Rupert again. In these 2 pics I caught him while he was trying to get around her to try to eat with her - which she won't allow - so I had to put some extra food down for him on the other side.

Sadly, I didn't have a camera with me the evening when I went out and found him in there. That would have been THE picture! Rupert seems to be kind of hiding out in the thing where as Trouble was just a very curious little clown. (I miss him)

Found yet another pic of Rupert in the "car".

>>Did you see that I named Diva's kit Rupert?

Yes, Cheryl... I did see that. *warms my heart*
he does seem like a Rupert... and if he's not a he, we'll have to find something similar.... though if he is a he, lets hope he doesn't try to "take over" HRH's place in the kingdom.

He is quite the cutie.... shame he has such a horrible mother.... it would be nice if he could pick up habits of some of the other babes. Time will tell.

awesome, awesome photos.... and with a broken camera to boot.

Here is HRH from, I think, Saturday night. I probably forgot to mention that he made an appearance.

To his left is a small, yellow, stuffed, toy duck. On Sunday, I found the duck (all soaking wet) in the copper water basin. Apparently, one of the raccoons had taken it over there to wash it. How cute.

Thanks, Terese,

A few nights earlier you had mentioned that the photos looked "better", and had asked if I did anything different. Saturday night when I was checking something on my camera I saw (and remembered) that I had, in fact, made a change. I've been doing a little reading here and there. (I bought a "Dummies" book. LOL) Based on what I learned so far, I had changed the ISO from "auto" to 50 because I read that the lower setting would [I believe slow the camera down and] allow the maximum light to "build up" for a night time pic. Anyhow, I think it has improved the pics taken at close range - may have made the distant ones slightly worse. Of course, there are lots of other variables like (1) I've found that I take terrible pics when the mosquitos are drilling into and spearing me. I still have lots more reading to do. Who knows I might figure it out yet.

Thanks again.

I like the way HRH's coat looks here. He reminds me of a Husky.

Ok, last one for tonight. Have to get sleep. (I have several day's worth of photos still.) This is HRH, of course. I call this one:

Just Chillin'

Subtle, gentle. A long thin branch snuggled down in the grass. Very gently wiggled when someone is looking. After several days be slightly more obvious that you are doing the wiggling.

Great photos as always, Cheryl. That tractor scoot is great for the kids: like the big plastic cars/trucks for human kids! Had to laugh at your description of HRH's coat looking like a husky's, but see what you mean. His coat is just gorgeous, not to mention that wonderful muscle tone. I miss Trouble, too; but as we get to know HRH, I see where he got some of his personality traits...

I think your instincts are right on about it not being wise/safe to try to touch or handle the kits. I don't know if Heidi would actually attack you - whatever she chose to do, she'd be horribly conflicted - but it would irreparably damage her level of trust. And we all need to remember that raccoon kits NEED to be wary of people in order to survive. Our species hunts them with dogs, shoots them, poisons them, traps and relocates them for simply being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Trying to be friendly with the wrong human being is quite simply a death sentence for raccoons in the wild, not at all what we want to teach the kits. George, if you're not familiar with Tellington TTouch, you should google it. What you do with the stick with feral kittens is part of TTouch (though they use a wand), a whole system for dealing with wild animals in captivity, also training/therapy for pet animals. Fascinating that you came up with the same concept on your own: congrats!

How sad that Rupert doesn't even bother to call for his mom any more; he's missing out on such much socializing and learning, and has only her horrible behavior as his learning template. I'm sure Diva will drive him away as soon as she's getting ready to come back in heat, or when she simply can't be bothered any more. Heidi is just her polar opposite: I loved the fact that she did "calling drills" after the night the two kits blew her off. Small wonder that all her kits survive, though of course their excellent diet is hugely helpful...

One last quick anecdote before I go to sleep. I just have to tell you the cute think that Widget did the other day - even though this is a raccoon thread, not a dog thread.

For some time now I've been working on teaching Widget to play dead - lie on his side all sprawled out with eyes closed. He has to stay that way, regardless of what else I say until I say "Out". For a long time he was pretty resistant to the idea of lying around with his eyes closed, but with patience, repetition, treats, and lavish praise he has recently gotten very good at it, so much so that I'm inclined to want to laugh at him lying there all motionless.

The other day, he had an "accident". I sat down (because he's so tiny) near his "error" and made him sit there to so I could verbally reprimand him. He was most contrite and tried to avoid looking at the mistake. He wanted to leave the area but I insisted that he stay and listen "to the music". So, he promptly lay down by my foot and did his "dead" routine. Well, he's pretty smart because that worked. I couldn't contain the urge to burst out laughing, so that was the end of my fussing.

That completely changed the mood - which is what he appeared to be after. When he plays dead on que I always smile and clap my hands and look all happy and praise him a lot. So when I looked angry and was fussing at him, he thought, ok, maybe she'll be happy again if I play dead.

That's such a cute - and infamous - dog trick. When you don't want to do what mom is telling you, offer alternative behaviors you know she likes; maybe she'll laugh, or just forget what she asked you to do. And you know, it almost invariably works; training is definitely not a one-way street!

I almost didn't make it to the end of the thread this time--I'm ready for a new one anytime you are, Cheryl! :)

Renee'

Hi Ruth,

I used to worry about how even my presence would effect them, whether it would make them more likely to approach others. I'm a bit less concerned about that now since amazingly they (the raccoons in general) show an ability to distinguish between trusting one human and trusting humans. To this day they all go on high alert if they hear any other human even one out at the street. Although I hate seeing them run away when someone in the neighborhood shouts or talks loud, it is good to know that they aren't learning to be too comfortable around humans.

The other night after Heidi left, Rupert got into the pool and wandered over next to where one of Juliet's kids was eating. Then he stood up on his back legs, reached over the side of the pool and swatted at Juliet's kit's head in a manuever much like kittens at play. It was all over very quickly, and Rupert went on about his business eating in the pool, still, especially since no fighting resulted, it really looked like an attempt to get the other kit to play with him. It was the 1st such behavior I had seen from him. Perhaps as time goes on he may learn to play with them.

Below is my attempt to get a photo of that. Of course, the moment was over before the shutter closed, so this is the moment after. (Rupert in pool, Julet's kit beside pool)

Edited because I just have to add: I know it looks like Juliet's kit is larger, and if anything the opposite is true. I'm still trying to understand why the camera seems to distort the size information for the kits, but somehow it does. The kits are not as large in comparison to the adults as they look in the photos, and Juliet's kits are actually the smallest ones of all. Go figure.

This message was edited Aug 28, 2007 12:38 AM

Widget doesn't really like to play dead - although he does it for a treat and to get me to shut up (lol) - so when he played dead on his own that day I knew was pretty desperate to change the subject.

He and Heidi have both trained me to do all kinds of tricks. : )

KyWoods -- thanks for letting me know. sorry you are having trouble tonight. I really should get to bed now but will make a new thread before I post events tomorrow.

How sad is it that the only way Rupert knows to solicit play is by swatting? Like mother, like offspring... If he is a male, he'll find on maturity that swatting won't get him many ladies... Of course if it turns out to be a female, and she responds this way to suitors, she'll never have to worry about date rape...

Widget reminds me of when I have to drop my dog off to be boarded -- which, BELIEVE me, happens once in a blue moon, i love my dog -- once Osita realizes why we're at the vet, she goes all desperate, first tries to break out the double doors & then tries to do her tricks for the gals who are trying to drag her off, her little doggie brain trying to figure out how she can change the situation. She sits, paw, other paw, down, roll left, roll right ... meanwhile i burst into tears & the vet people are yelling at me to run, she'll be fine once i leave ... it's a nightmare.

But actually why I'm posting is because I have a question: Juliet is Heidi's kit, right? And Heidi is such a good mom but it hasn't passed down to Juliet so much? Or did I get confused?

No, you've got it right, summerkid; Juliet is one of Heidi's kids from last year. I can't understand, either, why she's not a better mom, given her own upbringing; but I guess a grouch is a grouch, no matter who raises her...

you know, your heart breaks, doesn't it, when you see a human child who just wants to be loved & had the misfortune to be born to a pathological misfit .... but it almost makes me want to cry just as much to see a little raccoon baby who wishes its mom would care ...

Couldn't agree with you more. The only difference is that the human race at least has many other influences that come into play on children: teachers, playmates, etc.; wildlife kids have nothing but their mom, be she a great one like Heidi or a Mommie Dearest like Diva.

I also wonder if they (Juliet and Diva) will get better at it as they have more litters. Diva is NOT Heidi's kit, correct, just one that wandered over due to the buffet? so there may be no hope for her... but hopefully as Juliet matures more, she may be a better mom.

Ruth - do you think that is possible?