Heidi Chronicles: A New Year Begins!

Makj, our rehabbers always looked forward to the first baby squirrels of the season around Valentine's Day; so if your girl is "with squirrel," there should be babies before long. It's lucky that the storm hit before their birth; baby squirrels have a pretty high mortality rate from storm damage to the nest when they're very young.

thanks guys, today when i was out below her tree, i saw she was out a foot or so in front of her nest, odd time of day for her as she usually is out storing nuts, so i do suspest baby squirrels in the nest, i told my husband i want to get on the ladder and see but not too close i don't want to upset her, i can't believe how excited i am,i have seen puppies kittens etc.. but little tiny squirrels, anyway, should i get on the ladder, i will let all know:).,

I really understand the temptation, makj, but don't recommend peeking at the babies. If humans come anywhere near the nest, the mother can decide they all must move to somewhere more private. Better to wait until they have their fur, their eyes and ears open, and are old enough to emerge from the nest. If you've ever seen newborn mice, you'll have an idea how funny-looking newborn squirrels are: hairless little bald pink babies with long bald tails, and really really tiny ears. They're much cuter when their fur comes in, trust me (lol).

yeah you are right, I really don't want to upset her and I certainly don't want her to move the family, i will wait patiently:)but darn she is cute!!!!!!!!!

Hi Everyone!

I've been off work for a week and a half now (despite the crunch). The past week or so is pretty much a blur. I spent most of it curled up in the fetal position, clutching my abdomen, and whimpering (much to Widget's concern) in between hourly bouts of 'serious' illness. What I've learned from all of this is the importance of the job done by all those internal GI parts we all take for granted and how darn sick you can get in a hurry when something messes up the works.

I'm especially happy to report that for the moment I am sitting upright and feeling pretty good - and hoping this lasts. I want to thank you all for your thoughts, wishes, and prayers on my behalf. They seem to be working. : )
I promise that I'm going to come back soon to respond to your individual comments. I have so enjoyed reading them BTW. But 1st, a few quick words about what's going on with the raccoons. (Then I might need a nap before I continue.)

During the past week I've dragged myself out to the feeding area (often during the afternoon) to deliver food but only on alternate days; dragging food out to the raccoons every other day was the only thing I did during that time, and I really had to force myself to go that often. Luckily, Widget's food is dispensed from an automatic feeder which holds more than he can eat in a month, and (due to the hair around his mouth) he drinks from a large hamster type bottle (made for dogs) and a filtered, recirculated fountain; so I didn't have to worry about him. Since my goal was to avoid eating at all costs, I didn't have to worry too much about fixing food for myself either, just kept my water bottle full.

The few times I went out at night - and thus saw raccoons - I only saw Heidi and sometimes HRH. The sudden disappearance of all of the others (who may still be coming around later to eat the left overs but who never show up at feeding time anymore) was quite noticeable. Judging from Heidi's behavior, all that snorting and grumbling, I suspect that she has, at least for now, run everyone else off or at least put them on notice to stay away from the feeding area. She grumbles and growls at HRH when he shows up, and even gives chase sometimes, but to be honest I'm beginning to think that HRH enjoys the chase. When he runs past her he always seems to have a big smile on his face like, "Whoo, I'm scared!" Reminds me of how some teenage boys start to act when a mom or teacher tries to discipline them.

Tonight Rupert showed up for a change, and Heidi chased him all around the area and with surprising vitriol. Watching this display I was all the more convinced that Heidi was the reason no one else had shown up lately. Rupert did ultimately 'win'. He brought the chase over to the dish beside me, and in keeping with the idea that one should not start a fight near the big 'bear', Heidi looked up at me, turned and went back to her dish.

I think it's worth noting that (so far at least) feeding and befriending the raccoons has not resulted in any of the problems people have always warned me about. Even after 2 years of almost daily feedings, when I skipped a day here and there during my illness, not one raccoon damaged anything. No one came up to the house to try to break in. They just waited a bit and then went on their way to look elsewhere for dinner.

So far none of the raccoons have tried to build a home in my home. This has always been my biggest concern -outside of rabies that is. It could happen, but, you know what, every such incidence I've heard or read about to date has involved a raccoon who was not fed by the homeowner. Now I'm not suggesting that feeding raccoons provides protection from such things, just that it doesn't seem to be a factor. Apparently, it happens every now and then regardless, and feeding them doesn't seem to make it any more or less likely. So far, however, the raccoons have shown great respect for the boundaries of my home - thankfully.

So far none of the raccoons have harmed Widget - or Sassy before him. This despite the fact that he runs out there and does his Cujo act every chance he gets. And as I mentioned after Widget's recent vet visit, they haven't spread any illnesses - like the tick born varieties.

So far it seems that despite all of the negative press raccoons receive and all of the well meaning warnings I've received about keeping them out of my yard, all they have brought with them these last few years is friendship, smiles, and laughter!

makj,

The squirrel is adorable.

You 'guys', don't let me break up the conversation. Don't know if I'm 'back' yet, just wanted to let you let you know what's been going on - while I'm feeling pretty good.

One other interesting thing to tell you about. Today I went to the Dr - again. At this point she is beginning to fear that my current illness is an adverse reaction to the medication I was put on some 5 or 6 months ago, the medication that had allowed me to feel so much better a while back when my 'sleeping' sickness was diagnosed. This, of course, is very bad news. I may have to stop the medication, and that brings me back 180 to face the original 'sleeping' problem again. Oh, well, one step at a time...

She also decided to run a series of cultures just to be sure the problem isn't due to some organism and a CAT scan (at least that's what I thought she said). When the issue of organisms came up, I decided I should tell her about the possibility (however minor) of the raccoon parasite. So, holding my breath in anticipation, I told her I had contact with raccoons, and in response to her request for more info, I explained briefly albeit with a version altered slightly by some of Ruth's prior suggestions (thanks, Ruth!). Waiting for the inevitable 'explosion', and as if to protest in advance, I could hear my voice almost pleading as I tried to explain that they are never, ever aggressive with me; that they have never scratched me or bitten me; that they don't even try; that they are really very sweet, curious, playful, and non-aggressive creatures. And then...

Her response just blew me away! "I know, I know", she said. No hysteria. No lecture. No "OMG, we have to wish you away to be decontaminated!" No "What the @$%@ were you thinking?!".

I went on to say that (while I don't think it's the cause of my problem) raccoons can carry parasites which are deadly to humans (my words). And with that, the Dr quickly corrected me with "CAN BE, but not necessarily". She said she seriously doubted that was the source of my problem but that the cultures she had ordered would catch it in the unlikely event that it was.

Now, I should clarify that I don't think the raccoons are the cause of my illness. It's just that I've had a week+ of lying in bed trying to figure out what could possibly be wrong with me; and after I finished with the 'horses' I started considering 'zebras'. While I really don't think it's the cause, I figured I should let the Dr know that there was at least a small chance I might have been exposed, just so that she would be armed with as much info as possible in order to figure out what's making me so sick. I'm telling you this because I was so (pleasantly) astonished by her response to what I had told her.

makj,

Does the squirrel have a name?

Just another quick item. Something I've been wanting to mention since just before the onset of the big illness. A year or so ago I had some problems with rats outside, attracted by the bird feeder. At that time I purchased, but never unpacked let alone used, a (live) trap from Lee Valley Tools. I mention the vendor's name because recently when I was doing some serious cleaning around here, I ran across that trap still in the box and was very pleasantly surprised to note that the vendor had affixed a warning to the box to warn against moving females who might have nursing babies. The note indicated that one cannot always tell a nursing mom just from looking at them and thus should not relocate females during the season(s) when they may be raising young. It went on to recommend checking with local wildlife officials to determine when it might be safe to do so.

Since we have discussed this issue many times with respect to people moving raccoons, I thought it relevant to our discussion. After all, some very well meaning people even suggested relocating Heidi when she 1st started coming into the the yard. At that time we had no way of knowing that Trouble and Fraidy and the others were waiting helplessly for her return. I'm so glad I didn't move her.

I was, therefore, particularly impressed that (in this case - the rat sized trap) the vendor was responsible enough to place this warning on the product. So often I find that vendors in similar situations just sell the product and figure it's not their problem. Hat's off to Lee Valley Tools for being so responsible.

Cheryl, glad to see you are "up" enough to drop a few notes in.

Certainly hope this bit of "wellness" continues... for everyones sake.

Glad to hear Rupert "won" ... I'm sure if you weren't there, he would have run off.

Let's hope your Doc can figure out what is causing this illness.... and find another med to replace the old one.

That's the thing about meds that really gets me... you take one to "fix" what is ailing you... then to have to take a few more to fix the troubles that the first one caused.

You'll be in my T&P's.

Terese

It's good to hear from you, Cheryl. :-) I'm praying for you, too.

makj, the squirrel is adorable!

I was in bed most of the time from Friday night to this morning, when I guess my body finally got rid of whatever bug it had. Aches and pains, chills and fever, weakness and dizziness. Thankfully non of the gastro-intestinal or respiratory issues, though.
Glad to hear you're feeling a bit better, Cheryl, and I do hope they figure out what is really the problem, and can fix it, at least better than they did. Like they say, medicine is not an exact science.

Cheryl, really good to hear from you. So sorry that you and KyWoods have been under the weather: being sick is the pits! Sounds like you have a remarkably cool doctor, and hopefully she'll be able to come up with solutions that work without making you sick(er). Kudos for being honest with her (at least to a point); that was an important thing to do, and I'm glad her reaction was so sensible.

Heidi's behavior certainly indicates that she might be pregnant; is she looking bigger these days? Love the description of HRH's grin while being chased: respectful is one thing, but scared I'm sure he's not.

And the trap vendor is way cool: as you said, far too many couldn't care less.

Cheryl, glad to hear you sounding a bit more energetic - hope you don't have to go back to square one with finding new meds!

KYWoods, hope you're feeling better!

Makj, your squirrel pic is adorable - our squirrels make their nests way high in the trees, so it's hard to get excited about something we don't see...

Sprtacusbaby, I know you talked about this in previous threads, but I'm starting to think about warm weather & wonder if I would be doing my raccoon a disservice by continuing to feed him/her as the weather warms, (not that our weather ever gets terribly cold)... I don't want to make him dependent on me, but am really enjoying feeding him every other day.

Well, usually every other day - I fed him last night, then put food out for the cats this morning, just before daylight. When I opened the door to go to the garage for something, he was eating again - of course, he left, but definitely didn't scamper away.... THEN, when I returned from the garage, I could see him standing up in the gully watching me walk up the path. As soon as I went inside he was back to the food! So, it definitely seems like he's feeling more comfortable around me & as I puttered around in the kitchen, running water, etc, he continued to eat undeterred by my noise or the porch light. I'm surprised by how small he is.... and so cute w/beautiful markings! What a great start to my day!

Liz

They make your heart smile, don't they? Yes, thanks, I'm feeling better now, and today another coworker left with the same bug, soon after arriving. We're all passing it around. I do hope our "Mrs. Doolittle", who started this whole saga, is feeling better!

Hi scutler, and all glad you feel better, keep getting better. I really think "Squirrely" is "with squirrels" she was up in her tree at 2:00 in the afternoon, unusual for her. and she came out from her nest and looked around and went back in, maybe it is my imagination, but I have a feeling,,, will continue watch and feeding:) take care all.

Thanks, Terese!

I'm still feeling better. So far, so good. No relapse. The 1st news that came back from my blood work was an urgent call from the Dr requesting that I come in for a 2nd draw of blood because my Potassium was so perilously low they really thought it had to be an error. Well, it wasn't. 3 weeks or so of intense and unrelenting GI issues. Go figure!

But the human body is pretty smart, and mine had already 'forced' me (through relentless cravings) to drink lots of OJ (450mg potassium per 8oz). I don't care for OJ, but right now it tastes like food of the gods, and I can't get enough of it. The body is smart. I've started to raise my potassium levels already. Still feeling a bit weak, but things are looking up.

I actually haven't stopped taking my med yet. I had already started to feel better even while taking it and that made me question whether the med was really the problem. But, actually, I too have noticed that nasty little problem with meds where you need a few new ones to cover the problems caused by the last one.

Thanks for those T&P's!

Thank you, Marylyn!

I believe all those prayers and all that positive energy really helps.

Hi KyWoods,

I was SO sorry to hear that you were also sick. Sounded awful. So glad to hear that you are feeling better now, too.

Hi, Ruth,

The Doc's reaction to the raccoon thing really surprised me, but more and more I am finding this amazing and much unexpected enlightened attitude toward raccoons among folks around the Charleston area, surrounding barrier islands included as my Dr practices on one of the islands. In rural areas outside the greater metro area, fear of raccoons still runs quite high, however.

As for the Dr, not only did she not seem to share the usual hysteria about contact with raccoons but she actually corrected me about the severity of the threat posed by the parasite the may carry. She said it "can" be serious but is not necessarily always so. I'm still glad I know about this threat and will continue to be vigilant in practicing proper hygiene around them, but I'm starting to think my initial impression may have been the correct one - that if it really were all that serious a threat there would be a lot more cases of it given that raccoons patrol most people's yards at night and may leave 'things' behind that aren't even recognized. I've been treating this threat as akin to a biological WMD. Maybe I can step that down a bit now. (lol, at me).

Thanks again for providing that "helping out with rehab" explanation.

LOL! Now that helps to explain the apparent dichotomy of the big, strong guy letting the little 'woman' push him around.
HRH really does this thing that I can't explain. Wish I could get a video of it. When he comes down the fence she's already growling at him. As soon as his feet hit the ground she charges him at what looks like something close to her peak speed. HRH runs but doesn't really look like he's 'stretched out' by any means. He seems to run just fast enough to stay a hair's breadth ahead of her, and he does it with his butt sucked in and tucked under just enough to keep everything out of her reach. When he arrives at his dish he quickly sits down with his back to her, bottom still tucked under and out of reach, and I swear he really seems to have a smile on his face as though he enjoyed the thrill of the chase and is laughing at her. I've seen the others run from her many times, and they never seem to have that same smirk that HRH has. I really think he kind of enjoys messing with her just a little, just the amount he can get away with and still stay in her good graces. HRH is a funny fella.

It has been very dark back there, so dark that a few times I walked right up on Heidi (like 2 feet away) before I even realized she was standing there in the shadows waiting for her dinner. It's so dark back there that I can't even see her well enough to see any identifying marks. There is just something about Heidi that I recognize her (and only her so far) the way we recognize people - you don't have to think about it, you just know. My instincts have been verified by such things as the grumbling and coughing along with other little habits, however. None the less, in the dark it's difficult to see her body very well. Where as she stood out against green grass (and weeds), now she blends perfectly with bare dirt and fallen leaves. I haven't been able to tell for sure but she doesn't seem noticeably larger. That said, I almost seem to recall the same thing happening in spring 07 - the females hitting a period early on where they seemed to stay the same size for a while causing me to question if they really were pregnant, only to see their bellies grow in leaps and bounds in the final weeks.

I do think that everything about Heidi's behavior says she is (as makj says) "with raccoon". She doesn't want ANY other raccoon in the yard when she is there. She chases them quite vigorously. She growls and snarls, snorts and grumbles - the latter almost constantly, another thing I recall from her prior pregnancy. She's coughing again, yet another thing which seems to be associated with her pregnancies. The other raccoons - except for HRH, of course - seem to know she is serious since they don't show up anymore. Last night I stayed out a while after Heidi left, hoping to see Dennis, but neither he nor any of the others ever showed up.

Last night I took 2 large, brown eggs out for her, figuring, as you say, that she would need the protein and other nutrients. For a while there after the kids were grown, Heidi had started rejecting eggs most of the time, only eating one occasionally. Last night, however, she scarfed down both of them and was looking for more. I think her sudden renewed taste for eggs seems to also be indicative of pregnancy. I left 2 more beside her dish tonight. (I went out very early and therefore didn't see her.)

I was very impressed by the responsibility the Lee Valley showed in posting that warning on their cage traps and have been wanting to share that with all of you.


This message was edited Feb 8, 2008 3:48 AM
Edited a few times to fix errors

This message was edited Feb 8, 2008 3:52 AM

Thanks, Liz!

I'm so glad that you are getting an opportunity to see your raccoon visitor's up closer now and that they are getting more comfortable around you. I think your smaller raccoon may well be a female, perhaps even a mom or soon to be a mom. As the weather gets warmer she will have her hands full trying to find enough quality food to eat so that her body can 'grow' 3 or more (healthy) new lives and later so that she can make enough milk to feed them. Once they get on solid food, she'll need to find more and more food for them. Others may feel differently, but I think if you continue to supply some food you will help her to raise healthier babies while continuing to provide yourself the opportunity to enjoy some time with them. And maybe in time she will bring the babies to see you.

I know you posed that question to Ruth and with good reason as she has the experience in this area from her time rehabilitating raccoons, but I just thought I'd add my 2 cents worth. : )

Thanks, makj!

Cheryl -- I have read that the body will crave certain foods to get the nutrients it's lacking.

Chocolate = magnesium [LOL]
raisins = iron [i think] there have been times i've craved raisins ... and i've never been a big fan.
and now i know OJ = potassium

once i started taking Mag ... i literally quit craving Chocolate.

the list goes on....


This message was edited Feb 8, 2008 6:45 AM

So glad to hear you are feeling better!

We have been having visitors so have had to bring in the suet feeder at night again. I caught one tonight. Think it is a female judging by the head size and quite possibly pregnant I would say, by the size of the rest of her!

Are you saying I could develop a magnesium craving instead of a Dove Bar craving?? LOL

Edit: We cross-posted, Nanny--you may be right, that sure is a plump one!

This message was edited Feb 7, 2008 11:06 PM

Lizzipa, I agree with Cheryl on the feeding, though I understand your concerns given the long growing season etc. in your climate. As long as you're not providing enough food to be their sole source (and Cheryl can testify just how MUCH food that is for pregnant and lactating coons), they won't become dependent on you; feeding every other day makes great sense if you're concerned about this issue. Weather in nature leads to unexpected, as well as seasonal, fluctuations in availability of food; as omnivores, raccoons do a great job of making use of what nature provides, but some years she just doesn't provide enough consistently. They've done studies of this issue in birds; if memory serves, providing food can lead to a localized population increase by reducing mortality of the young, but does not lead to dependency. The birds still are able to find food if the homeowner who feeds moves out or stops feeding. [Don't quote me on this, it's just my best recollection.] Bottom line is your feeding helps the pregnant and lactating moms a LOT, and helps to increase survival chances of the young; but raccoons are the ultimate survivors and will not lose the ability to forage when they need to do so.

Cheryl, the grumbling, coughing, and craving for eggs really do sound like a pregnant Heidi; and you're right, the body size only increases exponentially in the last trimester. HRH truly is a character. My experience with the juvenile coons in rehab, as well as your stories about the litters, make it clear that the male of the species is usually the more playful and mischievous: guess they don't always outgrow it! Makes sense when you think about it; the survival of the species doesn't fall on the males' shoulders. Their contribution is pretty quick, and not exactly a hardship..... Also, consider the fact that HRH knows Heidi (in all senses of the word) far better than any of the others do; your descriptions of their chases sound a bit like an old married couple blowing off steam with a mock fight. [Though I'm quite sure that Heidi is serious, especially if she's pregnant; but it's clear that HRH is neither serious nor scared.] Do love the way he's careful to protect "the crown jewels" while being chased: not stupid, that lad. He plays so many roles in this saga: powerful but generally benevolent king, avid suitor, and sometimes court jester.... Gotta love the boy.

Your doctor is absolutely right about the raccoon roundworm infection in people. If detected early, it is very treatable with medication and leaves no damage. It just is not something doctors usually think of or look for; and if untreated, it can cause permanent brain damage in people. Completely preventable with good basic hygiene: the people usually infected are children, who put hands contaminated with all sorts of unmentionables in their mouth. And you know, I'm all about encouraging people to welcome, help and feed wildlife; but I'd be irresponsible if I didn't emphasize the importance of hygiene precautions when cleaning up anything that might be contaminated with their feces.

Your description of how much raccoon coloring stands out in summer, but disappears in winter, is a great observation. My best guess is that their coloring evolved to camoflauge them in the tree cavities that were their original nesting site, and it works equally well on the ground against the bare limbs of winter. Fascinating, isn't it?

Scutler, so glad to hear you're feeling better! Add some bananas to the oj diet. They too contain a large concentration of potassium.
Love the stories of HRH and Heidi. They do sound like an old married couple. What a hoot!

tcs, somehow I just don't get the same "thrill" from magnesium rather than a nice Milky Way. LOL

Cheryl, so glad you are feeling a bit better. I also hope the doctors can get this all straighten out with meds. Its good to have you here posting once again.

Nanny I love that picture. She is one hefty raccon!

Hey Cheryl -- good to "see" you up and around. saw ya in the coyote thread.

hope you are feeling good today.

how's the critters? oh, and Widget too?

Terese

Hi, Terese!

I'm feeling Fabulous! (Thanks for asking!) Widget and I have been out in the backyard desperately trying to get things in order before spring gets the jump on us. Well, actually I've been doing the work and Widget has been getting in the way but - it's all good. Seems like spring is peeking around the corner at us already: pollen everywhere, daffodils opening, new growth starting on trees, vines, etc. It won't be long now - and I have so much to do to get ready.

Yesterday morning I went to the hospital for IV potassium drip. After lunch I went to work for a few hours, the 1st sense my illness. I came home and crashed. By the time I woke up it was almost 10PM so I was late getting out to feed the raccoons. Heidi had apparently given up on me and gone elsewhere for dinner; however, she or one of the others HAD dug a huge hole in the ground beside her dish. I don't know if that was another editorial remark, perhaps about the late dinner. I've never seen them dig a hole like this one. It looked like the kind of hole a large outside dog will sometimes dig in hot weather so that he can lie down in the cool dirt. It was 8-10in deep and at least the size of an adult raccoon. There was a 2nd similar hole about a foot away. Anyhow, I didn't see any of the raccoons. Just left the food all of which was gone by morning.

Every now and then I like to prowl about DG a bit just to see what's going on elsewhere. : )

It does seem, with your shorter "off season" you do not have a lot of time to prepare for the following season -- not like we do up north ... and with you being ill again... there went a lot of the time to start preping your yard ... oh, and no time to write that book LOL.

that's something about the hole. maybe Heidi dug a lil hole to lay down in while she was waiting for dinner to arrive. ;-)
but I'm sure it was a message of some sort. at least there was no "poop" left behind.

We REALLY don't get much down time for 'winter'. I actually find myself secretly saying "Noooo!" while everyone else is hoping for spring to arrive ASAP, although this is the 1st time I've ever had the courage to admit it. Not only is the off season short here but when spring arrives it does so with a bang. Everything goes into fast forward as though blasted off by a rocket. One day a few trees are starting to bud and in the next breath the whole world is covered in green and flowers. The next day everything is growing in such leaps and bounds that it becomes almost impossible to catch up. Soon the garden begins to look more like a jungle...and it's too hot and humid to go out there anyhow.

I got a fair amount done today. If I make similar progress tomorrow I should only need about 3 more months to get ready for spring. ; )
Unfortunately, spring is about a week away. : (

I did get some work done on the book during the early part of my illness, the 1st week when I felt too lousy to want to do anything but not yet so bad as to be completely down for the count. I collected and organized 3 chapters. I now have 5 such chapters, just collected and organized but not edited, proofed, etc.

With obvious exception for the past couple weeks, I find that I am getting a LOT more done since my other illness was diagnosed and treated allowing me to wake up and get moving again. The change probably isn't so noticeable here because I've been spending a lot of that time deep cleaning and organizing my house which had become a disaster during my years of convalescence from knee surgeries and a car accident followed by my 'sleeping sickness'. That project is going well. Once I finally get caught up with the house project, I should have more time to work on the yard and the book. There comes a point in summer when I really can't stay out there and work in the heat, so that should give me time to work on the book. At least, one can hope.

Oops! Time to go feed Heidi before she gets mad with me...

Just as expected, Heidi was out there waiting for me. She waits in the area where the branch of the Heidi tree comes down over the top of the fence. Not sure if she's waiting on the fence or the branch. She's responding much like a pet now. When I 1st exit the back door there are large shrubs and such in the way such that she and I cannot see each other. Still, if I call out to her, "Heidi, Heidi" speaking softly into the darkness at a level appropriate for an animal standing at my side (because I know she has very keen hearing, I don't have to raise my voice), I immediately hear the sound of her claws on the fence as she descends to meet me.

Tonight in my haste, I forgot to call out to her. When I got about 1/2 way across the yard, having long turned the corner and cleared the line of shrubs such that I could clearly see the fence, there was no sign of Heidi in the darkness. I was surprised that she wasn't there. Then I realized that I had not called her. As soon as I called, "Heidi" she scrambled over the fence and down to meet me. So that was it. She was actually listening each evening for me to call her, something I had been doing each night anyhow. Perhaps waiting in this manner for me to 'invite' her rather than just coming down when she saw me (or smelled me or otherwise identified my approach), she was being extra careful - careful of what? That is really was me and not some other human? But surely she knows me by smell by now, right? Maybe by waiting to be invited she's making sure that I'm in a good mood, that I'm signaling my intent to be friendly and to give her food not chase her away.

One night when I was very sick, I had called her when I walked out of the door as usual. Because she came down the fence as soon as she heard my call, she got to the feeding area way ahead of me. When I reached my bench, Heidi was waiting at her dish some 8ft or so in front of the bench. Feeling a bit week that night, I plopped myself down on the bench to rest a minute before proceeding on to the dish to feed her. As sitting down for a minute before delivering the food was an uncharacteristic move on my part, I spoke to her hoping just to reassure her so that she wouldn't run away. I said, "Heidi, Heidi". And with that, she promptly (and much to my surprise) left her dish and walked over to me where I sat on the bench. It is as though she now recognizes her name as a call to come. (That wasn't what I actually intended at the time, but we worked it out.)

Each night when I pour the food into her dish, she comes very close usually stopping about a foot or less from the dish. She then stands looking at me until I walk away from the dish. The sound of the kibble falling into the hard plastic dish used to scare her and send her running back a distance, but she has gotten over that now. As I stand there sort of bent over the dish pouring food, I look at her and speak to her calmly inviting her to approach.

Tonight she came up to about 8-10" from the dish (while I was still there pouring the food). Then in what looked more like something from a comic strip than reality, she leaned way forward and reached as far as possible such that one lone hand came across the top of the dish to pick up a handful of kibble. As she ate that handful, I stayed by the dish. A minute or so later, the hand came back across the expanse of space again to retrieve yet another handful of kibble. It was so Garfield, like something drawn in by a master illustrator, not something a wild animal might actually do.

I went on to fill the other dishes and sit down at my bench. As I watched her eat, I realized the solution to the mystery of those holes in the ground around her dish. Eggs! The last few night when I'd seen her I had given her eggs, 2 each night, and she had gobbled them up in a manner that any cook knows as a compliment to the chef. The last time I'd done this one of the eggs had broken open completely just short of reaching her. (If you recall I sort of roll toss them.) She had gone on to eat as much as she could of the broken egg that night but only after she finished her meal something Heidi always does - save the eggs for desert. No doubt some of the liquid from that egg seeped into the ground. The last 2 nights I didn't see Heidi as I went out either too early or too late. Still, 2 nights ago when I went out early I left the 2 eggs beside her dish for her. Last night, however, I did not leave any eggs, and she had dug a good sized hole in the exact area where the broken egg had come to rest a few night earlier. I don't know if she did it as commentary or if she was trying to dig up the source of the scent left there, but I now see that it was clearly about the eggs. The 2nd hole was smaller, on the other side of her dish, and exactly where she had eaten the other eggs. In fact, all of the shells were gone from both areas; so I imagine that she may have eaten them in her consternation at not having received the customary eggs with her meal that night.

Tonight I only had 1 egg with me. I tossed it to her while she was still eating kibble. It came to rest in the hole she had made the night before. As usual she continued to eat her kibble almost as if she hadn't seen the egg. Then when she finished her meal she walked around the dish to retrieve the cherished egg which she carried back to the area behind her dish to eat. Gently she turned it over between her paws looking for the sweet spot, that just right area from which to open it. Softly, she bit into the egg, and I heard her teeth pierce the shell. Then she withdrew her mouth from the egg, looked at it, and with a 2nd small bite removed a little piece of shell with the skill of a surgeon. From the small hole thus made in the shell, she proceeded to lift the egg out with her tongue. A series of noisy licking and slurping maneuvers later the shell was empty, and she proceeded to open the hole a bit larger in order to lick the shell clean inside.

The egg gone, Heidi walked back over to the hole where she alternated between sniffing around the hole where the egg had once been and looking at me as if to say, "Ok, where is my other egg?" Having no more eggs, I offered her a container of yogurt, and with that she turned to walk away, letting her departure speak for itself.

How wonderful to hear that you're feeling "fabulous" Cheryl! I'm sure your body will take a while to get back to full strength, so take it easy...

Cheryl & Spartacusaby, thanks for your feedback about feeding my little 'coon. It didn't occur me that she might be "with raccoon" I'll keep an eye on her(?) to see if she seems to growing wider... Glad to hear that I can continue to feed her, without jeopardizing her welfare. Maybe, when the weather gets warmer, I'll see if I can sit out on the patio, long enough, to watch her go up to find the food without glass between us - she'll be further away but may become more comfortable with my presence.I do have other raccoons - 2 really BIG ones, maybe more - but have only seen them a couple of times.

Terese,

I didn't know that about raisins and iodine. Does that mean that grapes also have a high iodine content? I only learned about the OJ/potassium connection when I started looking into why I always crave OJ after a prolonged period of stomach upset. So glad to hear you mention the mag/chocolate connection. I learned that some years back when I spent a couple of years on a vegetarian diet. During that time I ate legumes almost daily, especially garbanzo beans which I ate for a snack like peanuts. Within a few days of starting that new way of eating, I was surprised to find that my enormous chocolate Jones had totally disappeared. Before that, I thought chocolate was a food group. I had to meet my daily requirement or else. I had never imagined that anything could demote chocolate from its exalted position back to just any old food item, no special powers; yet suddenly only a few days into my veggie diet, I had no special interest in chocolate. That's when I learned what legumes and chocolate have in common: magnesium. And, yes, KyWoods, you can develop a garbanzo bean habit.

OJ (450mg per 8oz) seems to be the item my body associates with potassium. I should mention, however, that the following items are also quite high in potassium: bananas (possibly the potassium king at 600+ mg), tomato's(around 420mg per med, red tom), peaches (about the same as tomatoes), and cantaloupe (don't recall amount). Yogurt usually comes in at around 250-300mg per serving although I'm not sure the origin of the potassium in yogurt, whether from the milk or added. My friends and even my prior doctor always push me to drink Gatorade when I find myself dehydrated after a bout of something like this recent illness, but Gatorade has only a paltry 35mg of potassium; so I listen to my body instead. You need some 1700mg of potassium per day under normal circumstances just to stay healthy so that 35mg won't get you very far.

I imagine that there are other things I eat thinking I just like them when in fact my body is directing me to do so for some reason known only to it.

Cheryl, so glad to hear you're feeling better! Can't say I envy you the imminent approach of spring; the winter doldrums are a drag, but I'm still immersed in garden planning for the spring - not ready to take action yet. Aside from indoor seed starting, nothing is happening here yet.

I always loved watching the raccoons eat an egg, especially the masters like Heidi. It's amazing how they can empty the entire egg through a pretty tiny hole in the shell. The youngsters are another matter, of course, as you've described: soooo messy.

Hi Liz,

Thanks for the good wishes of wellness. I'm feeling very good today. I got quite a bit done in the garden. I carried my light weight little garden scooter (seat) and my variable length ratchet pruners around and sat on the scooter to cut down 'tree-lings' the birds and forest had planted. The scooter has a slit in the seat where your hand fits in to carry it around. It weighs very little, about the same as those little six pack coolers from years back so it's easy on the back and the knees. After I cleared the little trees I came in for a break and a drink then went back out and, again sitting on the scooter, started working my way down on of the beds along the side fence, pulling weeds, pruning things, etc, including lots of thick rose canes. Just before dark I came in happy to have gotten so much done but also quite exhausted. (I had started around 3PM or so, so only worked a few hours, not all day.) After feeding Heidi I took a nice nap and am now feeling great again. : )

With respect to the issue of feeding the raccoons, I've been meaning to add that (and realize that this has been an experiment for me, too) after 2 years of regular, daily feedings when during my illness I dropped back to feeding only on alternate days I was pleasantly surprised to notice that when I saw the raccoons they did not seem particularly hungry, did not arrive on alternate feeding days starved as though they hadn't eaten for 2 days. In fact, when I saw them they ate as slowly and delicately as they had when fed daily, and they didn't seem to eat a larger quantity either. Each ate about a cup of kibble and walked away leaving food behind. To me this indicated that they were having no difficulty feeding themselves on the off days.

I suspect that your larger raccoons are males. HRH and Trouble are both much larger than Heidi and the girls - except when the ladies are in the last days of pregnancy. Then they look almost the size of the guys. When you see the big ones again check out the size of their heads, especially the distance between the ears. My 'boys' have noticeably larger heads.

I started out sitting a good distance away when Heidi came to eat. Back then I could not approach (even to my seat well across the yard) while she was eating. I had to sit down ahead of time and wait for her to show up. Back then I had to be very still while she was eating. Sometimes I found it helpful not to maintain a fixed gaze (stare) but to look away and down part of the time so she didn't feel stared at. For the longest time she would run away if I coughed or sneezed. I suspect those sounds, especially coughing may sound too much like growling/threatening vocalizations. Anyhow, once she got very comfortable with me being at a particular distance, I would move my seat a smidgen closer (maybe just a foot). She would always notice the change and seem a bit wary at first but would come to eat anyhow. I just kept repeating this, moving closer and closer, but only by a small amount each time and only after she had become very comfortable at the current position.

When I got close enough to make it possible, I started gently tossing her a special treat like a dog biscuit or a few cat treats. I didn't try this until I had gained her trust enough to get pretty close. I would hold the treat out in my hand to show it to her, speak her name gently, then very gently toss it so that (at first) it would land maybe 8-10" in front of her. I was surprised how quickly she became comfortable having food tossed to her. Soon I was able to toss it right up to her feet and even when (by mistake) I pinged her on the head with kibble she didn't even jump.

I think if you sit out there she will come and will get comfortable around you. Good luck with that!

Hi, Ruth,

I really wish I could push spring back a month or so. I love spring. Its' my absolute favorite time of year, but I'm just not ready yet, haven't finished my winter work. LOL at the fact that you aren't ready to start yet. If you lived here it would be too late to worry about it. You would just have to wait until next year and try again. The daffodils are all up and many have started blooming. The weeping willow is 'blooming' and putting on leaves. The flowering quince is in full bloom as are many of the camellias and the hellebores. Widget is walking around executing multiple sneezes. I'm main lining the Zyrtec, and the car's windshield is covered in a yellow film. It is HERE! I won't have time to get everything done, just have to do what i can and leave the rest until next year. This year I do hope to plant some veggies. (need to talk with you about how I might circumvent a dispute with the raccoons over veggie rights.) I really need to have even the warm weather veggies in the ground by March. Ouch! I need to hurry up.

I though it was so funny tonight how Heidi is not only enjoying the eggs but has come to expect 2 eggs per meal now. It is fun to watch her eat an egg, but then again it can also be fun to watch the kids. That picture of the kit trying to heft that heavy egg up into the air to bite it and then loosing control of the weight and ending up tossing it over his shoulder, that picture is still emblazoned across my mind, a most treasured memory.

Hmm, a veggie garden in a yard full of raccoons and the occasional opossum: now there's a challenge! If I remember correctly, the coons still raid the bird feeders from time to time, indicating that anything in the yard is fair game. Hmmmm.

Your only hope, I think, is to surround the veggie patch with a makeshift fence and use repellents around the perimeter. They sell something like hardware cloth/chicken wire in a green color that isn't awful-looking; I'd use the minimum number of posts to attach the mesh/hardware cloth, just enough that if the guys try to climb it their weight won't collapse it into the plants (if that doesn't make sense, I'll try to explain it better). Some give in the mesh might discourage climbing, too much risks damage to the plants. You can attach the hardware cloth to the posts with cable ties from the electrical department; they're very tough plastic, and if tightened don't give a purchase for chewing. I'd make the last section smaller between posts to serve as your access. Cut off the cable ties when you need to go in, peel back the hardware cloth and enter; reapply new cable ties when you leave. I'd also use repellents around the perimeter, just in- or outside of the fence. Moth crystals (as opposed to moth balls) probably wouldn't attract Widget as a toy, and would break down into the soil with no ill effects. And/or spray Ropel around the perimeter and also around plantings: do NOT spray the veggie plants or the taste of the fruit/veggies will be gross and inedible. And there are some crops that I think you can't protect no matter what you try: strawberries, grapes, and corn come to mind immediately.

This is all just off the top of my head, Cheryl; I can dig into my wildlife resources and find out more if you'd like. Should be interesting!

Hi nanny,

Thanks. Your raccoon is a beauty, and she does look quite a bit pudgy. I think you have kits on the way!