This is the ongoing story of Heidi and Friends, raccoons who frequent my backyard buffet. It's that time of year now when there are too many hungry mommies and too few resources; so there is lots of discord and jostling for position.
Prior thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/974157/
Original thread: http://davesgarden.com/community/forums/t/603944
Below is a pic of two of the yearlings arguing over access to food.
KyWood,
LOL re "Leggo My Eggo"
Ruth,
Yeah, I have been pushing the limits a bit lately with Dennis. If she had bitten me while I was trying to steal the egg from under her or something, I would have figured I had it coming. This time, however, I wasn't doing anything like that.
I was trying to chip the egg on the edge of the bench before giving it to her. I used to chip it against the top part of the bench, but the bench is getting so weathered now that the top edge is no longer sharp enough to work. When I reached down to chip the egg against the lower part of the bench, I guess we had a misunderstanding in which I thought I was chipping the egg and Dennis thought I was giving it to her.
She grabbed it. I wouldn't let go. She nipped my pinky. We both let go. The egg crashed to the ground, and, well, splat.
It is interesting and no coincidence that I tend to get hurt when I am not doing something 'dangerous'. When pushing the limits, I'm ultra careful, monitoring body language and every sign of trouble. It's when I'm doing 'the same old thing' I've been doing for years that I get 'hurt'. At the time this happened, I wasn't really paying that much attention to Dennis, so I didn't see the signs that she was going for the egg, etc.
As for the nip, I, too, and really glad I got the shots because they give me that extra peace of mind. That said, the nip wasn't so negligible. There was no blood, no broken skin, no bruise, not even temporary teeth imprints. It didn't even hurt. It's very hard to explain. It was more like the way people sometimes put their teeth gently on a baby's or kid's finger [w/o biting down] in a pretend bite. I snapped to attention and dropped the egg as soon as I felt the teeth touch my finger however gently.
To be sure we understood each other, I smacked her (but not too hard, just to make a point) and said "no!" Now I'm more careful to chip eggs on the other side of the bench away from her and to check that no one else is nearby who might misunderstand my actions. Although I don't sanction her behavior (and let her know as much), I thought it a more creative solution that those she had sometimes used in the past. I say that because she didn't really bite me but she did manage to get my attention and get me to drop the egg.
More later. Today I'm going for more shots. Will try to post later this afternoon. Am a bit concerned because I haven't seen Heidi for a while now. Trying not to worry too much though since she has gone missing before.
Do you think she may figure out how to chip it, if you stop doing it for her? She is quite 'spoiled' ya know....
I"m sure Heidi is fine... taking care of the kids.
Terese,
"She is quite 'spoiled' ya know"
Lately, and especially since Heidi has been gone, 'the inmates have taken over" or at least the youngsters have been acting like college kids on spring break. I'm so not kidding. The bedlam out there this week would be almost impossible to describe. Picture some 15-20 yearlings, most of them pregnant for the 1st time, all hungry and all crowded together in a space about the size of the average living room. Now imagine everybody growling at everybody else, arguing, screaming, lunging, biting. I was very concerned that they were going to alert the neighbors and get us all 'shut down'. All the unnecessary fighting and loud screaming was really getting on my bad side.
I hated to go out there. Dennis was the only bright spot each night, and most nights I wouldn't have gone out there even for her - except for my silent vigil for the missing Heidi. I figured when Heidi returned she would be very hungry, and just like the 'owner' of a lost pet, I wanted to be there for her; but last nigh I didn't go out there at all. I just couldn't take it any more. I was thinking of skipping several nights in hopes of 'loosing' some of that crowd - but, there again, there was the Heidi conflict...
One very small but intensely mean and quite dominant youngster who I had begun to think of as Kung Fu and for whom I had been tossing around the name Meiagi (as in Mr Meiagi of Karate Kid fame), really seemed to have taken over in Heidi's absence. It was an amazing lesson to see the others, all noticeably larger than this dwarflike creature, none the less, run from her and try to stay out of her way.
Unlike Heidi, however, Meiagi was no just leader. She would run the others down for no apparent reason and then attack them viciously while issuing karate-like screams, something I had not seen before. I gathered these episodes, and there were many of them, were intended to cast fear in the hearts of her minions and make sure they knew who was in charge. The screaming, I gathered, had very much the same purpose as that used in martial arts, and hence her name.
Meiagi seemed to particularly despise one particular youngster. She would look up from her dinner and see this other youngster minding her own business on the other side of the area somewhere, and suddenly Meiagi would tear across the buffet area in pursuit of this other raccoon. No matter where the other raccoon ran, Meiagi would chase her down and beat the stuffing out of her. Later, she might look up, see this raccoon again, and the whole scene would repeat once more. There never seemed to be any rhyme or reason. Meiagi just seemed to hate this one raccoon.
Meiagi and this other raccoon were the ones involved in that unexpected attack in the pool recently, the one where the one raccoon ran up and bit the other on the butt for no apparent reason and a fight ensued. I now suspect that it was also Meiagi and her nemesis who played out that scene where one raccoon pulled the other off the fence to fight. I mean, no kidding, she hates that raccoon. The two cannot be in the yard at the same time without a war starting up.
I wish that you could see Meiagi in action. She is so small, and due to her diminutive size, sweet looking. Smart, too. Meiagi has her eye on me. It took me a while to recognize this. I'm not that fond of her. I just don't care for bullies. Meiagi has set up camp on my perimeter and has been determined to keep everyone else outside of arm's reach, my arms. Clearly, she has been working on corralling me for her own, private treat dispenser.
Meiagi will chase another raccoon down, throw her on the ground, and whip the tar out of her while screaming like a banshee - and then walk over to me and look up with the sweetest, most innocent look you could ever imagine. Meiagi is never, ever pushy or difficult in her dealing with me. She stands quietly and patiently looking at me to request a treat - but if she sees another raccoon out of the corner of her eye, boom, she's off chasing that one down to beat the snot out of them - and come back once more to stand there looking meek and adorable while waiting for a treat.
No raccoon accepts a cookie more gently than Meiagi. Her lips kiss the cookie so sweetly, her teeth cradle it so gently that I almost can't detect the moment when she has 'taken' it and I should let go. Her touch [in taking the cookie] is so soft that even the most fragile paper would not be torn nor the most fragile egg shell broken. She is clearly smart enough to recognize the importance of staying on my good side even as she goes about wielding a big stick in dealing with the other raccoons.
The last night I was out there, two nights ago, Meiagi, who previously had ignored Dennis, finally made her move in trying to get Denns out of that area around me, the one she has been trying to claim and for which Dennis was in her way. In a flash, she had Dennis down on the ground in front of me and on the other side of my bucket. There was all manner of harsh screaming most of which seemed to be coming from Meiagi, the karate thing again. Dennis appeared to be trying to hug the ground and protect her vitals while Meiagi went about biting and scratching and screaming.
I picked up my bucket and whacked Meiagi a good one with it. That broke up the fight. Meiagi ran off to one side, and Dennis moved back to the safer area up against the side of my bench.
After all the fighting this week, I just decided I didn't care to participate, so last night I stayed inside...
Edited to fix a typo although I sincerely doubt it's the only one
This message was edited Apr 30, 2009 10:16 PM
Meiagi sounds like my teen age students who were diagnosed bi-polar.
Same thing would happen with them if ever they were unmedicated.
Tough.
Wow! I sure hope that bucket smack puts an end to that little snot's tyranny! Poor Dennis. Do you think she's ok?
For the past week up until I stopped going out at all, I had been going out later and later, perhaps because I was busy or maybe because I had grown to hate the fighting more and more each day. Most nights I didn't drag myself out there until midnight. The last night I was out there, I did make it until 1AM. Then I just quit altogether. I felt bad for Dennis, but I just couldn't make myself go through that one more night.
Tonight I was just sitting here doing some work on my laptop. It was around 7:30PM, and even though I can't recall when I last went out that early - probably not this year - all of a sudden out of the blue I got the idea to just go check the back door to see if Heidi might be there - for no reason at all. When I got to the door and turned on the light, there on the other side of the panes in the French door stood the most raggedy, wretched looking, "rode hard and put away wet" raccoon I think I have ever seen. It was a raccoon I have never seen before in my life. If I hadn't known it was Heidi, and I have no idea how as it surely did not look one thing like her, I might have sworn that scroungy looking beast standing on my patio was rabid.
She stood there all alone on the patio looking up at me. I opened the door just a little and spoke to her, still unable to believe this could possibly be Heidi, still trying to find something about her I could recognize, yet all the while certain it was her. "Heidi, Heidi", I said through the gap in the door, and the ragged creature stepped forward walking up toward me there at the door. As she approached the door she issued a grumble, apparently to give voice to her misgivings about this whole 'house' thing. I spoke to her again saying to wait and closed the door. It was only then that I realized as I heard her issue a loud warning to the others to keep back that I realized she was not really alone out there but was apparently unwilling to allow anyone else to stand on the patio. (LOL, that's my Heidi)
She was skinny, gaunt even, and her fur was a mess, all dry and coarse looking with patches of hair going this way and that. She looked old and weak and horrible - but after 3yrs of raccoon-feeding and with Ruth's tutelage I recognized this look as a sure sign that Heidi's hiatus had been to give birth. That's right. Clearly, in winter when I thought she was pregnant, I was wrong. Recently, I had noticed that she looked a little wide, and some days I even questioned whether she might be pregnant, but I had written it off as the similarly chubby look that accompanies nursing especially when the mammaries are swollen and full.
She never reached that 'beach ball' status this time, never got so large that I could no longer ignore her girth; so I'm guessing 3 kits, 4 at most. I'll be surprised to see that 4th one though. I'm guessing maybe the last time she went missing, when I thought she was having kits, was probably when she actually went courting. Since she was gone for 4 or 5 days back then, I also wonder if maybe she wasn't with [the now missing] Trouble after all. Why go away and miss dinner if you're dating the guy next door?
I grabbed the last 2 EB eggs from the fridge along with a bucket of food and some peanuts and headed out. Heidi followed me out and went right to her old spot, a spot where I had refused to allow anyone to eat in her absence. I served her a large amount of cat food, and after putting my things down walked back over to give her an egg. She seemed especially trusting of me tonight for some odd reason and was not at all stressed by my approach.
The usual gang of 20 or so wasn't there, only about 8. There was no sign of Dennis, who may have just expected me to show up later; however, Meiagi was there as always.
Heidi ate quietly stopping every now and then to growl at the youngsters who were now suddenly transformed into proper ladies again. No more fighting, snarling, biting. No more college kids on spring break. There was just the sound of quiet eating - and silence. Peace was restored to the diner.
After she had eaten a comparatively small portion of her food, Heidi ate her egg. I was holding the 2nd egg in my hand. When Heidi finished, I held it out toward her and called her name. Just like that she walked right over to me, right up until her nose touched the egg. There was no look of trepidation. No halting movements. She just walked up to me as though it were the most natural thing to do. She reached up with one hand to touch the egg. Figuring she couldn't actually hold the egg with a single hand (although I should put anything past a raccoon), I put it down on the ground in front of her where she started to eat it.
Meiagi, who as previously mentioned is my shadow these days and who is determined to stake out the area around me, was eating just a few feet away. While still eating her egg, Heidi turned toward Meiagi and issued a warning growl. Meiagi went on eating her cat food. Heidi growled again a few minutes later, still eating her egg. And then, in an instant, Heidi took off after Meiagi in a manner not often seen from Heidi, at least not at the buffet and with a ferocity that put to bed any misgivings I had had about Heidi's condition or vigor. Heidi didn't just lung at Meiagi or even just run a short distance and quit, she ran Meiagi down, chased her across the buffet area, around the composter and all the way to the fence, not giving up the chase until Meiagi had left the buffet area altogether. Apparently, frightened by the melee and concerned she might come after them next, all of the youngsters fled, leaving only Heidi and me out there while she finished her dinner.
It was so very nice to have her back - and good to see her clean house.
I know your heart leapt when you recognized Heidi. Poor lady had a rough time of it from the description you gave of her. I do hope she clears the diner out in the coming month to make room for her kits. I too would be concerned about the neighbors hearing all the commotion coming from your back yard. Maybe now it will calm down back there.
Judy
glad to see she is back safe and sound.... though a bit ragged around the edges -- adn hopefully she'll clear out the riff-raff.
wonder if that youngster isn't one of Cruella's prodigy. wouldnt that be fun.
Hi Sharran,
Does sound similar, huh. I really think Meiagi was just thinking she could take over in Heidi's absence. I think all that chasing everybody down for no reason and whipping up on them was her way of making them afraid of her and showing her power. As for being so nice, totally 180, with me. I think she was smart enough to see that I am the bearer of food and treats. She wanted to 'own' the circle around me, keep everyone else back, and get all of the goodies, but she didn't want to do anything to offend me. Her leadership style was more along the lines of some of the more notorious dictators of human history. Thankfully, her reign was very short, and Heidi has now returned and deposed her.
Seeing Meiagi run "like a little girl" with Heidi on her heels leaves me with little concern for how this will end.
KyWoods,
I like your name for the little dictator. If only I hadn't already named her. Little Snot fits pretty well. I broke the fight between her and Dennis up almost immediately and faster than it sounds from the description. It took longer to tell the story than the fight actually lasted. I don't think Dennis was hurt. But she did learn to stay close to the bench. She was hugging the side of my bench and eating for a while after the fight. I reached down and petted her. She didn't seem to be hurt. I didn't see any bare spots or blood, and she didn't show any sign of tender areas.
She wasn't there tonight, but she may have been expecting me to come out later. I had been going out between 12 & 1. She may also be out giving birth herself. She seems pretty large, all over large. She's not huge, beach ball sized like Heidi was back when she had 5. I thought it felt more like she was nursing, but then it' not as if I have a lot of experience feeling pregnant raccoons.
Judy,
The 1st time Heidi returned from having babies (in 07), I was really worried about her because she looked so horrible. I kept saying "she looks so old" and "her fur is so ragged looking". I took a lot of pictures of her that year and posted them to show everyone. I really thought she was near death. Ruth (spartacusaby), who has a lot of experience with animal control and rehabbing especially with raccoons, tried to tell me then that Heidi's look was just normal for a nursing mother raccoon. At the time I thought she was just trying to make me feel better, but I've since learned that, as usual, she was right. Ever year after she has her kits Heidi looks horrible.
Imagine how we might look after birthing 4-6 babies at once and w/o any help. Then imagine nursing all of them w/o a father, grandmother, nannies, or even formula. Apparently, nursing takes a real toll on her body, pulling vitamins and minerals from her stores and leaving her hair dry and looking very rough - and she doesn't even have access to conditioner. (But she ate 2 raw eggs tonight. That should help to replenish some of the calcium, protein and other nutrients she needs.)
Heidi is getting old though for a wild raccoon. According to the literature, the avg lifespan of a wild raccoon is 7-8 yrs. I 1st saw Heidi hanging around my yard about 7yrs ago, and she was an adult then. We are all hoping that with all of the good nutrition at the buffet, Heidi will stay healthy longer and thus beat the avg. Pet raccoon have been known to live more than 2x as long, but they don't face predators and such.
And, yes, I was so happy to see her - no matter how she looked.
Terese,
As far as clearing out the riff raff goes, Heidi sure was off to a good start to night. She was a sight to see when she went after Meiagi. Whew! There is still a tiger in that tank after all.
I've looked at Meiagi many times and tried to imagine her origins. I just don't know. She doesn't look anything like either Cruella or even Ursula, but that doesn't mean she isn't one of Cruella's. I've seen a few youngsters who do look like Cruella. They are among the ill behaved crew that got ousted earlier in the season. Cruella is tall and thin, long and lanky, with light, golden sort of hair, short cropped and a little ragged looking (even when not nursing). Meiagi is more of a gray-brown color, more the normal coloring. She is very small. She looks more like maybe a 6 to 8mo old kit than an adult, but boy is she ever mean. What she lacks in size she makes up for in meanness. I had even seen her bow up at Heidi a time or two before Heidi left.
I have no idea. She could be Cruella's or maybe Bast's or probably the kit of one I never even considered. There were so many mommies last year.
You just have to love Heidi. Old, exhausted, famished, and worried about newborn kits, she can still smack down an unruly youngster like nobody's business! Meiagi sounds like a nightmare in training: have no doubt that she will soon be permanently ousted, if in fact that didn't happen tonight. Your reasoning about Heidi's mate makes sense (why miss dinner while dating the boy next door). Wonder if she could have gone in search of HRH, wherever he is in exile. That would be unusual, since females usually don't go out of their comfort zone, instead the male comes to them; but then Heidi and HRH were much like an old married couple, which is also unusual. Makes a nice fantasy, anyway...
Interesting that you only get nipped when doing something very routine, but it does make sense. As you mentioned, when pushing the limits one is always being cautious and careful; and we all know the old saying that one should never take wild creatures for granted. It's so true, but has to be so easy for you to forget, as familiar and comfortable as you've become with the diner regulars, esp. Dennis.
Cheryl, wonder...of all things...if Meiagi is Diva! Sounds like the little witch of a mother of our Dennis! Of course she would be bigger...but wasn't she smaller framed. We never knew what happened to her...although suspected a "car accident". That could also explain her wanting to be near you...she is familiar.
Your not going to like this....but I am worried. Not about our regular crew, but some of these new stranglers coming in....don't seem right. Very aggressive, and I know it is normal territorial issues....but I worry about the stranges bringing in disease. I know you do "hence more shots". Wondering if you should bring a broom or something out with you....for when those fights do happen, your not so close (as with using bucket) and can scare off some of these strangers with a broom.
I love these furry family members as much as you do...but I love you too lady, and want you safe!
Debbie
Oh, Ruth,
I love the idea of Heidi taking a romantic trip to spend time with her 'old' beau HRH! I hadn't even considered that possibility, but who knows. She was gone for 4 or 5 days just about 2 months or so ago. I don't ever remember her disappearing for the romance part in the past. In fact, the 1st full yr, the 1st yr I had the chance to observe such things, HRH came to the buffet with her - instead of her disappearing. That, of course, was back before HRH was sent into exile. Oh, I love this lovely, romantic fantasy, and since we don't know any better, I choose to believe this is what happened.
Can't wait to see that one golden haired youngster in the litter.
Hey, it's a long shot; but the timing relative to the new kits' presumed birth is about right for a romantic interlude. We'll never know since you can't exactly do paternity tests on the kits (lol), but I too really love the idea and hope/choose to believe in the possibility.
Debbie,
Awwhh. What a sweet thing to say. I really do appreciate your concern about my safety.
Unless a rabid raccoon shows up, they are ALL afraid of me on some level. Even the meanest of them like Meiagi and Cruella will run for the hills if I so much as stand upright or make a sudden, unexpected, and/or noisy move like dropping something. Even Dennis who is at the far end of the scale, will get out of my way if I get mad. One day a while back when she threatened to bite me (with posturing rather than actual teeth) I smacked her on the shoulder (fairly lightly, but she could tell I was serious). She ran about 5 ft away and stood looking at me for a sign of whether it was safe to come back and returned only after I spoke to her to tell her it was - as long as she behaved herself. (I think, BTW, that that is dealing with her like a raccoon, like Heidi would, and I think she understands it that way which is why she comes back w/o being afraid of me. She understands why I smacked her.)
Actually, the 'meaner' ones tend to be among the most afraid of me. They may be willing to come up to me for a cookie but will run for their lives if I stand up. As things stand right now, I'm not afraid of an all out attack from a non-rabid raccoon. Of course, there is always a risk of injury. They are wild animals, and something unexpected could happen at any time. I think the greatest risk is that one could misinterpret my actions and end up scratching or biting me. They are capable of lightning fast movement. Because they aren't capable of running ultra fast compared to most other animals, especially for any distance, I think we are inclined to think they 'move' at a similar pace, but I'm here to tell you that, no exaggeration, a raccoon can reach out and scratch or bite you so fast that all you will see is the last instant when the raccoon is returning to his/her original position. It's a lot like a snake strike. Humans are slow relative to animals. Even the 'shutter speed' of our eyes is slow, and that's why we can't see the snake (or raccoon) striking unless we record it and play it back in slow motion. Even when I hold an egg or grapes or something out to Heidi, if she wanted to, she could reach out and 'rake' my arm with her claws so fast I wouldn't even know she had done it until [the last instant before] it was over.
No, Meiagi doesn't look anything at all like Diva, and although Diva was on the slightly small side as compared to Heidi, she was considerably larger than Meiagi. Meiagi is really quite small - making her ability to beat most of the others up rather amazing really. (My guess is her 'power' derives from her dogged determination and what we usually call 'heart' or 'guts'. She is willing to run into battle and 'throw down' with the biggest and 'baddest' among them - well, except for Heidi, that is. I think she wins because the others are just less willing to fight and risk injury than she is not because she is actually physically stronger - which is a very interesting point to take from all of this.) Everybody is bigger than Meiagi. I'm not sure, but Fraidy may even be bigger than Meiagi; however, unlike Fraidy, Meiagi has the Napolean complex and bad.
Oh, and our little Dennis is Heidi's daughter. Little Rupert was Diva's. I know, I know, the cast list and resulting family tree is getting pretty long now.
Thank you : )
Ruth,
Me, too. It made me smile when I read it this morning and 1/2 the way to work as I continued to ponder the idea.
As to the concept of an accident being more likely when things are less dangerous, if you think about it, that is often how it works when something bad happens to one of the 'top' animal handlers and such (NOT that I compare myself to such people, just offering examples from the other end of the spectrum). It's usually not the thing you are expecting that hurts you - because you are ready for that. The accident is much more likely to happen when you feel relatively safe because that's when you let your guard down. A well know celebrity, who made a living playing with alligators and snakes without incident only to die in a freak accident with a relatively safe species, comes to mind. Unfortunately, it's impossible to be on hyper alert all of the time - otherwise that would just be 'regular' alert. (I think this is where I have to go back to my argument about my daily commute at 70mph on an interstate full of distracted [texting] drivers, the Hardee's thickburger I had a few weeks back, and my last episode of hurtling through the upper atmosphere at several hundred mph in a big metal tube stuffed with people some of whom might want to harm me if the tube doesn't fall out of the sky and kill me 1st.)
As I mentioned, during Heidi's absence I had been going out later and later. One thing I had forgotten about going out so late, is that often those who are in semi-exile, allowed to hang around the area but not permitted at the dinner table, will show up during the late/off hours.
A few nights ago when I was out there after 1AM and when Dennis was not around perhaps because she had already eaten and left, I noticed a rather slim if not skinny raccoon. He, and I'll explain momentarily why I assigned him this gender, was trying to get 'into' the buffet area to look for food, but the others would not permit this. Each time he came near, raccoon on the area perimeter would chase him back again. Because I had seen similar behavior with Trouble in the past, I figured he must be a male and thus unwelcome at the buffet.
After a while he slipped around through the garden to circumvent the crowd and arrive off to one side of me. A bit later I became aware of a raccoon walking right up to my bench to eat the remains of Dennis' food, I quite naturally assumed it was Dennis. None of the others are comfortable that close to me. Every now and then one might stand way back and stretch her neck to try to get a bite or two and run, but they just aren't comfortable standing and eating right beside me that way.
When I looked down, I was quite surprised to see the young male there gobbling up food as though he hadn't eaten in years. He looked up at me in a calm manner that was equally surprising for a 'stranger' who was standing right up beside me that way. At one point he had his nose under the edge of my bench looking for kibble. Only Dennis would dare get so close, but this was not Dennis.
Then, and, no, I really should not have done this, I was suddenly and briefly possessed by some kind of demon who forced me to touch the raccoon eating there beside me so comfortably. Just reach out and try to touch his back with one finger, kind of like pointing at something, and only for the briefest instant - but still an eternity in raccoon time. Of course, he would run away and probably not come back near me again any time soon, but I just had to do it, so curious was I about this strange creature. But as I touched my pointing finger to his back and lifted it away again, he flinched only slightly, looked up at me as if to ask what I wanted, and then resumed eating frantically. Now this was TRULY strange, impossible really...
My 1st reaction to this my new friend was one of that warm, touching feeling. He was, after all, well behaved having a very good attitude and demeanor and, for whatever reason, was not afraid of me which is always a plus. But after he ate for a little while I began to think of all of the hungry females there and the shortage of food. Suddenly feeling guilty for providing him safe harbor this way and allowing him to gobble up much needed resources here in the relative safety of my shadow, I decided that as much as I was enjoying his company I should ask him to leave. A pregnant or nursing female could eat that food after I left, after all.
With my hand, I gently waved him away. Although reluctant to leave, after a wave or two of my hand in his direction he backed up a step or two and stood looking at me for direction. Another wave sent him back yet another step and so on...and then he was gone having disappeared back into the darkness from which he had come.
I'm not sure where the strange thought came from, but almost as soon as the young male had left, I began to think that the only raccoon other than Dennis who would ever eat so close to me and with such comfort and even let me touch her without moving away was...Fraidy. But...but...wait a minute. Was it possible that...Could it be that the others weren't keeping him from eating because he was a male but rather because he was...Fraidy? Was that possible? Fraidy always came out really late and after most of the others had left...like this guy...
Even though I could no longer see any sign of the young male anywhere in the area, I called out gently into the night almost at a whisper so as not to wake the neighbors at that hour, "Fraidy, Fraidy" not honestly expecting a response. Kaploop! Instantly, a raccoon leaped from the fence to the ground. OMG! Could it possibly be?...No way. Don't be silly!...That the raccoon jumped from the fence at that moment was but a coincidence. It probably wasn't even the same raccoon...
But it was! Quickly, the dark shadow disappeared into the garden to one side of the buffet where he made his way around the area and emerged from the shrubs a few feet to one side of me. I spoke to him, calling him "Fraidy", and he walked right back up beside me and resumed eating as though he understood that he had been called. I put more food down there for him (something that would also cause any raccoon but Dennis - or Fraidy - to back away), and he ate like this might be his last meal for a while.
Was this Fraidy? Honestly, I don't know. For one thing, he/she was just too close for me to get a good, overall look. Since the others forced him/her to circumvent the buffet area and walk around through the garden to reach me, I was never really able to watch him standing back a bit so that I could really see him, see more than just his back and the top of his head.
I didn't see him last night when I went out early to feed Heidi. Tonight, however, I was very late getting out there again - 12:30ish, and after Dennis left the safe spot up against my bench, he appeared once again to eat there. Once again, he ate as though he were half starved. I gave him an ample pile of cat food along with some peanuts (which Fraidy loved) and cookies. He ate them all.
Later when Dennis returned he relinquished her spot to her w/o argument and then stood off toward the back corner of my bench near the shrubs from which he had appeared earlier. I tossed some food, peanuts, and a cookie back there, and for the rest of the night he ate there just maybe 2ft from Dennis. They seemed content to eat together in rather close proximity w/o argument. I had to refill his supply several time as he ate and ate and ate packing away an amazing quantity of food.
Wow, how awesome if that is Fraidy after all this time. And it does make sense; very few others, if any, would be comfortable eating so close to you, much less allowing you to touch them, however briefly. And it would make sense that she comes only late, to avoid Heidi and others who might oust her.
I do understand, really, that it's impossible to remain on alert for all the time you spend with the raccoons. I had a similar problem in my years of shelter work: you were constantly dealing with animals who were under great stress, both domestic and wild. The possibility of misreading one and being injured was ever-present, and it simply wasn't possible to be at peak alert constantly: we all get tired, have days when we're not at our best, etc. The best you could do was to develop and learn to trust your instincts: to learn that when something felt wrong or risky, it probably was; don't question or analyse it, just trust the feeling and behave accordingly. It kept me safe more times than I could count; and when I was hurt, it was always when, for whatever reason that seemed compelling at the moment, I didn't listen to that instinctive reaction.
I was thinking....if it was Fraidy! OMG, on the edge of my seat here. Or..could one of those be Rupert? Gosh, I am just so wishful thinking, those two, along with Dennis have been my "favorite babies" all along.
Cheryl, there is only one thing to do...get the camera and make them photo ID tags and little neck straps to hold them on....might as well put an identifiying paw print on the back! LOL
And, I am sure you know, a raccoon is not going to prance in showing signs of rabies...they don't show the signs til the very late stages. That is my fear. The rabid cases we have found up here are usually out in broad daylight, and usually very unsteady on the feet...wobbly....or walking in circles quite a bit. And no, they don't really look sick....it is their habbits.
Ok, now, lets get on those ID tags! LOL
Debbie
Wouldn't that be great? I wish we could do that here, or put collars on them. I often wonder if it's the same ones that come back several times a day, or if all the coons in the woods just take turns. Pink collars for the girls and blue for the boys would be fun!
Ruth,
The only other one I can think of [who is comfortable that close to me and will accept being touched briefly] is Bast, but she's gone, and, anyhow, this wasn't Bast (who has a very unique look).
I know exactly what you mean about listening to that inner voice - and the penalty of failing to do so.
Debbie,
When I 1st read your post I just laughed and laughed. I love the tag idea, and I especially love the way you 'said' it in such a matter of fact manner that I was 1/2 way through the [paraphrasing] " here's what you have to do" paragraph before I realized you were kidding. It just started out like serious advice. ROTF!
I do think you have a good idea there though. We could at least go ahead and tag the ones we do recognize. Just one thing, could you come by here to help me get those tags on them? You hold them down, and I'll put the tags on. Deal?
Debbie, the mean and nasty behavior of raccoons like Mieagi does not suggest rabies to me, just a concerted effort to take control. They are all pregnant or nursing by now, and there isn't enough food to go around at the buffet. The ones Heidi raised can behave and get along despite the shortage of resources as can the more timid ones, but some of the ones who were raised by, well, who knows, apparently learned to fight for and take what they want.
I truly do appreciate your concern for me, and I do also realize that there is always a small but real danger that a rabid raccoon might show up at the buffet. If that happens I may well be attacked and require another round of shots. But there again to put things into perspective, statistics indicate that I am at much greater risk of serious or life threatening injury from my daily commute.
I do understand your concern about all of the fighting and bickering, which, BTW, has completely ended now that Heidi is back. I think part of the 'problem' here is due to the fact that you are not able to view the entire scene and see all of the subtle cues that I have omitted when telling the story. For instance, none of the raccoons show any signs of lack of coordination. Quite the contrary, the major fighters like Meiagi exhibit incredible agility. From watching Meiagi, for instance, it seems clear to me that she is thinking quite clearly. There is nothing strange about her behavior. She wants all of the resources for herself and is behaving like a bully.
Last summer, I did feel uncomfortable around Cruella and her crew before Heidi finally ran them off, but I don't feel that way around the youngsters who are out there right now. With the exception of the brief fight with Dennis, 99.9% of all the scuffling I described takes place 20 or more feet away from me, often in or around the pool. Frequently, there is a chase culminating in action that occurs even farther away like over in the brush area or near the fence. Even at the very peak of all that fighting I didn't feel at all threatened by them. I was put off by all of the discord, after all, I go out there in part for the meditative effect not to watch the WWE. Most of all I was very much concerned about how the neighbor's were going to react to all that noise. If I heard all that [wild screaming and screeching and fighting] outside my window not knowing what was out there, I think I would be calling the police or animal control and wondering what on earth was out there.
As for carrying a broom or something with me for protection, I already have to juggle my current [minimum] load: a large bucket with cat food; a tote for treats, water bottle, bug spray, etc; a flashlight to light my path and check for snakes in summer (which is now); and sometimes a camera either around my neck or in the tote. And remember, I have to hold all of that stuff while opening and closing the door. And even if I did manage to carry a broom around along with all that stuff, there is no assurance that I would have it in hand or be able to get to it in an emergency once I put it down out in the buffet area. For that matter, if I needed a weapon I could always pick up my bench and wield it in an emergency. It's very light, only 22" wide, 1 person seat, no back. I can lift it easily with one hand, and despite being relatively light, the frame is solid wood so it would get their attention if I threw it and certainly if I swung it and hit one with it.
Lastly, if the kind of goings on the prevailed in Heidi's absence were to continue, I would probably close the buffet for the year or at least for a while. Thankfully, the minute Heidi showed up again, the size of the crowd dropped to a more manageable size and behavior did a 180. Now they all eat quietly again, no fighting. And Meiagi isn't chasing the others down or any of that craziness - which shows she is very much in control of her behavior.
It is possible that Rupert is out there. The one I described from last night is not Rupert though. Rupert was never very comfortable that close to me. When he was very small, he and Diva would stand at the end of the garden path maybe 5ft (3 at closest) from my bench and eat food and treats I tossed over to them. When he was small and impressionable, Diva told Rupert to stay back and not approach me. That really seemed to make an impression on him. As he got older and more independent it took quite a while to get him to even come at all close to me for a treat. He was never anywhere near as comfortable near me - or even willing to come that close - as Dennis, Fraidy, and Bast. But he/she may well be out there.
KyWoods,
Based on my experience with the Buffet group, I think you do have repeat visitors. You probably have more than a single mother and kits, probably a core group with new ones coming and others going each year much like what happens here. That group probably defends a certain turf which includes your yard. It sounds as though the ones at your yard don't all show up at the same time as these do - the all at one time thing may be a side effect of my feeding behavior. Even the manner in which Kitty Coon and the raccoon eat together (as seen in your photo) would seem to suggest that they know each other and are comfortable around each other.
Just thought I'd mention...
Although I went back for another round of shots Thursday, I'm not experiencing severe pain like I used to. The Dr had been very clear that I should call if the pain even started to return, and that I should not wait for it to reach the level of severity I was experiencing when I 1st came to him. He said it's harder to turn it around once it reaches that level. I was experiencing discomfort at times, enough to keep me from sleeping well some nights, so I figured it was time.
The Dr repeated the shots. He said that this thing should be going away now. Even though it is much, much better than when he 1st started, he is still not happy with the results. He's willing to continue shots but instead of 'just' doing that, he wants to send me to some other specialists to check for things that might be causing it to continue. He listed things that cause this. The accident is one, but he thinks in a healthy, 'young' (his word, not mine) person such as myself it should be getting better now with treatment. Since it isn't or at least not fast enough for him (I love that he's a perfectionist), he thinks there may be a contributing factor, and he wants to look for that or at least rule it out
I was very happy to hear this, not that I may have some other as yet unresolved issue but that his expectation is that I will get completely well and soon. The things he wants to look for and/or rule out are relatively benign. For instance, a very small difference in leg length is one thing that would aggravate the condition making it difficult to heal. He said this could be fixed with something as simple as a shoe insert that I might only need to wear during the healing phase. That's just an example. A major difference in strength of opposing muscle groups is another. Anyhow, I'm very impressed with this Pain Specialist, both with his knowledge and his unwillingness to quit w/o getting to the bottom of this.
Tonight I went out early - looks like I'm alternating between the 2 groups, although unintentionally. Heidi was standing on the patio looking just as ragged and near death as 2 nights earlier. She only had a very small group, 7 maybe, 'with' her - and by 'with' I mean 'not allowed to stand on the patio'. Tonight the lower portion of her fur looked all wet and kind of like she may have slept on it wrong. Definitely, not her best look. I certainly hope this isn't her new, full-time hair style. She ate and left. No sign of Dennis or the one I described from last night both of which appear to be on the late shift.
The one note-worthy moment occurred when, after giving Heidi a few handfuls of cat food, I stood there about 1 foot from where she was eating to rifle through my bag for the grapes I'd brought for her. It wasn't so very long ago when such things would have caused her to step back a few feet away from her food and possibly even threaten to leave, but tonight she continued eating as though this were quite ordinary. Upon locating the stem of grapes, I leaned down to put them beside her. In the past I would, at the very least, have needed to issue a few "it's oks" to keep her from freaking out at the sight of me leaning down and toward her, but tonight she touched her nose to the grapes for a moment and then went back to eating her dinner.
Assuming it hasn't been raining in your area, Heidi's wet and wild fur may be the result of excess grooming. If the kits are newborn, as we suspect, she may be excessively grooming herself before leaving them for the buffet: this in hopes of removing enough of their scent to avoid drawing predators. Given how quickly their fur dries, and the fact that you haven't mentioned a similar look when past litters were new, maybe it means her nest is closer to the yard this time(?). All just guessing, you understand....
Interesting. No rain. bone dry here. Interesting idea because tonight she ate a little then left and came back a few minutes later to eat some more. She was gone long enough that I doubted she was just sitting up in the tree but not long enough to have gone any great distance. I thought at the time that she might have been checking on her babies, but that didn't seem to make sense because she wasn't gone long enough to have travelled very far.
If I'm not mistaken, I believe she did the same thing the 1st night, too.
If she had just given her fur a good 'licking', that might also explain my comment that it looked as though she had slept on it wrong. Most of the fur on the lower part of her body seemed to be pointing upward rather than down as it should have been.
Leaving both nights to check on the kids makes perfect sense. Remember that their eyes and ears are closed at this stage; they are sitting ducks for predators, and wouldn't know they're in trouble and/or be able to vocally alert mom in time if a predator found them. But the fact that she was gone such a short time makes it likely that her nest is very close to your yard. Perhaps, given the yearly increase in population at the diner, she wants her kits to have the prime spot with easy and close access to the diner. Or perhaps she just likes having them close so she can check on them frequently and easily. Especially if the nest is close, it would make sense that she wants to avoid drawing predators with the smell of the kits on her body/fur. I can't imagine her kits ever being in danger from the diner regulars, but those opportunists from outside like Meiagi are a different story.
>>Most of the fur on the lower part of her body seemed to be pointing upward rather than down as it should have been.
SO -- she's having a bad hair day?
My guess would be, a lactating mother...cleaning up the mess after an all out feed with newborns, would leave her fur a mess like that and wet. Not to mention, Heidi has to clean and "stimulate" the kits to have bowel movements and clean up their messes to keep the nest clean. The kits nuzzling would be pushing the fur away from the nipples also...giving them that "wild blown out look" to the hair. Hey, the Farrah style took awhile to catch on, but I looked might hot! ROFLMBO
One thing I wanted to mention, as you said the buffet was "not as loaded" as in the past. I think that is a very good thing. They need to keep their skills to look for food for when you are away for a few days. You don't need them knocking on the neighbors door with "OH excuse me, I am Dennis....I live over at Cheryls, and she has done taken off without our dinner being served....do you mind serving?"
I am glad the shots are helping. I had them in my left shoulder several times after I attempted to walk Isabelle by myself and she wasn't quite calmed. I think a "second look" from another doctor would be for your benefit.
As for the broom, I wasn't thinking as much for your protection...but to break up fights between the crew before someone gets hurt. But you are right, you have your hands full. Maybe we should get you a wagon to park at the back door....and each night you pull the wagon out. Cheryl's chuck wagon....I can see it now!
Have a great day.
Debbie
Ruth,
I think her nest was close to my house that 1st year (06) when she came down the fence beside me looking (I guess) for food. One of my favorite memories from that year was how, once the youngsters got big enough to leave the nest and got used to me giving them dog biscuits and such, I couldn't go in the back yard any time between dusk and dawn - not even to walk the dog on the other side of the back yard - without seeing the whole bunch of them 'streaming' over the fence heading in my direction. 'Streaming' always seems like the perfect verb for what they looked like back then as a bunch (4-5) of agile kits came rushing over the fence in the same spot, some back to back, others side by side, and all in a hurry.
They seemed to flow over like a stream of water more so than climb. They were so cute, and they always seemed to know when I went outside - making it appear as though their nest was fairly close by. I guess they must have had 'permission' to come to my house any time back then, you know, like having permission to go to grandma's house next door. Later when they got old enough to start going off on short foraging trips on their own, they no longer showed up on cue, apparently being off cavorting in the forest somewhere, and I was most disappointed. I had truly grown to enjoy those moments of seeing the whole gang rush over the fence that way.
I remember back then you indicated that she probably wouldn't use the same spot again the next year for fear of being figured out by a predator. For the next few years the she and the babies seemed to be some distance away. Perhaps now it has been long enough that she thought it safe to reuse the spot or a spot nearby?
ROTF, Terese,
Yes, that would be the perfect desciption of her hair - a very, very bad, hair day.
