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Hangin' With Raccoons

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Wildlife in the Backyard

When we first moved to our area, there was an abundance of wildlife in our backyards. We had deer, raccoons, rabbits, opossums, chipmunks. squirrels and lots of birds. Unfortunately, as the human population increased, trees were cut down, fences were erected and the wildlife decreased.

Sadly, in my own backyard, while we still have birds, we rarely see even a chipmunk or a squirrel. However, my parents still have a thriving wildlife haven. They live less than a mile from us, but Mom and Dad have worked hard to maintain a safe environment for the local wildlife.

Photo by Sylvestermouse



I have learned a hard lesson. The next time I purchase a home, I will search for acreage where I have a lot more personal control over my own surrounding area. For now, I will enjoy my parents backyard.




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A Commom Sight in My Parent's Backyard 

Raccoons

RaccoonsThe raccoon is probably best know for his "bandit" face markings and his bushy ringed tail. I am personally fascinated by their feet. Each of their front feet has five dexterous toes, allowing raccoons to grasp and manipulate food and other items.

Photo by Sylvestermouse

Because they are not very good hunters, they are commonly known as scavengers. They will indeed eat just about anything and have been known to raid garbage cans or "clean" grills at campsites. I am also intrigued by the fact that they "wash" their food. My dad leaves water out for them and I always laugh when I see them dip their food, piece by piece, before they place it in their mouths.

Raccoons are scientifically considered highly intelligent. They have extremely long memories. Some studies have shown that they are able to remember the solution to tasks for as long as three years. It would seem they can tell time too. If my father does not come to see them by 6:00 pm every evening, they will come up to the windows and check in on him. They are not too keen on company, so they will often run away if they do not recognize a guest in the house.

While I would not recommend keeping raccoons as house pets, as long as a raccoon is not cornered or threatened, they are not dangerous. Dad's raccoons know him, I would even say they love him. The mother raccoons bring their babies out to introduce them to him every spring. As a result, my mother and father have named a few of them and they can recognize them by their markings. In a few cases, they recognize them by their behavior.

Night Shot through the Window 

A Few Facts about Raccoons

Miss. Kitty is certainly intriqued by Mr. Raccoon

Raccoon & Kitty Photo
  • Length: Up to 3 feet including the 12" tail.

  • Weight: 15 - 40 lbs.

  • Average Lifespan: Up to 5 years (have been known to live up to 20 years in captivity)

  • Active mostly as night, dusk or dawn

    Photo by Sylvestermouse

  • Dens are used for shelter and raising young

  • Eats just about anything, including insects

  • They are excellent swimmers and can stay in the water for hours

  • Excellent Climbers ~ They do tend to climb trees to rest out of harms way

    • Raiding the Bird House Feeder

    He Thought No One was Looking!

    This is only one of the bird house feeders in my parents backyard,

    This is only one of the bird house feeders in my parents backyard,

    This is only one of the bird house feeders in my parents backyard,
    He is not really hungry. He just wants to see what the birds always get so excited about.
    I have been spotted!
    So, he just moseys away as if nothing was happening :)
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    Raccoons Eating

    This video was not taken in my parent's backyard, but I thought you might enjoy watching it.
    Raccoons
    by apartmentzero | video info

    292 ratings | 148,007 views
    curated content from YouTube

    A Little Note of Warning

    As you can tell, our family loves raccoons, but please remember, if you see a raccoon, DO NOT try to pet him or feed them from your hand. They do have claws and they are wild animals. They can carry diseases and often have ticks embedded in their fur.

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    What Do You Think of My Parent's Raccoon Haven?

    • Zut_Moon Mar 24, 2012 @ 11:32 am | delete
      Pesky little varmints ... LOL
    • aesta1 Nov 16, 2011 @ 6:32 pm | delete
      We have them in the cottage, too. I know a neighbor who fed a Mom raccoon and she came to introduce her babies to her.
    • EMangl Oct 17, 2011 @ 3:01 pm | delete
      Would like to meet one in real :-)
    • AnthonyAltorenna Sep 16, 2011 @ 3:26 pm | delete
      Very cute! We still have lots of wildlife in our area and visiting our yard, but the number of raccoons and skunks has dropped way down, mostly from cars and rabies.
    • JaguarJulie Dec 13, 2010 @ 4:40 pm | delete
      My goodness, that looks like the raccoon from my former backyard! Even the same path to the back door.
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    Moderated by Sylvestermouse
    Updated: 3/3/12


    Information sources for this article: http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/raccoons.htm & Wikapedia.com

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