Raccoon Mom

[Autocar]

We have two female coons bringing there little ones up on the porch to eat cat food. The one has three and the other five , I put a little swimming pool out there and its a circus to watch them play in that water. I know there a pain at times but I still enjoy the daily wildlife. Also been hearing baby birds down at the shop ,today I looked up and there was a Baltimore Oriole nest hanging on this hickory limb and they were flying back and forth feeding there young. Just amazes me sometimes what a 18 acre woods will hold in farm country.

[terry f]

    I know people have different views on coons, but I'd love to be feeding them on my porch, we don't have that many around here. I think you'd be suprised to know what was running around those 18 acres.

[shelbycharger400]

you created a monster,   you fed it, now its going to stay!

[MHineman]

  They do like cat food.  I use cat food as bait in the live trap.  They also like chicken feed and then are too close to the chickens.

  They go into the trap live, but don't come out that way.

  If they weren't sure terrible guests I'd enjoy them too, but they crap all over everything, tear up stuff, knock over everything in sight, destroy all the sweet corn 2 days before it's ready, etc. etc. etc.....

  The skunks that come through don't give me any grief.  They don't bother the chickens or cats.  They don't seem to want to come inside where there is a dog scent, and do a better job keeping mice down than the cats do.

  I do have to keep the dog on a leash at night to avoid him getting the skunk upset.

[doctorb]

I have mixed feelings on raccoons.  They can become so brazen.  In Canada, I have watched them tear through the screen on a porch and march right through the living room to the kitchen.....while people sat on the porch!  So, despite the fun of watching the little ones play and grow, I would not be encouraging them to come to my house for a meal.  Just my thoughts.

[Autocar]

Your right about them tearing things up but the last two years I have all the out buildings varmitt proof. But we have always had half tame to tame raccoons for forthy some years . But every now and then they come up with a new trick  ;D

[sandhills]

Back at the first place I ever lived we had one show up one night, he'd stand on the cellar doors which were directly below mom and dads bedroom window and watch us.  Dad would take little balls of hamburger out to him and he'd sit on a fence post and eat it from dads hand.  Funny part of it is how dad got to know him in the first place, went out to feed cattle one morning when it was still dark, back then the only "cab" tractor we had was a 4010 JD and in the summer the windows were always open, dad jumped in and sat down betcha can guess who was sleeping on the seat  :D.  Scared the heck out of dad but the raccoon just ambled on out and then started showing up at the house, he didn't stick around very long though.