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Thread: animal tails

  1. #1

    animal tails

    Howdy all
    Will's post about the berries in the garden made me want to share this with whom ever wants to read it...its not really that zenny but then again maybe it is... all in perspective i guess any who:

    WARNING: long post a head :B you can just skip to the bottom and look @ the perdy pics if you'd rather i'd understand

    My wife growled me for what im about to tell you now (rightfully so, im sure but...)
    A month ago give or take some days i was going to take the trash to the side of the road for morning pickup. I gathered up what was in the house to put in the can out on our back deck. I step out and sitting on top of the can is the fattest raccon ive ever seen!(and kinda the saddest one as he had no tail!! and with that, no balance ... when he'd stand up on his hinds hed almost always fall over or weave back and forth since the tail gives them some balance and lets them know when they have stood up far enough). We had a staring contest (I lost btw) and then I remembered I had let our 4 cats out for some fresh air earlier... I looked around and all 4 were siting on the cott @ the far end of the deck. I went back in to the house and grabbed the kitties can of cat treats, its a meow mix tin that has a little device that plays the "meow meow meow meow" meowmix theme song to which all 4 cats respond instantly to. I was a bit worried for thier safety as they are more indoor cats and didn't want them to confront the guest on our deck. That worked fine the cats were inside the house, but my trash was still being sat on.

    I decided to do a "bad" thing ... I broke out the can of treats and went out side. I took a hand full of treats (oh these "treats" are actually just meowmix cat food since our 4 are all over weight, and they eat "diet grumpy cat cat food now... anything is a treat ) and threw them on the lawn, then made a small trail down the step. I then began making my best attempt @ being scarry to get him off the can... that worked (probably cuz he was bored) and he found the trail of treats and head out on to the lawn. o/ Dirk 1 - Raccoon 0?

    I told my wife and she threated me with 40 lashings if I fed the wild life any more... the skunks already dug up her garden once... she didnt want raccoons too! I tried to reason that if I kept the racoon fed he wouldn't want her garden or the trash :| :/ didn't fly... Carrie 1 - Dirk 0

    next night my new friend came back... sitting on the rail of our deck waiting. Ii went out armed with "cat treats" and fed him down on the lawn.

    3rd night... again same... i was giving up Nicoteen again so this was a welcome distraction at the time (I stopped mentioning my new Friend to my wife ;D)

    4th night i had some bread heels that had gotten hard and so i went out with those... no go. ?? ironically... 2 stray cats came running from the woods and took into the old bread???! seriously. so now I have stray cats and a racoon.

    5th night back to treats and sure enough i have 2 cats a racoon and... a skunk :B -- so now im going to get dead quick if Carries sees this :B

    i still fed the creatures and they stayed out of the garden and the trash but i know im doing wrong here so i for the next week or so i slow down the food until there is none and its just me and the racoon standing on the deck. that night he waddled off with no food from me and didnt come back.

    This morning I was up a bit early for work and I let all the cats out on my way to the car. There on my deck rail was the raccon with no tail!
    I scooted the cats back in and grabbed a hand full of food for him. I went out and got in arms reach and checked him over.. he was very weak and thin and since this was the first time ive ever seen him in the light... I noted he was VERY old. I dont know how long ill be seeing my friend around. no real point to my story but here is some pics of my buddy






    Also:
    Some lessons I learned:
    My wife is usually right
    Dont feed the Wildlife - doh!
    All things pass
    Kindness to ALL beings is very important - be compassionate to the beggar in need on your lawn... as well as the one on the street.


    Gassho
    Dirk

  2. #2

    Re: animal tails


    Here is our beggar in the backyard. The whole neighborhood adopted him (everyone's doing it, mommy)



    Thanks for making me smile.

    Linda

  3. #3

    Re: animal tails

    Hi, Dirk.
    Funny story . . . you'll soon have a menagerie going there. We used to get raccoons and possum, but having outside dogs keeps them all away now.

    Bill

  4. #4

    Re: animal tails

    Hi Dirk

    your story made me smile after a fairly grotty day at work. My wife & daughter think that the racoon is cute & that you are so lucky . We share our garden (inner city, walled, 100m2) with fish, frogs, newts, toads, mice, hedgehogs, sloworms, birds & our two cats (who do them best to eat them all )

    Kindest regards

    Jools

  5. #5

    Re: animal tails

    Dirk,

    I loved your story and my kids loved your pics :lol: Yours too Linda!

    We feed the deer when we have corn on the cob or some apples or whatever. We have to be careful or else our "little buddies" would consist of black bear...they are everywhere here.

    Thanks for the smiles,
    Kelly Rok

  6. #6

    Re: animal tails

    a bit of an update - my wife found the raccoon on the lawn very weak. she fed and watered him and gave him a blanket to lay on (figuring he was on his last breath she gave up her protest) she called me and let me know. When i got home i checked him over brought more food and water and built a shelter for him where he was (heavy rain was forcast for that night and all weekend) i watched him get a bit stronger over the course of the evening and at around 11 pm he set out for the woods 2x the shape he was in. i was rather wary about his condition but i read up to enure it was rabbies or the like i let him sniff my hand when i was moving him around. to clean up some mess he was in and i stayed down low

    Linda your friend is very cute how could you not share a bit of food?

    Bill i really miss having a dog(s) around perhaps next year

    Jools im glad you enjoyed. 100m2 of garden i sure hope you sit out there from time to time!

    and Kelly the black bears are one thing but the deer keep eating my young apple trees... i just enjoy there company when i can. They all make great neighbors despite there parties in the back yard some nights!

    Gassho
    Dirk

  7. #7

    Re: animal tails

    small update: On my frantic rip to work this morning about 2 km from home i rounded a turn and spotted a lump waddling awkwardly across the road in the distance. I slowed down and sure enough:



    I went back and took those pics^^ and after watching him for a short time i have a good idea of what was wrong with thim.: hit by a car He lost his weight because he couldnt move for some time, no food and dehydrated.
    Any who this meeting he was much more spry and wary of me thats a good sign

    gawd im a softy :S

    Gassho
    Dirk

  8. #8

    Re: animal tails

    Thanks so much for the update! I love the critter, and your photos are wonderful!

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