Posted on 06/03/2016 11:39:00 AM PDT by Extremely Extreme Extremist
Gannett, link only
I confess to recycling lots of food trash for them but nothing with bones in it. It used to be the crows but don't see them too much any more since West Nile and maybe the city got ours.
I can't stand to put stinky stuff in my trash and my pipe in the basement is only 2" so I'm careful what I put in the garbage disposal. So I stick it outside and it's gone by morning. My neighbor doesn't seem to mind and has been throwing stuff out on the ground, too.
I doubt there's a natural shortage of food for them but they are always happy to get a handout, and I think coons are especially cute but decided you don't want to try to tame a baby for a pet. I've got a couple possums that come around, too. They are kind of ugly but I have grown quite fond of them.
Whoever gets there first. Tonight it will probably be pizza crusts too tough to chew.
I forgot my squirrels. I just love them. Well we don't have too many. But there is one little black female. My daughter saw her nursing two brown babies up in my birch tree where she has one nest.
Well, she got comfortable around me but I haven't tried to get her to eat out of my fingers like I have others. I named her Zoey, and she was coming when I called her. One day I was late putting out the wild bird mix she loves, had the new package out in the trunk.
So I go out with my plastic snow shovel which I need for help to get up and down steps and start for the street. She scampers along right behind me. She wasn't afraid of the shovel. I got the seed and she scampers along behind me back to the house and waits patiently while I take it inside, open it and scoop some for her. I take it out and scatter it on the stoop. I learned not to scatter too far or she will back up because it gets in her face. It's just so cute; I hate it when I lose them.
Cuteness!
Great stories! My mom used to put food out for the animals. The day after my step-father passed away, an opossum came. My mom swore it was my step-dad.
Opossums can't see very well and are very slow to scurry away. The last one i saw looked mangy. I feel sorry for them, would never want to hurt one.
Oh yes, I love the critters. Have not quite gotten bold enough to try hand-feeding them, though. There have been occasional reports of rabies in squirrels and raccoons around here, so I’m a-scared.
I do make a point to put bird and squirrel feeders in close proximity to windows where the cat has a good vantage point. Cat appreciates that, and it’s a laugh riot for the grand babies, too.
There’s an abundance of critters in the swampy woods where I live—owls, turtles, armadillos, road runners, bobcats and the occasional coyote.
We’re staying inside a lot; the rain has brought out lots of snakes. I’ve killed 5 in a couple weeks. Saw a small iguana on the porch yesterday. A baby, about 8 inches long. Wonder where his mama was.
I quit trying to put up feeders. I had one I just loved in the backyard, a little redwood cottage, and a big limb from my tree took it out. A fine person on my photography group shared after he posted a photo of his. I just had to have one and found one at Lowe's. Then he had a special way he "planted" the 4X4 so he didn't have to pour cement to set the post, and drew the plans for me and posted those. So I had the hardware store cut to order and make me a redwood box to set it in. It worked for years but is finally rotting deep in the ground. Now I have looked all over online and can't find one exactly like it; it was about $35 and now the nice ones are over $100.
I wanted to attract finches after I finally saw one and saw a nice tube imitation birch feeder I can bleach sterile and hung it on one of those rugged iron hook hanging planter stands right outside my sunroom window. I've filled it with niger seeds twice, but they get moldy and need changing often, so I haven't kept up with that and gave up.
Every day I faithfully scatter the seeds on the stoop which is easier on me now and in all weather.
I was just reading the sad story of the pair who rescued the baby bison who had been abandoned. I think it was Yellowstone. It is on ABC's front page a little down on the left sidebar, won't stay there too long. They ended up euthanizing the adorable baby and the pair who tried to help it were punished.
I've got beaucoup baby owl stories and photos but I'd better quit. I would probably kill snakes if I was confident I could do it, preferably quickly. I wasn't afraid of them when I was a kid but am now, haven't seen one for years and would be frightened if I did.
A girl here had a pet iguana, I think that's what it is, pretty green, cool to the touch, not cuddly but fascinating.
Your name is familiar; we have conversed before, but it's been awhile and I don't remember what it was about that time. Have a nice summer and keep the critters happy. Too bad we can't share photos; maybe you can but I don't have an account that will let me in any more because so many now don't like my browser and are trying to force me to upgrade.
It's not really up to you ....:)
What a cutie.
She’s not an orange tabby, but I still thought of the old Uniroyal ads and if she were mine, I’d call her “Tiger Paw”.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.