Posted on 08/08/2006 9:02:34 AM PDT by cstorm
I'm a native Floridian that never thought she would fear wildlife. I learned to water ski in Lake Kissimmee with alligators; stepped on Water Mocassins, you name it I was raised in the country. But yesterday morning, changed my life. For those of you that have never had an experience with wild animals; here is a true story. I was up at 5:15 a.m. My husband and I have 2 yorkies, well known for being ratters. The female isn't responsive to being a ratter, but the 13 year old male can snap a rabbits neck in a second and there be no sign of capture. He will just sit next to it and say, did I do good?
The outside lights were not working and as I always do, I put their runs on and opened the door. Buster saw the raccoon before I did and went straight for it. Their teeth are extremely sharp, like a cat. The raccoon snapped his leash, picked him up and threw him into the corner of our front door. I was trying hard to get my female in and all I could hear was my Buster screaming. I had gotten Billie in, but when I went out the raccoon was on top of Buster; I had no choice; I kicked the coon into the yard and grabbed Buster.
We were very fortunate. I was not bitten, the coon is not rabid, Buster was in severe shock and is going to lose most of his teeth this Thursday because he was bitten many time in his mouth. But we're both ok.
My point is this; don't misjudge nature. It's so easy to to get caught up in the beauty of it and let your nerve down. We live backed up to one of Florida's most natural wildlife sanctuaries. When there is a misplaced animal, such as recently a bobcat, the wildlife preserve leaves them here. We also travel to other countries, where for example in Costa Rica, you can hold the raccoons. They sleep in your arms and eat from your hands; but wildlife is not like that everywhere.
I am very fortunate that Buster did not have to be quarantined, otherwise I would have put him down at his ripe old age. My animals are so very important to me. I love them with all of my heart, but my message to all of you is be cautious; you never know when something like this might happen to you.
Thanks for posting that. I have 3 raccoons that took residence in my backyard since my german shephard bought the farm.
They enjoy fruit trees and a fenced yard so they are nice and plumpy and keep dry under the porch deck. Once they let me watch them play with my deceased dog's toys as if they were my pets. Cute, but I know what varmints they are. I'm afraid to use my backyard, so I guess it's time for ghostbusters.
Sounds like a bad scene :~)
We have pretty frequent raccoons at our beach house, the spooky thing is that they will look right past us at my brother's cat. Like we aren't even there. The cat's not bright enough to be afraid either :~\
I don't see them here, even though I'd think I might, with horses and feed in the barn they might pillage. No possums either. Could be the dogs are out there enough to keep them from coming around... and it might also be that coyotes keep them in check... We have a big pack of coyotes around... and a raccoon would be a bounty of a meal, if they can catch them before they get up a tree.
Yes, it's kind of like the ocean - a thing of the greatest beauty, that exerts just the strongest pull imaginable on some of us. Yet something that has to be respected at all times.
I don't think it does to live a life that's too complacent, somehow a very vital part of us goes to sleep if everything's perfect. We aren't designed to live in a world where we never have to be alert, where safety is complete, where we don't have to do things for ourselves. I know that sounds weird, but I'm convinced it's true.
It doesn't sound weird to me. :~)
If Josie ever decided to tackle a raccoon...I'm not convinced the raccoon would definitely win. That cat ain't sane.
It'd make for an interesting fight, for sure.
That's true... It's not only the big burly guy who thinks he has an invisible chainsaw we are afraid of in the subway, a small one is just as scary :~)
Like I said, though, it could be an interesting fight.
My husband says that raccoons are really small bears. They can be vicious and destructive. We trap them around here and dispatch them to raccoon heaven (my husband's job). Sorry to be so blunt, but relocating them just relocatges the problem into someone else's yard.
We will not loan our trap to anyone who says they will let the coon go "out in the country on someone's farm". We are all out in the country, whether we are farmers or not, and the coons go after poultry, pets, etc. They will rip the siding right off your house, or barn to get what they want. And frequently they ARE rabid.
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