We Have Raccoons!!!

The most exciting wildlife animal I've seen was a peacock in my back yard. Must have come from a Botany Park few miles away. I've seen skunks, they're not the same as raccoons, are they?

We do not have raccoons here and last time I saw one was in the Manila Zoo a long long time ago, we do have flying lemurs in the Southern provinces that fascinated me so much the first time I saw one, guess you felt that way too when you encountered the raccoon.

I remember the first time that I met a raccoon. It was around midnight in the middle of Beverly Hills and I was standing on the balcony having a quiet smoke. We regarded each other (separated by the balcony rail) for some moments and I was rather taken aback by its size - as big as a medium-sized dog - and remembered what I had heard about their teeth. I didn't fancy being any closer than I was, really. If the raccoon could have spoken, it clearly would have said "Hmph! Another of those human things breathing smoke! Should I scuttle or just ignore it? Nothing to worry about ... carry on!" And it did just that! I, too, wished that I had had a camera. It had a cute face and delicate hand-like front paws (as raccoons do) but the rest of it was a large, shaggy doormat. I didn't think that Davy Crockett's c00n-skin hat was half as attractive after that! (I just discovered another harmless word which MyLot objects to! )

I live in the Poconos where deer cross through my yard a few times a day. There are also squirrels, no big deal, except for one who sometimes climbs on the railing outside the sun room and jumps off, and there are chipmunks in the yard, which is the second place I have ever seen any (near Lake Tahoe was the first). I have occasionally seen wild turkeys and even a bear once, although I've heard from neighbors he's been around more than than. When I first moved in, there used to be a groundhog around. I didn't mind him, in fact thought he was cute. That was until something started attacking my garden, just at the point when my cucumber plants were ready to produce. I tried setting a hav a hart trap to catch him but it was too small (designed for a rabbit). So I bought a raccoon trap and set it for the groundhog, then guess what. I caught a raccoon. It was rather cute in the trap and I almost feel a little sad that I relocated him to the state woods, but then I don't know if he was attacking the garden or the groundhog. On my second try, I caught the groundhog. He was quite as cute. In fact he seemed pretty annoyed in the trap. I took him to the woods too.

Have you badgers in Alaska ? They climb easily trees and are more "human friendly" than raccoons, but you rarely see them during the day. I like wildlife, I make often walks in the woods, but what remains in my memory is rather frightening encounters, like snakes, wild boars, or a wild sow with her children -- I was at a few feet of them when we saw each other, and we decided together to run away in opposite directions --.

hi dear alaskanray, we dont have raccoons over here but I would be thrilled as well seeing one. A few years when I was ill for quite a while with an herniated disc, I started feeding the birds on the balcony. To my surprise not only blackbirds and sparrows found their way to their meal but different sorts of finches as well. Was soooo cute. But sadly wild pigeons and crows found the food too so we had to stop......

AHA.....you got the gift of the "l'il rascals" I Fed-X'd to you..did you? They are the source of many, many a sleepless night for me...NOT my favourite furry thing! I live on an Island...and we are inundated with them..and they can be VERY destructive...and are one of the carriers of some of the nastiest diseases! Just corner one in your kitchen..and they aren't sooooooo CUTE! Nothing is OFF limits for their intrusion...do NOT corner one, even inadvertently....YOU be the one that backs OFF! And keep your PETS from them, too!

Hahaha,I understand your excitement seeing an animal you have never seen before. I am an animal lover so I can just imagine my reaction... Since you have never seen one I'm assuming you never experienced their wrath.lol Make sure the lid on your trash can is tight tight,and you may want to try to tie your trash can down to the ground because as soon as you turn your back thy will nick your trash can down get that lid off and tear into you trash till every inch of your yard is covered in it lmfao.. I promise! oh and um they are very angry creatures that will attack is they feel threatened soooo as cool as they may seem they are a headache...just giving you heads up.lol