Raccoons

Discussion in 'Earth Science' started by Bowser, Feb 15, 2018.

  1. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    So I walked up on a raccoon in my garage last night. He didn't run and just stared at me. I yelled at him, waved my arms around, and he just stood there, looking. I actually had to poke with a broom to chase him out. They must be the more bold urban creatures I've ever met.
     
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  3. origin Heading towards oblivion Valued Senior Member

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    Bold or possibly rabid.
     
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  5. Gawdzilla Sama Valued Senior Member

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    You met a feral animal who isn't afraid of you. You subsequent actions could have resulted in a thorough butt-kicking, for you.
     
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  7. sculptor Valued Senior Member

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    Long ago and far away:
    I was cruising the back road between where I grew up and the nearest town when I saw a raccoon standing up in the middle of the road.
    I stopped and yelled out of the road dummy.
    The raccoon didn't move.
    So:
    I opened the door, intending to get out and shoo the beast off of the road.
    Whereupon, it dropped down on all fours, and rounded the car and climbed in.
    So:
    I took him home.
    ------------------------
    Considering that I always considered him a "wild animal" we got along well.
    Raccoons seem to be on the verge of self domestication.
     
  8. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Had you just turned on the light? Maybe he couldn't see you until his eyes adjusted.
     
  9. sculptor Valued Senior Member

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    Raccoons are primarily nocturnal and have excellent night vision.
     
  10. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    They can defend themselves too. Perhaps it didn't want to run away and expose itself to attack from the rear. They are as smart as a capuchin monkey.
     
  11. Gawdzilla Sama Valued Senior Member

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    Raccoon are becoming the dominant urban wildlife. City coons live on average twice as long as their country cousins. If Captain Tripps drops in they'll have a large domicile to exploit, at least until the human handouts are exhausted.
     
  12. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Don't forget coyotes. They are common around here. I had a family of 6 howling in my yard one morning.
     
  13. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    Who drove?
     
  14. Gawdzilla Sama Valued Senior Member

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    The dog rats will never organize, the coons have the potential, and opposable thumbs.
     
  15. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    The metro abandonment of the cylindrical metal garbage can with the loose lid has reduced my encounters with raccoons, but watching a mother raccoon carefully demonstrating to a half circle of four attentive, sitting, quiet, orderly, child raccoons the proper technique for removing one of those lids showed me the future of that tribe.

    They were already distinguishable from dogs in the garbage - they left the inedibles in a neat pile around the can, easy to put back barring wind.
     
  16. spidergoat pubic diorama Valued Senior Member

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    Their thumbs aren't opposable.
     
  17. Gawdzilla Sama Valued Senior Member

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    Yet.
     
  18. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    Yeah, the light was on. We keep the cats' food dish in the garage, so I'm pretty sure the raccoon was having a snack.
     
  19. DaveC426913 Valued Senior Member

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    You are probably not the first human it's encountered. So, they've learned not to be scared of humans.

    They're also not really fast movers, unless they actually feel threatened.
     
  20. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    The neighbor cats run from me. I think the raccoons might simply be more bold than most critters, an inherent trait that somehow serves them.
     
  21. sideshowbob Sorry, wrong number. Valued Senior Member

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    They're willing to boldly go where no raccoon has gone before.
     
  22. Bowser Namaste Valued Senior Member

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    They have the courage.
     
  23. iceaura Valued Senior Member

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    If they ever learn to clean up after themselves - so the human is not motivated to secure their garbage, doesn't notice the gradual vanishing of sweet corn ears from the middle of the field, is not faced with an accumulation of feces in the attic, etc - they will be in.

    Brigands neglect housework. It's what does them in, eventually.
     

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