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1. beaglenut
   Member Profile

   To my surprise, there were two chubby raccoons chilling out in my front yard at 6:30 this morning. I didn't bother them, they didn't bother me. I don't have any experience with them though and was wondering if I need to call someone, or just let them be? I do worry about my pooch getting bit. Thanks.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

2. sweetflutterby41
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   I saw 2 of them running along the fence around my backyard and into a tree in the back of my neighbors yard around 6 this morning. Very odd to see them out in the daylight.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

3. Jiggers
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   They are cute. Don't let your pets out without keeping an eye on them.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

4. KBear
   Member Profile

   Definitely keep your dog away from them. You should stay away from them, too. They can carry diseases that are deadly to pets and humans. Our vet also warned us to watch out for raccoon feces in our yard, and to remove them quickly (and CAREFULLY!) if we find any.

   http://www.kingcounty.gov/healthservices/health/ehs/zoonotics/raccoons.aspx

   Posted 2 years ago #         

5. maplesyrup
   Member Profile

   

   Yeah don't mess with them and keep your dog away.

   If you need to get them out of the yard, throw water on them. At least in my experience they don't like that.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

6. beaglenut
   Member Profile

   Thanks for the responses. I was aware of the disease issue so I kept my distance. I guess no off-leash time for puppers for the time being.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

7. squareeyes
   Member Profile

   

   They must not have enough dark hours to do their desired amount of food gathering because they're coming out early in the evening too. I was sitting at my desk talking on the phone at 6:30pm on Saturday when a raccoon climbed out of my neighbors garbage bin with a baggie in his mouth. He climbed over the fence and tore open the bag to eat the sandwich he scored. I tapped on the window to get his attention and he sat there looking at me as he calmly ate the sandwich. He didn't even have the decency to throw away the baggie and just left it there. If he had a thumb I'm sure he would have thumbed his nose at me. Neener neener!

   Posted 2 years ago #         

8. k
   Member Profile

   we had one come cruising through our backyard at around 4 pm yesterday. could not believe it! they must be hungry.

   Posted 2 years ago #         

9. ttt
   Member Profile

   The report was that they were fat raccoons, so they also might just be used to humans. Daylight is increasing until Soltice, so If no one is shooing them off then they may think it is safe to be out in the daylight...

   Posted 2 years ago #         

10. jwws
    Member Profile

    

    They travel through our front yard at all times of the day, morning, noon and night - drives our dogs nuts to see these guys in the yard. I think nocturnal raccoons are a thing of the past.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

11. Jeffro
    Member Profile

    I came into my backyard on Sunday to discover that some animals had used our birdbath as their toilet. Too big to be from a cat, and I'd be surprised if a dog that big got into our yard. It was not a fun morning. Being in a pool of water, it was not very easy to clean. I'm kinda glad I read the above link after I cleaned it, because I don't think I could have gone through with it if I had. Yuck! I haven't found any new raccoon latrines since then however.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

12. Ken
    Member Profile

    

    10:40 am Tuesday
    I sat at the light at 35th and Thistle and watched a 30 lbs Raccoon amble across the street (35th) about 20 feet from the crosswalk.
    I wonder if he watched the light in the crosswalk.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

13. flowerpetal
    Member Profile

    

    30lbs? That would be highly irregular if not a record. Perhaps he/she was off to a weight watcher's meeting? A twenty pound racoon is a rarity.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

14. maplesyrup
    Member Profile

    

    I've never been able to get the damned things to stay on the scale.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

15. KBear
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    I don't know, I see "highly irregular" raccoons regularly.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

16. flowerpetal
    Member Profile

    

    Maplesyrup, that's cuz you have been trying to weigh them when they are alive. It's a hunter's secret. Shoot em first, then weigh them and factor for the lead in em.
    KBear, a spoonful of Milk of Magnesium will make them more regular.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

17. Franci
    Member Profile

    Racoons are quite clever and can get into places you would never have guessed.

    There was a time, several years ago, when I would leave the door cracked open to my 2nd storey deck...so the cats could go out on the deck and get fresh air at night. No ground access or so I thought and not really visible from the street.

    Well one evening I fell asleep on the couch in the living room and woke to this god awful noise. At first I thought one of the cats was ill. I got up to investigate, there were 3 racoons in my kitchen; they had washed their paws in the cats water dish - it was full of dirty muddy water and were helping themselves to the dry food that was out.

    As soon as they were aware of my presence they went back out onto the deck, hopped up to the railing, then dropped into the tree next to the deck, then down to the ground.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

18. maplesyrup
    Member Profile

    

    That's good advice. I was getting kind of tired of the bites and scratch marks.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

19. Ken
    Member Profile

    

    I may not be good at estimating weight nowadays at least for raccoons, maybe it was just "fluffy" :)

    Posted 2 years ago #         

20. flowerpetal
    Member Profile

    

    Perhaps it was a Texan racoon. Those have big hair you know.

    Posted 2 years ago #         

21. dyn99
    Member Profile

    

    We've seen lots of Raccoons in our area - on the South side of Genesee Hill, above Me Kwa Mooks park. And there's definitely one running around that is physically larger than my 27 pound Brittany (dog) who he decided to pick a fight with a couple of weeks back (although he may weigh less - those guys have lots of hair).

    Luckily, the dog won. Motion sensor-lights and hoses work well to keep them away. Alternative, my wife runs outside with whatever noise maker she can find - a pot and a spoon usually get the nod, which seems to do the job too. One thing to look for that's important to note is that Raccoons communally deficate. If you find piles of Raccoon poop in your yard, you've got a problem and should probably call a pro to get rid of them (and remove the poo).

    Be careful about your pup. Ours had some serious bite marks in a few places. Although the raccoon got it worse (bloody teeth were left in our yard, which we assume came out when he bit our dog, as the teeth definitely didn't come from her), we still ended up with a $150 vet bill, and a pup who was laid up on the couch for the better part of a week.

    Posted 1 year ago #         

22. flowerpetal
    Member Profile

    

    I'm wondering how you believe your dog won. "Serious bite marks... $150 vet bill... laid up on the couch for the better part of a week" Seems there were no winners. Racoons are pretty durable and I imagine that one to be carousing somewhere sans a few teeth.

    Posted 1 year ago #         

23. dyn99
    Member Profile

    

    "You should have seen the other guy." We did...he looked much worse, believe me!

    Posted 1 year ago #         

24. flowerpetal
    Member Profile

    

    Oh, I didn't realize that you saw the beleagured racoon. I hope he has good memory about your backyard and stays away. Apparently racoons can remember where the good eats are so we can intuit that they will know where the tough dogs are too.

    Posted 1 year ago #         

25. AlkiCabCompany
    Member Profile

    

    we have huge ones in Alki Ave. They like to eat crabs. We often have crab parts on our porch. They are not afraid of anyone anymore and will come out in the day time and challenge you to a duel. They are extremely cute with their big black noses..I wish we could be friends. But no..they are not down with that.

    Posted 1 year ago #         

26. MargL
    Member Profile

    Just had a big ol' raccoon stop by to peer in the sliding-glass door. Wouldn't have known he was there except the cat freaked out.
    We've had them come thru the yard late morning and early evening. Even had one camp out the entire day up at the top of our hawthorn tree in what used to be a bird, squirrel or tree-rat nest.

    Posted 1 year ago #         

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