So this shows up on my back porch the other night...

[7thG]

Never seen one this big. And I've never been this close to one. I was feeding him cat food grapes granola bars. Tried to hand feed him but he wasn't having it. The closest I got was him swatting at it with his paw. He wasn't friendly in the sense that he would play with me but he was harmless it seems and it was funny watching him play and fidget with his hands. I weighed my cat and it's 15 lbs so this raccoon had to be at least 40-50 lbs easy. These pics were after it had eaten I think he was trying to catch a little nap lol.
Anyway just thought I'd share.

 

[ozzydiodude]

Better watch out a coon coming that close and not running away is sick and dangerous. One bite and your in for a world of hurt from the rabies shots unless you catch it and they can test it. Other wise it a mandatory shots to the gut for weeks.

 

[7thG]

He could have been I guess but he didn't seem like it to me. I think that cat food that is usually on the back porch is what got him there. I was watching him and feeding him from behind a sliding door. However I did go out there once I felt he was harmless. I like attracting animals.:bongin:

Thanks for the heads up though Im def not trying to go through any of that.

 

[SmokinMom]

Raccoons are SO cute and that one looks well fed. I wonder if he could be someone's pet.

 

[trillions of atoms]

Yes...keep the HECK away from that thing! Just It sneezing on u can give u rabies!

Listen to ozz PLEASE


rabis will KILL you!!!

 

[7thG]

I was wondering the same thing. Besides the fact that he def did look well fed and very healthy, he was very comfortable around us. He would only run off if you walked towards him. And he seemed comfortable on my porch, as you can see in the pics lol. He was playing with stuff laying around and did not seem in a hurry to leave. My neighbor one house over diagonal from me has a hawk or some predator bird like that. We don't know much about him but we think maybe it came from his house.

 

[trillions of atoms]

Ok...just please be careful. That really worries me.

ive seen ppl dying of rabies and its terrifying!

 

[7thG]

Yeah thanks for the heads up guys I'll keep my distance. I wasn't going to try to pet it or anything I just wanted to have the full raccoon experience. But Im definitely not trying to get my brain tissue sampled and stomach shots so yeah, sliding door.

 

[pcduck]

He is not so cute when he gets in your house and destroys the inside.

 

[Locked]

Pretty cool... I see them and skunks all the time on my route. Cute Lil bugger.

 

[Grower13]

I've been treated for rabies.......... cat bite......... you don't get shots in the gut....... that's way old....... you do get them in the butt........ had LEO show up at my job where I got bite and take me to health dept to get my shots when they came due........ had 3 first time...... went back next day for 1........ then one 2 more days later......... another after 4 more days....... then one a week later......... another 2 weeks later....... another a month later....... then another a month later........ then one 6 months later......... not fun....... but not like it was when you got them in the gut.

was a stray cat that bite me........it was dark...... didn't see him up on a block wall/fence........ was pulling a dolly loaded with frozen french fries........ used the wall for leverage and put my hand on it....... got bite 3 or 4 times before I could get the cat away from me.

City raccoons are fat....... plenty of food..... handouts.... catfood.... dogfood..... garbage cans........ I've seen people who had them as pets....... one was very sweet....... another was very very bad.

 

[HipsterDoofus]

Feeding wildlife creates a nuisance problem for you and your neighbors. People doing illegal things should avoid being a nuisance to their neighbors. Don't be giving your neighbors a reason to be taking notice of you and how you live your life. If you feed these animals, they will come back with their friends and family to your house and the neighbors house. They become aggressive about it.

 

[SmokinMom]

When my dad and stepmom lived n their beach house down south, she volunteered at an animal rehab clinic and once brought home a few young raccoons. She'd leave them in a small bathroom. Once she came home and checked in on the coons and most of the wallpaper from about waist-high was stripped and shredded. They didn't care tho, they were about to remodel that bathroom anyway. :giggle:

 

[Rosebud]

He is really cute and I am glad you are staying away from him. Very deceiving how cute and how bad they can hurt you.

 

[ozzydiodude]

G-13 if a person is allergic to penicillin they have to take the old meds for rabbies. Had a buddy have to do the old school after being rat bite while working under a house

 

[kaotik]

i agree; cool creatures, but quite a nuisance..
betting he's gonna be like a bad friend and rip you off when you stop sharing

had one hanging around here few weeks a go, i was about to shoot (with a pellet just to move him on) but somebody else beat me to it, and it weren't a pellet.. found his carcass in the bush

 

[trillions of atoms]

Lol kaotik

 

[7thG]

Sucks for the raccoon. Well in any case winter is upon us so I suspect he'll disappear for a while. Hopefully he'll come back in the spring.

 

[7thG]

Seriously don't think he was rabid though. Seems healthy not just fat but his fur and everything was great. And he seemed pretty sharp mentally nothing unusual. However I do realize the risk is always there. I read the incubation period for rabies in raccoons can be a couple weeks to several months.

 

[powerplanter]

Rabies or not he'll rip you to shreds if threatened. If you have kids you should tell them not to mess with it. Take care 7thG.