Hey Raccoon!

[Selkie]

I got out this morning, just before sunrise. Love that time of day. No one on the trail but me and the bunnies, so as long as I've got the "bunny radar" on high, I can hammer. Riding my Bianchi, 65 degrees/clear skies, legs are strong, and life is good. As I get near a portion of the trail that abuts a community garden, I see this animal in the middle of the trail. Thought he was a groundhog, so I say, "hey, get off the trail." Usually that will scare the bejezus out of whatever is there and it will take off. Not this one. As I get closer, I see that it's a beautiful racoon. More of a lighter grey that I've ever seen before. I keep saying, "git, git varmit." But she/he won't go. Just stands there and forces me to slow to an almost stop. Stares at me. I'm thinking "rabies or just gutsy?" and wondering if I should just turn around. Finally, the raccoon moves off into the grass next to the trail and lets me go by. I think that being a city raccoon, she/he must be used to people. I hope the coyote that lives nearby doesn't find him/her! I also hope he/she was able to bust into the garden and have a good breakfast (it's fenced).

[Brandi]

We had six of those guys on our deck one night! They were trying to get into the cat door that stays locked at night. They were looking through the windows and we were looking right back. We didn't seem to scare tham at all!

[margo49]

When I was touring down 101 a racoon ate the alfalfa sprouts I had been growing in a nylon hung from the back of the saddle.
(I would rinse them a few times a day - a great source of fresh green when I was touring)
Perhaps this was its great great great...27 times... grand baby

[Lise]

Raccoons are seriously nervy. EB White wrote a great piece on an encounter between his dachshund and a raccoon. Cracks me up that you were considering "rabies" as a possible explanation for its behavior!

[Nanci]

In wild or stray animals, and in pets, a change in normal behavior is the most common sign of rabies. There are two common forms of rabies:

*"Dumb" Rabies: An animal may become shy or hide -- or become unusually approachable. This may be followed by sluggishness, confusion or depression.

* "Furious" rabies: An animal may become excitable, irritable and aggressive. At times, it may seem confused and calm, then attack suddenly when approached. The animal may lose all caution for natural enemies.

Other signs of rabies include:

* Daytime activity in animals normally active at night.
* Staggering, weakness and paralysis.
* A change in the sound of the animal's voice.
* Inability or reluctance to eat or drink.
* Drooling.
* Convulsions and frothing at the mouth.

[Nanci]

When I saw a racoon in the middle of the day when I did the Green Swamp ride a few weeks ago, which did not run off, rabies was the first thing I thought of! But then I saw she had a baby right next to her.

Rabies is what I think of immediately when I see a nocturnal animal out during the day, or an animal that shows no fear of humans.

Nanci