Raccoon - what do I do?

[OakLeaf]

Helene, raccoons will dig out underground wasps' nests, but smaller holes are more likely either possum or skunk. Raccoons are pretty much everywhere in the USA and southern Canada, so it's no surprise you saw one.

W/r/t dogs - just to clarify, when I said evenly matched, what I meant was that if they were in a situation where neither one could get away, I wouldn't lay odds on which one might survive. I didn't mean to suggest I was sure the dog would win! I live in the country, so if there's one thing we have more of than raccoons, it's loose dogs, and I've seen plenty of aftermaths of fights with raccoons, some dogs with cuts deep enough that they needed care so they wouldn't get infected, plenty of raccoons turned into stinky chew toys, but I've never, ever heard of a raccoon killing a dog. They're just not motivated to fight to the death if they can escape.

[north woods gal]

Not to worry, Oak, I didn't take it that way at all. You're right, raccoons are way to smart to attack dogs, needlessly.

As far as killing dogs, old coon hunters with hounds have told me that if a dog chases a raccoon into the water, the raccoon can drown the dog by climbing on its back. Don't know how true that is, though. Might be one of those folk myths. Who knows?

Just another raccoon tidbit. Had a friend who had a pet coon when he was a kid. Told me the coon figured out how to unlatch the gate to their yard.

[snapdragen]

I have to share my raccoon adventures. I named him Rockett, and he trashed our back lawn. Didn't come back this year, I think all the lawn grubs are gone.

[north woods gal]

They are cute. I have a friend in southern Wisconsin that fills her bird feeders every night for them. Not sure if that's such a great idea, but they won't pass up a free meal, believe me.

[ny biker]

Okay this is funny. This is a small condo apartment building -- three floors, two apartments per floor. The common hall/stairway is in the middle of the building with apartments on either side. I'm sitting here in my living room putting winter clothes into storage boxes (still insisting there is no such thing as "too many wool sweaters") and I can hear a bird chirping very loudly. I think one has gotten into the common hallway through an open window.

I do not want to deal with it. Hopefully it will figure out how to get back outside. Otherwise I would like one of my neighbors to deal with it. I am usually the person who solves issues that affect us all, like getting hall light bulbs and smoke detector batteries replaced or having the front door lock fixed when it sticks. I prefer not to have to be the bird lady, too. On the other hand, I am really enjoying the quiet that comes with most of my neighbors being not at home right home. So I'm conflicted.

Still I'm having a day where you stay indoors and don't bother to change out of your pajamas, so I'm not going out to deal with a bird.

Next I suppose a fox will find its way into my life...

[snapdragen]

Watch out for bears ny biker....

[Catrin]

Watch out for bears ny biker....

Or tigers

[north woods gal]

Could be worse. How about a skunk in the building?

Almost hit a porcupine, last week, while riding and a wild turkey the week, before. No bears, yet. Whew!