Monday, May 3, 2010

Racoons

Ahhhhhhhh, Spring in New England; what could be prettier?  Fresh, teeny lime green leaves on the trees, pollen wafting in the air....lilacs getting ready to bloom... tulips smiling up at you, flowering trees... birds twittering, if you happen to be in Maine, black flies swarming around  your head,  the quest for fiddleheads  underway... and a family of  racoons in your wall... again.
 this <-- is NOT a fiddlehead...
*sigh*
It seems the only thing that enjoys an old farm house in Maine more than me, is a mother raccoon about to "spawn".  Apparently baby racoon wrangling is going to become a spring tradition for us.  There is now yet another  gaping hole in the wall at Onion Patch Farm after the most recent extrication... (yes, picture me with a hammer and pry bar - bashing the wall with two hysterical St. Bernards "helping me"...)
I don't know if it's just OUR mother racoon that didn't quite grasp parenting 101; or if it's all racoons that put their little ones in such dumb places - repeatedly.  They wash their food before eating it, yet leave their offspring mere inches from a crevice inside the wall that goes 8 feet down... that no chubby mother racoon can possilby hope to wiggle down inside of.  I'm seriously considering running a class next spring, complete with a diagram of house framing and the logistics of getting small bodies from within dark dusty places.
Hole in the wall and pile of dusty plaster scattered across the floor aside; baby racoons are simply adorable.  Little miniature black leathery nose... tiny "hands" (with 5 little fingers); and soft striped fur; you just want to squeeze them (gently)!  :)
Since last years disaster; I armed myself with a list of telephone numbers for "Wildlife Rehabilitators" - just in case.  While hugging the little one wrapped in a towel with one hand I called one of the numbers with the other hand and then crossed my fingers. The very nice lady answered and said yes, she'd take the little cherub, and even left in the middle of her Granddaughters birthday party to meet us and pick it up...
And so it is with a great sigh of relief that I type this, knowing that my little furry friend is in capable hands; and hopefully can grow up into a big, furry, garbage can raiding racoon of the finest quality!

6 comments:

  1. That baby is the cutest thing ever! Ava and Marley look like they are hypnotized:))) I am glad the little baby orphan is in safe hands now... phew, what a relief!

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  2. The pups almost licked the plaster off the wall while it was crying inside... must be their "rescue instinct" ??? :)

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  3. Oh my gosh, you are a girl after my heart :)! I love this post! What great photos! My husband and I have a soft spot for raccoons...well, all animals. They come to our porch often to eat the feral cat food.
    Thank you for what you do to help them!!!
    And thanks for your kind comments on my blog.
    Purrs and woofs,
    Carrie

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  4. Aaaaahhhhh... I love a happy ending.
    Well done with your rescue mission. And, well done for parting with the little cutie - as I was reading I was half expecting the baby would take up residence with the rest of your menagerie!
    Good luck with the lesson plans, I think Mummy racoons definitely need a little educating!

    Karen x

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  5. Great pictures and great story. You were very strong not to keep the racoon. It's so adorable. It does make you want to squeeze them indeed.
    I also like the picture of the plant.
    Looking forward to your next post. ;-)

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  6. If the husband had his way, that little baby would be here right now; i hate being the "strong one" sometimes. *sigh*
    As an update, it is a boy, he's doing well - sleeping on a heating pad and dining on formula, in the lap of racoon luxery it seems! I have named him (only in my mind of course) Eli. One has to know there is a drawing someplace in the future... just a matter of time.

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