Skunk has moved, raccoon has entered the barn

[madmum]

Oh my!!!I think we forget how amazing your wildlife is

[LynneP]

Well, Poppet was in her nest when I visited the loft this afternoon. She is tucked into old hay on the southeast corner and has lined her space with clean materials. She twittered when I peeked in, and I backed off so she could sleep. Now that I kow where she is I can watch for her without waking her, and she is in a spot far from the stairs to the loft, which is convenient for me. I cleaned her litter box before leaving.

Steve- the worst of black bear season is usually in July, but because of delayed berry crops and other goodies, they are still foraging. Today was green bin day and we put our frozen bones and other meat refuse (anything the cats can't eat) into the green bin. We never leave protein waste outdoors.

Knowing your limits with wildlife matters too. I have a retreat closet in the barn with two exits, but I hope I never have to use it. Enough neighbours are careless, so I hope we are never chosen.

[Willow]

Can I move in with you Lynne? please? (I'm housetrained)

[LynneP]

It's all we ever ask of pets and guests, that they are housebroken!

[LynneP]

Well - we had to move Poppet after she invited three more masked bandits to nest with her. I mean, it just isn't done, and they are boars! Two were so aggressive that they began to follow me, tryng to enter the coops and growling at me. David went to the loft this morning and out on quite a male show and frightened them out of the loft and began a baffling process to keep them out. We will leave one cat-size access hole- the boars are already too big to access the one we have planned. It's a shame for Poppet, but there are lots of unsupervised buildings near ours, mostly hay storage for cattle and perfectly accessible. The hay is packed in plastic like huge marshamallows so can't be easily contaminated. This is the first time we have had problems but we know some raccoons were in the ittle church that was relocated so this could be an unusual year for them.

[LittleBrownFrog]

Shame about Poppet, but really, she was abusing your hospitality. Would have liked to be a fly on the wall when David saw them off!

[LynneP]

There's another twist to the story- we are apparently in a hot spot for raccoon distemper. They are being found sick/dying throughout the county and to the east and west of that. People are being cautioned to discourge them or to avoid contact as they may have either feline or canine distemper and could infect pets and ferals. So it's a good thing the loft is re-organized in a way that no wild creature can conceal itself. We're being meticulous about washing our hands and clothes. The four animals are hanging around, and we *must* keep them out of that loft. Seriously there is lots of other shelter for them, but having a raccoon die in the loft creates another dimension in thoughtful carcass disposal.

[madmum]

Funnily enough hubbs said exactly that when he read this thread!What about distemper?Guess all you can do is be vigilent and careful

[LynneP]

It's the worst we have ever witnessed. One of our neighbours has live-trapped 14 sick animals. I'm beginning to feel lucky we have only four. The barn showed no evidence of them this morning, the water bowls were clean and no droppings. The cats are moving back in, and there is no place for any wild animal to hide on the ground floor or loft. This week-end we're building new storm doors, something we had planned to do before winter at any rate.

These animals may be starting to die, bodies are being found throughout the woodlands and along roads and in fields. Our golf course Landscaper has disposed of four dead carcasses and moved another by hand off the 14th fairway, lifting it under the belly. When he laid it in the fire pit to be burned later, he saw it move and marked the tail with landscape paint, only to find it active hours later where he had found it. Now, he keeps dogs, so the staff persuaded him to clean his work clothes at the club and is wife brought him a change. I take no pleasure in seeing so many animals sick of an incurable malady or in the implications for pets. And the disturbing behaviours are upsetting and scary.