My house:The Zoo

aw2x3

aw2x3

Active Member
So yeah...look what I found, today, at work? Evidently, the mother and other babies were caught and relocated and this little girl was left all alone. I couldn't leave her...she was alone, no mom to feed her and there are like 8 cats that would've had a great time with her.
She's tiny, tiny...I'm really enjoying having to bottle feed every 4 hours. And, she still can't use the bathroom by herself...I have to rub her butt and little va jay jay, with a warm wash rag, to stimulate her to go to the bathroom.
I want to name her Booger, but my girlfriend refuses. lol!
She's frikkin adorable!!! I just fed her again and she purrs, like a kitten, while she's feeding.
After a little bit of research, I've found that I have to have a "Fur Permit", in IL, to keep her. But, it's only $25 a YEAR and I have no problem paying that. I'm not gonna bottle feed her, get attached (which I already am) and then release her. I'd worry too much about her being domesticated and wandering up to someone, then getting hurt cause they think she's a crazy coon or something.


 
K

kikithemermaid

Guest
Aww! I just moved here from Chicago, I miss it. So you're going to keep her? Why did they leave her, I wonder? That's sad.
 
keri

keri

Active Member
I don't want to be a downer but you really can't keep her....she's going to DESTROY your house, and yeah, you Could cage her but is that fair? Contact your local wildlife rescue organization and they will rehabilitate her.
Leptospirosis. Baylisascaris. Look them up, racoons can carry both. (not to mention fleas, ticks, lice, mites and oh yeah....rabies.
And yes, the pictures are frigging CUTE but I'm just speaking from personal experiece, I used to work at a wildlife rehab centre and you get pretty mad seeing poorly nourished, poorly kept animals turned in not when first found but days or weeks later when the people who found them finally realize they can't handle them anymore.
ok /end rant....don't hate me.
Edit: ok, I re-read that and I'm lecturing, I'm not trying to flame, you probably don't know better, but please do look those diseases up and do a little research on what racoons as pets are like (kindof like a ferret crossed with a monkey that likes to steal things and especially enjoys ripping/shredding/destroying all your favourite stuff)
 
A

alexmir

Guest
ADORABLE!!!
May be a whole lot of trouble later, but i guess if your willing to go through it, then enjoy!!! Sure is cute.
People keep dogs that destroy things, actually, most dogs tear stuff up and make messes constantly, and rip wallets to pieces, rather than just hide them, so a small raccoon wouldnt be any different.
 
aw2x3

aw2x3

Active Member
Originally Posted by kikithemermaid
http:///forum/post/2591497
Aww! I just moved here from Chicago, I miss it. So you're going to keep her? Why did they leave her, I wonder? That's sad.
Today, when I got to work, they were talking about a baby raccoon that had been wandering around. They said that the neighbor had trapped the mother and 4 other babies and had relocated them aprox. 40 miles away. I didn't think anything about it and wasn't paying much attention to the people talking about it.
I went out, in the afternoon, to have a cigarette and called a friend. I'm talking to her on the phone and notice the little girl, in the flower bed, quivering and shaking and I yelled "Holy shite! I just found the baby raccoon, dude! Gotta call my girlfriend! BYE!" I gave her some cat food, mixed with milk and she threw herself into the bowl, starving.
Originally Posted by Keri
http:///forum/post/2591518
I don't want to be a downer but you really can't keep her....she's going to DESTROY your house, and yeah, you Could cage her but is that fair? Contact your local wildlife rescue organization and they will rehabilitate her.
Leptospirosis. Baylisascaris. Look them up, racoons can carry both. (not to mention fleas, ticks, lice, mites and oh yeah....rabies.
And yes, the pictures are frigging CUTE but I'm just speaking from personal experiece, I used to work at a wildlife rehab centre and you get pretty mad seeing poorly nourished, poorly kept animals turned in not when first found but days or weeks later when the people who found them finally realize they can't handle them anymore.
ok /end rant....don't hate me.
Edit: ok, I re-read that and I'm lecturing, I'm not trying to flame, you probably don't know better, but please do look those diseases up and do a little research on what racoons as pets are like (kindof like a ferret crossed with a monkey that likes to steal things and especially enjoys ripping/shredding/destroying all your favourite stuff)
Oh no...I'm not thinking you're flaming... I already know the risks. My girlfriend also used to work at a wildlife preserve/rescue, in St. Louis and has already called them. They've already advised on getting the proper license and then taking her to a vet for vaccs. and check ups. Both of us have enough knowledge in the matter to know that she definately does not have rabies or distemper, which they can get.
We've quarentined her, from the rest of our animals (two dogs and two ferrets), in the event that she has something communicable. We already have the two ferrets, so we know about the ripping, shredding, stealing everything.
We know the risks to ourselves and take precautions before and after feeding, etc.
We've already taken care of the fleas and ticks, too.
We wouldn't even dream of keeping her, unless we were sure we could provide for her and be 150% sure that we'd be able to provide for her.
We have 4 (out of 6) snakes that will reach lengths of at least 10'...and 3 that will reach lengths of at least 15'. We're well versed in the risks associated with keeping pets that will be destructive and/or be able to kill you, at some point.
 
A

alexmir

Guest
Get some more pics of the littlt guy!!!! i wanna roll around with it!
 
aw2x3

aw2x3

Active Member
Originally Posted by alexmir
http:///forum/post/2591536
Get some more pics of the littlt guy!!!! i wanna roll around with it!

She's currently passed out...actually snoring. I'm sure she'll get me up, in aprox. 4 - 5 hours, wanting to be fed again. Me and my girlfriend are both off, tomorrow...I'm sure we'll get more pics tomorrow.
 
K

kikithemermaid

Guest
I think it's great you are taking care of her. I was a veterinary technician for 3 years and saw so many people who neglected and abused animals...there should be more people like you.
 
aw2x3

aw2x3

Active Member
I had friends over, tonight and a few of them asked me why I'd bring a dirty little raccoon into the house. Ya know...I just couldn't leave her, man. She was alone (she's still being bottle fed and can barely walk...she's that young). It was either me take her home, or she would've starved to death. Either that, or the neighborhood cats would've killed her.
I just couldn't leave her. I've not even had her for 6 hours and I'm already in love.
I hunt and fish...have numerous deer and fish mounts, etc. I even used to trap beaver for their fur but c'mon...you can't have a heart and not want to take care of this little girl...diseases or not.
She's still passed out, under a blanket, in a rubbermaid tote, in my bedroom. I keep covering her up and my girlfriend keeps laughing at me, saying "she's not a kid...she has fur...it'll keep her warm".
 
teresaq

teresaq

Active Member
We had one when I was a kid. My dad found her on the side of the road, She was about 4 weeks old. We bottle fed her also. She was a trip. A real theif. She would steal anything shiny. She would go to the cabnet and begg for cereal and then wash it in the dogs water dish.
The only real problems were when she came into her first heat. She got real nasty and we had to take her to a preserve.
Good luck She is very cute.
T
 
stdreb27

stdreb27

Active Member
Originally Posted by TeresaQ
http:///forum/post/2591619
We had one when I was a kid. My dad found her on the side of the road, She was about 4 weeks old. We bottle fed her also. She was a trip. A real theif. She would steal anything shiny. She would go to the cabnet and begg for cereal and then wash it in the dogs water dish.
The only real problems were when she came into her first heat. She got real nasty and we had to take her to a preserve.
Good luck She is very cute.
T
now that is open for soooo many jokes.
Originally Posted by Keri
http:///forum/post/2591518
I don't want to be a downer but you really can't keep her....she's going to DESTROY your house, and yeah, you Could cage her but is that fair? Contact your local wildlife rescue organization and they will rehabilitate her.
Leptospirosis. Baylisascaris. Look them up, racoons can carry both. (not to mention fleas, ticks, lice, mites and oh yeah....rabies.
And yes, the pictures are frigging CUTE but I'm just speaking from personal experiece, I used to work at a wildlife rehab centre and you get pretty mad seeing poorly nourished, poorly kept animals turned in not when first found but days or weeks later when the people who found them finally realize they can't handle them anymore.
ok /end rant....don't hate me.
Edit: ok, I re-read that and I'm lecturing, I'm not trying to flame, you probably don't know better, but please do look those diseases up and do a little research on what racoons as pets are like (kindof like a ferret crossed with a monkey that likes to steal things and especially enjoys ripping/shredding/destroying all your favourite stuff)
AW is pretty adept with difficult pets. I think if anyone can handle it he could. Unless it got into his snake room...
Speaking of which I saw the "my house thezoo" and got all excited we were going to have a virtual tour of your snake room as promised. This was almost as good.
 
t316

t316

Active Member
Originally Posted by beenbag497
http:///forum/post/2591991
seriously are you willing to sell him?ive wanted a raccoon for ever!!

Come see me...they are a dime a dozen around here. Here's one my son caught in his trap late last year.
 
coral keeper

coral keeper

Active Member
Originally Posted by beenbag497
http:///forum/post/2592030
hey man if u ever catch a baby seriously pm me

Hey beenbag, I ain't flaming you or anything, but did you ask your parents if you can get a pet racoon? lol I'd hate to see you getting rid of it when you just get it.
 
crimzy

crimzy

Active Member
AW, I have the utmost respect for you and I usually agree with pretty much everything you say and do,
BUT...
I have to question your judgment here. While this baby is really cute and you intend to raise the animal for a while and then release it, other people have raised some valid concerns about the health risks. I'd also think that after being cuddled and nursed for some portion of its life, this raccoon would have difficulty adapting to life in the wild. You know that when you teach a raccoon that food is in the refrigerator, and it eventually makes its way into someone's house to raid the fridge, the thing will be exterminated.
But above and beyond this, you have a snake that will eventually grow to 20 or 25 feet and hundreds of pounds. This will be an animal that will be able to easily kill an adult at that size. I have helped to maintain snakes this size before and I have to question your introduction of ferrets, raccoons, etc into the house. While the raccoon in the pic will be long gone by that point, even a smaller snake can be a dangerous animal. Once they get the scent of prey, their eyesight is not very good and they become a threat. I think bringing these types of animals into the house is a very dangerous gamble.
JMO... no offense.
 
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