Varmit report
Nov. 11th, 2007 04:21 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tenayaBrindle is still in the bathtub. That makes a full 7 days. Huh. He comes running out and stands up waiting to be picked up and cuddled when one goes to use the toilet. Then you're in there for at least ten minutes. :::sigh::: He managed to steal a pair of my sweat pants last night. He crawled into them and wouldn't budge. I had to extricate my feet and leave them there, filled with a large purring cat.
I have to tell you about a little drama the other night. There was a raccoon, a opossum and a skunk eating kibble (this sounds like a bar joke, doesn't it?) The coon was on the step, scooping up kibble with his right hand and chewing it. The skunk was sniffing and munching in the dirt below the step. There wasn't a lot of food there but enough to nibble one. The opossum didn't have food near him and was standing there wondering what to do. So, he leans towards the back end of the skunk, his head slowly swiveling nearer. Slowly, he opens his mouth and I got to say, that makes you say, "holy crap!" They have long narrow mouths filled with strong pointed teeth; think of needlenosed pliers lined with shark teeth.) He leans closer and closer to the unsuspecting skunk and then BAM!! Lightning fast, he bites the thickly furred hind thigh and whips his head back in the other direction like he didn't have anything to do with it.
The skunk jumped, and whirled around but the opossum is facing away from him (but still within about a foot of the skunk.) Strangely, the skunk is disconcerted by no visible aggression and after a few moments, kind of backs away to about six feet.
The coon has watched the whole thing, eating handful after handful of food, you know, like a human eating popcorn at a movie.
Now, the only visible food is what the coon is eating. The opossum notices this, turns a bit and starts to lean his head towards the back leg of the coon, his mouth slowly opening. The coon stops eating and just stares the opossum. The opossum slowly closes his mouth as his head returns to a neutral position.
The coon resumes eating and as soon as his attention is on the kibble again, the opossum slowly leans towards the coon as he bares all those teeth. Again, the coon stops eating to stare at the opossum, who turns back around all innocent like.
Either fortunately or unfortunately, this little drama got derailed as both of their attention was drawn to the gate. After a few moments another skunk joined them and upset the balance of power as everyone moved about to make room for the pushy new guy.
Needless to say I wish I had had a camera!
I have to tell you about a little drama the other night. There was a raccoon, a opossum and a skunk eating kibble (this sounds like a bar joke, doesn't it?) The coon was on the step, scooping up kibble with his right hand and chewing it. The skunk was sniffing and munching in the dirt below the step. There wasn't a lot of food there but enough to nibble one. The opossum didn't have food near him and was standing there wondering what to do. So, he leans towards the back end of the skunk, his head slowly swiveling nearer. Slowly, he opens his mouth and I got to say, that makes you say, "holy crap!" They have long narrow mouths filled with strong pointed teeth; think of needlenosed pliers lined with shark teeth.) He leans closer and closer to the unsuspecting skunk and then BAM!! Lightning fast, he bites the thickly furred hind thigh and whips his head back in the other direction like he didn't have anything to do with it.
The skunk jumped, and whirled around but the opossum is facing away from him (but still within about a foot of the skunk.) Strangely, the skunk is disconcerted by no visible aggression and after a few moments, kind of backs away to about six feet.
The coon has watched the whole thing, eating handful after handful of food, you know, like a human eating popcorn at a movie.
Now, the only visible food is what the coon is eating. The opossum notices this, turns a bit and starts to lean his head towards the back leg of the coon, his mouth slowly opening. The coon stops eating and just stares the opossum. The opossum slowly closes his mouth as his head returns to a neutral position.
The coon resumes eating and as soon as his attention is on the kibble again, the opossum slowly leans towards the coon as he bares all those teeth. Again, the coon stops eating to stare at the opossum, who turns back around all innocent like.
Either fortunately or unfortunately, this little drama got derailed as both of their attention was drawn to the gate. After a few moments another skunk joined them and upset the balance of power as everyone moved about to make room for the pushy new guy.
Needless to say I wish I had had a camera!
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(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-11 01:27 pm (UTC)I love your varmint reports. They're a little glance of nature not usually seen. (because basically run at the sight of skunks--you have to with a dog in tow).
Possums are weird looking...they look so innocent until they open their mouths. They weren't common in the New England area until about 15 years ago, and I remember people freaking out when they came into the library with a description of this "mystery animal" that they'd seen near their trash cans. It was hard to keep a straight face while I was showing them pictures in books!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-11 09:59 pm (UTC)It was about 15 years ago I was visiting some friends near Providence, but over in Massachusetts. We were just on a off ramp of a freeway when I said, "do you have possums here?" and as if conjured, there was suddenly one hustling across the road in front of us. Too funny. I wonder if the migration of possums further north was a global warming thing that long ago? They are pretty strange looking.
Have you seen one play possum yet? They curl in a ball and bare those wicked teeth. Makes 'em look like they have rigamortis. Yeck!
Skunks and dogs do not mix at all. Poor Maggie.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-11 03:26 pm (UTC)Coon to possum: Been there, done that. Back off, turkey!
Love the visual of you and Brindle briefly sharing the sweatpants.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-11 10:03 pm (UTC)Brindle slithered down the leg hole and immediately curled up. Not much else I could do. He's such a boy kitty.
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-11 03:52 pm (UTC)I can just see the coon looking at the possum and giving him the Hey, me Coon, you possum, back off!
(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-11 10:08 pm (UTC)(no subject)
Date: 2007-11-11 10:22 pm (UTC)Coons are higher on the IQ scales by a lot, the possum didn't have a chance ;-)