Varmit report
Aug. 1st, 2004 02:47 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tenayaJust to let you know the mob is still healthy and happy and all together. I notice that after they scarf up their dinner, the raccoon family likes to go to the edge of the courtyard and lounge. Momma lays down like a dog would, rests her head between her front paws and naps. The kids are active, either wrestling with each other, checking out whatever they can pick up, or playing in the trees. I did catch two of them laying on their backs like otters do. What caught my eye was that one of them had placed a peanut on their tummy, but was more interested in their toes. They had their hind feet up to their faces and were playing with their toes right in front of their faces. I can't be sure, but I think one was sucking on their foot, like a human would suck on their thumb. She just rocked slightly back and forth while she played with her toes before she eventually fiddled with her peanut, shelling it and eating it.
I put out a big rubbermaid container, filled it with water and placed grapes in it. Momma knew immediately what this was, hopped in and started happily smacking those grapes down. The babies were uncertain of the water, and for the first night, either walked though it with their backs arched up high so their tummies wouldn't get so wet, or kept two feet on the edge at all times. Which two feet was pretty funny as most combinations/contortions were attempted. Now they just all pile in and wrestle around with each other.
As for the rest...the skunks are getting fluffy. I might infer that they could be fat, but who can tell under all that beautiful plummage? I have noticed a big decrease in the crow population; I fear the West Nile virus is devastating them. I understand that the rest of their family is just as suspectible, and that includes ravens, jays and magpies. I still hear the mockingbirds; they're not magpies, right?
For those that are concerned, apparently dogs and cats are not that suspectible to this virus, with less than 40 cases identified in 2003
in dogs, and only one cat death noted. Cats apparently just get under the weather for about a week when exposed, and they can catch it from mosquito bites or by eating something that was infected with it.
That's all for now.
I put out a big rubbermaid container, filled it with water and placed grapes in it. Momma knew immediately what this was, hopped in and started happily smacking those grapes down. The babies were uncertain of the water, and for the first night, either walked though it with their backs arched up high so their tummies wouldn't get so wet, or kept two feet on the edge at all times. Which two feet was pretty funny as most combinations/contortions were attempted. Now they just all pile in and wrestle around with each other.
As for the rest...the skunks are getting fluffy. I might infer that they could be fat, but who can tell under all that beautiful plummage? I have noticed a big decrease in the crow population; I fear the West Nile virus is devastating them. I understand that the rest of their family is just as suspectible, and that includes ravens, jays and magpies. I still hear the mockingbirds; they're not magpies, right?
For those that are concerned, apparently dogs and cats are not that suspectible to this virus, with less than 40 cases identified in 2003
in dogs, and only one cat death noted. Cats apparently just get under the weather for about a week when exposed, and they can catch it from mosquito bites or by eating something that was infected with it.
That's all for now.
