The Goa'uld in a tree

[tenaya]

I've also posted some recent raccoon photos. There is a family portrait from about ten days ago; Cutiepie is third from the left. In the last week, I think she's ditched her kids as everyone is coming by in small groups now. There were four here tonight and they stayed in the courtyard and played in the trees for a few hours. I believe that Cutiepie came by much earlier by herself --she eats lefthanded, doesn't like the peanuts and is very calm when I'm at the door. The kids are much more skitish and spend time playing. So, I don't believe anything horrible has happened to the family unit, I think she's just gave them their walking papers.

There is also a somewhat funny skunk photo. All the wildlife photos are in the varmit folder.

Comments

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

LOL tree photos! "Bandits" everywhere!

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

Yeah, when all six of the babies were getting into things, it was a riot. Momma would just sit up on the berm and stare down at them and I'd wondered did she feel overwhelmed by all that activity? Can you imagine being responsible for 6 hyper baby raccoons, 24/7?

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

Winter is undoubtedly the peaceful time, for her. Like - whew! Do you know what the gestation period is for racoons? Does she make whoopee in late winter/early spring?

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

That's what I was thinking, too. Without a rest during winter, she'd be worn out after a couple of litters.

This site is interesting:
http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Procyon_lotor.html

It says she probably makes whoopie around March, with a gestation of about 65 days. She brings her kids out anywhere from early June to mid July, and I am under the impression she is in the process of weaning them at that time. They play with the kibble at first, but after a couple of weeks, they are eating hungrily.

She kept last year's litter about her until at least November, but I've seen her shed a few, then the rest in Sept and Oct before.

[moonchildetoo.livejournal.com]

I wonder if they ditch their litters earlier in warm climates like So Cal, since that site says the kids usually stay with mom "through the first winter"?

Hey, there's all kinds of fruits you can feed them. and corn. Wonder what they'd do with corn on the cob? Watermelon - lol!

Poor Cutiepie! Let's hope she's one of the very long-lived ones.

[catalenamara.livejournal.com]

Great photo!

[tenaya.livejournal.com]

Thanks. :-)