Unwelcome Visitor
This morning when I opened the duck pens to move the ducks from their predator-proof night pens to their day aviary, I noticed something had tried to get into the aviary overnight. So I took some time to inspect the entire aviary and make sure nothing got in. There were two bent-back areas of hardware cloth around the aviary door jam, which has a gap. Sure enough tonight I see who was trying to break and enter.
“Are you making a cape for me, too?”
No. Go away, nerd. We don’t like raccoons at this house. It’d be just excellent if you weren’t NAPPING 20 feet over Flapper’s night pen, too.
“Can I please have a cape? I think I would look good in one. Make mine black and white.”
Get bent, you little $#!@. I’m serious. Time for you to move along.
“Just a little cape?”
GO NOW! I’m still watching, nerdball. Skeedattle!
Sigh.
The duck night pens are predator-proof, but right around the doors to the day aviary there are a few weak spots where the raccoon tried to get in. I don’t want to lose sleep over this nerdball, so tomorrow morning we’ll see what we can do to make sure the day aviary is 100% air-tight and raccoon-proof. So far it is, but those two doors have gaps that I think this guy could weasel through if he tried hard enough. Not near the ground, but up about 3 feet. That’s where I found some bent-back hardware cloth this morning.
So the ducks are safe for the night. And raccoons are always around here. I see them all the time. I just don’t like to see them lounging around right above the duck pen.
Maybe I will introduce this nerdball to Boone the neighbor dog.
8 Comments
Eaks! no lounging about for sure! Git goin mr Raccoon. Nothing to see here, keep moving.
Maybe it’s time to call the raccoon catchers again….. Just to be on the safe side.
Thank goodness you caught sight of him before any real damage is done.
It’s good to hear the aviary was tested while it was empty! Boo raccoons! Yay Boone!
Glad to hear the duckies are safe! I just had the same problem with a raccoon trying to get into my ducks’ house/yard a few weeks ago. We caught her in a live trap and relocated her to a nice wildlife sanctuary 10 miles away, but I know how you feel–it’s an uneasy feeling, because where there’s one raccoon, there’s always more, and they’re smart little critters… maybe the neighbor dog can have a chat with Mr./Ms. Raccoon about proper visiting etiquette (i.e. no raccoons allowed!)
I WILL NOT make a cape for the raccoon. Just for Flapper. A red one for Flapper.
This is probably the same guy that was eating cherries out of my tree last night. I will be less hospitable toward him now that I know he’s eyeing the ducks in the same way he was eyeing the cherries. (Not that I could do much as he scarffed cherries for a hour last evening…maybe I can get a big bamboo pole and knock him out of the tree? Knock him into Eric’s yard. Hah.
Call the animal trappers again – he has to go. He’s too bold and intent. Even though other raccoons are around, this guy has shown he’s too interested in our Flapper gang. Ducks rule, raccoons drool.