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I’ve been waking up in the morning to completely empty bird feeders, which is odd because I refill them every evening. Usually this means the deer are back… but we’ve only seen one or two wandering around lately. Then last night, I flipped on the light at 10:00pm.
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Busted!
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The seed thief caught in the act.
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If you think those pudgy raccoons aren’t limber, I’ve got news for you …
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They can shimmy up and down poles as well as a squirrel and hang by two feet at will.
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Excuse the poor quality pics, I was shooting through the window.
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When Fatso finished emptying the feeders, he plopped down on the ground with the skunks.
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Who were none to happy to share and gave him their business ends.
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Cute little masked devils.
💕
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River's world..... 
When I was in the minimum security jail in the middle of nowhere as a young adult, one of the perqs was having pet raccoons who came with the bunkhouses. They had obviously been caught stealling something or other, and had been given life sentences, because none of them wanted to leave. The guards did not like them, but there would have been a riot if they were harmed in any way.
And they kept the whole area rat free, except for the human ones…
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Now that’s a jail perk you don’t often see.
🦝
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I think the skunks’ names are Aid and Abet.
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Ha! Could be…
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Nope. All skunks go by “Coco Channel”.
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My mom had a battle of wits with a raccoon who was getting into her vegetable garden. She lost.
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Humans always will. They’re devilishly clever with hands just like ours.
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I can bring Sawyer and Finn by. They love chasing off raccoons.
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No chasing allowed at Casa River…..
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Mix in red pepper/cayenne. It has no affect on the birds, but man oh man, it tears up racoons and squirrels. They will stay far far away after a couple of munches.
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No. All our welcome at our feeders. I enjoy the diversity of visitors….
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Except the birds, who wake up to a breakfast stolen.
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I fill in the morning at 6:00 am as well.
😉
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You wouldn’t have to put it in all the food. And don’t you get a visit from a representative of your local bear community?
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I don’t fill the lantern feeder on the left fully, it holds a ton. And oddly enough we’ve only had one bear over the years. It walked around the house in the snow after it woke up too early from hibernation.
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We have only ever had one bear visit that we actually saw. He hooked a bag out of the trash, in a very dainty manner, I might add, and sat down in the grass to enjoy the remains of a bucket of original recipe. Can’t blame a bear for that.
We had a steel, squirrel proof bird feeder that was yanked out of the tree and torn to pieces one night. That just about had to be a bear.
We do the cayenne pepper trick with the plants on the porch. Squirrels plant walnuts in them, slinging soil everywhere and sometimes killing the plants themselves. It doesn’t work all the time but it does help a bit. I’m glad your strategy works for you, I’m sure it’s great to see all those critters.
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We have chipmunks that plant things in my pots. So messy… and they usually manage to uproot my flowers in the bargain.
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I’m feelin’ your pain, dude.
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Time to start filling in the mornings.
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Oh, I do that as well.
🤣
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Wild America ~ Chubby and Stinky!
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Where’s Marty Stouffer when I need him?
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So I’m thinking you’ll need to set up a second feeding station, stock it like the original one, and clearly mark it “For Skunks & Raccoons Only.” That should take care of the issue.
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The amount I spend on bird seed, suet, mealworms, skunk/fox food and deer food is truly disturbing. If I start another feeding station I’ll have to mortgage the house.
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Ugh, nothing worse than a trash panda invading our bird feeders. I’m glad the skunks gave him their business. Maybe he’ll learn not not bother them anymore.
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I love watching them and if they want to work that hard for it… they deserve a treat.
🦝
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Trash Panda, LOVE IT! Thanks.
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If there were any more wildlife in your backyard you’d be able to open a zoo!
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We have yet to see a moose, but I’m always hoping.
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Gotta admit, they are cute and very acrobatic. Glad you caught that.
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They’re so funny to watch. And don’t mind me turning on the light to do it.
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Freakin fatal parasite carrier!! I fon’t like them anymore but they are adorbs.
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So the skunks DO like the bird seed! Little shi**s….
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They come in every night to munch what’s fallen from the feeders.
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Lock,em up.
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Love recoons 😊
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They’re so much fun to watch.
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