Every year between August and November, wildlife rehabilitators start getting dozens of calls: “I’ve been raising this raccoon as a pet and it’s gone crazy.” Raccoons make great pets until some time between five and twelve months of age. Then, every wild instinct they have will kick in. Maybe they’ll still be friendly at times,Continue reading “Raccoons: Terrible Pets”
Tag Archives: pets
Hunting Coyotes? Prepare for Dangerous Dogs!
Ecosystems will always have predators. That’s why feral dogs are so successful in places where native predators have been eliminated. Nature always fills the gaps. When we killed the wolves in the eastern U.S., coyotes moved into the wolf’s former range. If we killed all the coyotes, the hole in the ecosystem would be filledContinue reading “Hunting Coyotes? Prepare for Dangerous Dogs!”
Do Raccoons Drown Dogs?
I received this question a few days ago from someone who was concerned about reports she’d heard of raccoons climbing onto swimming dogs’ heads with the intention of drowning them. In short, the answer to this question is no. A raccoon does not have a motivation to chase a large predator into water and climbContinue reading “Do Raccoons Drown Dogs?”
“Can I Keep This Skunk?” NO!
Skunks are smart, cute, and sensitive. It’s no surprise that some people are tempted to keep them as pets. This is a bad idea anywhere, but here in Tennessee, it’s actually illegal as well. Skunks are one of the most common carriers for rabies and may not show symptoms at first, so rescuing a babyContinue reading ““Can I Keep This Skunk?” NO!”
Cats Hunting Wildlife Isn’t Nature
House cats are the domesticated descendants of the African wildcat (Felis sylvestris lybica). Our native cats, here in the Southeastern United States, are bobcats and pumas. These animals hunt to survive, not for sport, and their natural prey is well-adapted to survive their predation. The Southern U.S. ecosystem is NOT adapted to handle the massiveContinue reading “Cats Hunting Wildlife Isn’t Nature”
Foxes: Not a Danger to Kids or Pets
An adult fox weighs, on average, five to twenty pounds— the same size range as a domestic cat. Foxes eat small, easy prey like mice, rats, voles, moles, and rabbits. A fox will never attempt to prey on another carnivore, especially one that is larger than itself. Essentially all cases of non-rabid foxes “attacking” cats,Continue reading “Foxes: Not a Danger to Kids or Pets”
Vaccinate Your Pets to Save Wildlife
I usually share photos of only a fraction of the animals I’m called to assist— the few that actually get brought into rehabilitation. The other animals I help are never “rescued” per se, but instead, mercifully euthanized because it’s the only way to assist them. This five-month-old male is one of the animals I’ve helpedContinue reading “Vaccinate Your Pets to Save Wildlife”
For Fox Sake Wildlife Rescue 