Posts Tagged ‘raccoons’

Here at Maison du Childfree Chic, we feed critters leftovers.  I compost, but you can’t put certain items in a compost heap: bones, meat, fats, etc.  Thus, I have a spot in my yard for those things.  The critters eat them and don’t raid my trashcan.  I see it as a win-win situation!  They have some food, and my garbage isn’t strewn about my yard. 

Of course, when I don’t have leftovers, the critters who eat them snack on the bird food.  I always have corn and seed for my feathered friends, but my furry friends also like to help themselves: for example, Mr. Raccoon here:

Mr. Bandito Stealing Seed

This is around 7:30PM, and he’s only one of the many furry critters who show up to have a little snack.  They all try to be the first ones to the food pad to get the good stuff.  I think I’ve counted at least 5 raccoons, 2 opossums, and 1 fox.  Last night I had a raccoon, an opossum, and a fox all there at the same time.  Alas, it was too dark to get a good picture of the U.N. wildlife summit at the food pad.

I know many people view raccoons and fox as horrid disease-carrying pests, but I don’t mind them as long as they aren’t trying to nest in my attic or raid my garbage can.  I view them as nature’s ultimate recyclers.  They aren’t incredibly picky about what they eat, and offering them leftovers keeps food out of the landfill.  I’ve never had any trouble with them.  However, I have enough sense to know they are wild animals, no matter how cute they may look.  I don’t do stupid things like try to pet them.  I also think my leftovers keep them away from my neighbor’s chicken coop.  They come to my house, fill up on the easy grub, and bypass the hen house.

Hmmm — it’s sort of like paying the mafia for protection, I guess.