Raccoons!

[kmac912.livejournal.com]

For the past few weeks I've been seeing a gang of four large racoons hanging around at night.  They've gone through our trash twice (annoying, but not alarming) but this morning I saw them in the yard as I was leaving for work around 9:15 am.  Isn't that bad?  I thought racoons were nocturnal and I shouldn't be seeing them that early.  I called animal control, but just got a voice mail and left a message- no callback yet.  The recording said to call the Somerville police if I was having an "animal emergency" but I'm not sure just seeing them rose to that level.  Even if they aren't sick I really don't want them hanging around, but ESPECIALLY not if they ARE sick.  Anybody have any suggestions/advice?  Is it normal to see them in the daylight?

Comments

[thebostonreader.livejournal.com]

According to this:
http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/blog/raccoon-day-rabies.html
They can be active in the daytime and it doesn't mean they have rabies.

[kmac912.livejournal.com]

Thanks for the info- that at least makes me feel better that they're not dangerous.

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

Growing up, we'd have raccoons hanging out in the yard almost every morning.

[teko.livejournal.com]

I would only worry if you see them doing really unnatural things like wandering in circles on their back legs or fearlessly approaching people during the day.

[ratushebarl.livejournal.com]

They're fine, they're just after your trash. If you get the kind of cans they can't get into this problem will go away. They look like this:
http://www.cityofeastpeoria.com/_data/media/public%20works/Toter.jpg

I.e. tall, steep sides, un-climbable handles, attached lid. Once raccoons come into a neighborhood it's no use having trash cans that are shorter than the longest possible raccoon: no matter how "secure" your lids are they'll get in.

[smammy]

[kmac912.livejournal.com]

BAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!

[trtls.livejournal.com]

Curious about where you live exactly? We live on Cameron Ave. and 3 wandered through a couple nights ago. They were hugely fat and didn't even bother our trash cans because they apparently don't need it.