Butch raccoon

I don't have a conclusion for our ill raccoon. I have to process it all. Short story, it appeared, slept in the wood shed, and it left in the night. 

April 13th

We spotted Butch raccoon wandering around. It didn't look quite right to me.

 

 It came right up to me, which was worrisome. It wasn't aggressive, which was good. 

  

This is not normal behaviour! It wasn't aggressive, so it isn't rabies. We don't have too much rabies around here in the wild.

It settled itself in the shed. I was curious.  

MiniFred wasn't amused. She began whistling, her warning signal. (They are called Whistlepigs in some places!)

After dinner, down I went to check it out. Curled up in the wood shed, it was asleep. I was worried it was dead, but I could see its chest gently rising and falling. The next morning it was gone.

 

I cleverly put a trailcam on the chair, facing Fred's burrow. Sadly, I had no useable footage. The wind knocked it over.

I'm wrong. There is lots of useable footage, but trees blowing in the wind lose their appeal after 700 videos!

Joe Brian did some research. He thought it might be Distemper. Dogs and cats are given inoculations against distemper. Our cats are up to date on their shots. 

 

I emailed our Rideau Valley Wildlife Sanctuary (RVWS), sending them the photos and videos. They are busy with baby animals that are sick, lost, abandoned or injured. Their summer staff haven't begun. The universities are in exams. 

Kayley said she checked with ED Linda, and they thought Butch was too co-ordinated to have Distemper. Anyway, I went out the next morning, Tues., Apr. 14th, and it was gone. You'll recall, we all released a dozen raccoons back in mid-October. They have scattered. There seems to be a group of 3 and another group of six over the winter. 

RVWS said to call them if he returns and we will figure out what to do. 

Saturday's Critters # 644 for criitter fun.