spike78's Link
They should get released back into the wild
I have raised two bobcats over the years. They did well until they a little age on them. Just pure wild animals
I've always said if you can't get it at a pet store it probably is not going to work out
Here are some foxes we caught over the summer and release them to a new location
That's really cool. I have tried three times to raise a coyote from closed eyed pup and never had any success
Kudos to your grandfather!!
Foxes bobcats coons possums yes to some degree. Never a coyote.
Treed a bobcat kitten under a bluff several years ago. It was about the size of a small housecat. Someone at work asked me why I didn't catch it, I told him it was because I didn't have anyone to help me turn it loose! ;)
Have had multiple foxes and raccoons as pets when a kid... Depends upon the individual as to how tame they become... Have always wondered about a coyote..
Matt
I started helping out a female coon that had lost an eye and was lame in one of her front legs. Named her "Lucky". Now, 5 years later I've got not only her and her annual litter to deal with, but the litters of two of her daughters as well.
I'll feed the crowd (about 15 of 'em) a couple times a week, but the other days they have to go out and find their own food, naturally. I don't want them dependent on humans feeding them, and want them to know how to find their own chow. Fortunately, they love to eat insects and bugs. Used to have hundreds of carpenter ants crawling around the place, and now you can't even find one. They also love termites.
The upside is that the mom's run off the brats every spring, so for most of the year it's just Lucky and maybe one of her kids. She'll eat from my hand, but it makes her uncomfortable, so I usually just dump a pile of her dog food on the front porch, and then have a seat on a step just a couple feet away. She doesn't pay me much attention at all.
I've got a separate room in my garage that I use as a shop/office, and put in a cat door so my cat could come and go, and when Lucky comes by she'll stick her head through and let me know she's hungry. They never bother the bag of dog food..they just get my attention and then go wait on the porch for me (the waiter) to bring their food. A few times she's even curled up on the porch and taken a nap.
Pic of Lucky having her chow. Not growling, btw, but chewing.
Perhaps from your perspective. In my area there are no incidents of rabies, feline distemper nor feline leukemia. In all the years I've dealt with them, there's only been one with a bad attitude, and a .22 ca. pill solved the issue.
Last Summer when Lucky brought her new kids around for the first time she came up on the porch to eat, and the four little ones played out on the lawn. I tossed a soccer sized ball out there, and even through it was as big as they were, they had a blast pushing it around and rolling over it. Lucky just laid down on the porch and watched them.
In my life I've not only been a bowhunter and trapper; I've worked at wildlife parks and handled/worked around tigers, cheetahs, lions and a host of other creatures from around the globe, so I'm no tenderfoot when it comes to dealing with animals.
I can appreciate what you're saying though. Dealing with wild critters is not for the clueless and inexperienced.
Another pic from early this morning. That's Lucky and 2 of her kits hanging out after dinner. Not uncommon for all 3 moms and their 12 kids showing up all at once. Lots of growling goes on but no fights yet this year. If folks think dogs fighting is bad, they haven't seen two grown coons going at it.
Yeah coon fights are voicerous...8^)
As said, I have to keep it up, if they run out of food one night they'll literally tear things outside up, wouldn't be surprised they'd try to break a window to get in... Have opened the door to toss hangouts and actually had them try to come inside... They know where the food comes from... Have kinda created my own monsters, but don't have the heart to eliminate any of them, although did have to dispatch a sick one last year... At this time of year seasons changing they're not as aggressive and not as many...
You guys should get some Ivamec and treat corn with it and feed it to your coons. It will get rid of their fleas mites ticks etc
You will end up with some very healthy critters
We have to feed ivomec corn and mineral lick to our deer and cattle to help fight the Mexican fever tick problem here on the border. A by product of doing that is we have some very healthy coons, turkeys, foxes etc
