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Someone told me today the reason washbears wash their food is because they don't have saliva. Can someone confirm/deny?
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Sep 8, 2015 20:46
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 00:21 |
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anotherblownsave posted:Someone told me today the reason washbears wash their food is because they don't have saliva. Can someone confirm/deny? quote:Initially, scientists conjectured that raccoons lacked saliva glands and needed to add moisture, making it easier for them to eat [source: Zeveloff]. Instead, study results indicate that the behavior enhances the tactile experience involved with eating. http://www.motherearthnews.com/nature-and-environment/raccoon-facts-zmaz87jfzgoe.aspx quote:For many years biologists assumed that raccoons wash their food in the true sense-tidy it up before tossing it down. But during the early twentieth century, that idea was pushed aside in favor of the theory that raccoons wet their food because their salivary glands don't produce enough saliva to meet their digestive needs. By the early 1960s, though, researchers had decided that raccoons do produce sufficient saliva, and another explanation was called for. The third theory postulated that, since the coon so enjoys handling its food before eating it, it wets both its paws and the item being pawed in order to heighten the sense of touch. I figured that since I've seen them eat plenty of stuff without washing it first, that was a myth. But it looks like it was actually a scientific theory that's since been dis-proven. The ones that visit my backyard for cat food or their annual escargot hunt (munchmunchmunchmunchmunch) only wash their hands after eating. I can't find any videos that do the sound of them munching on snails justice. But I found a very acrobatic raccoon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VXUENR-0XxE Edit: I just noticed on rewatching the full video of the raccoon that grabs the cat food and runs away on two legs is a mama raccoon. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ww5VKDhtOFA Bored has a new favorite as of 21:30 on Sep 8, 2015 |
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Sep 8, 2015 21:11
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Plus, I've had baby raccoons chew on me, there's spit in there.
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Sep 8, 2015 21:24
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Looks like a Russian zoo uses washing clothes for their raccoon enrichment. I think they are hiding treats in the folds of the clothing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3uVDkgycik Don't invite raccoons over for christmas. They will open all the presents. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b05H75ojd0s Or maybe the yotaphone is made of fish and that's why the raccoons broke into the boxes. Bored has a new favorite as of 21:40 on Sep 8, 2015 |
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Sep 8, 2015 21:36
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Bored posted:Looks like a Russian zoo uses washing clothes for their raccoon enrichment. I think they are hiding treats in the folds of the clothing.  This made me so happy.
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Sep 9, 2015 03:27
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Lonely Virgil posted:
bawww so having never seen a raccoon in real life, are they very affectionate? Or is it more curiosity? Do they actively seek out affection from humans or just want to dig in your pockets for tasty snacks? they look cool as hell.
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Sep 10, 2015 15:58
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They're very curious and very hungry. If you have any food on you they'll start begging for it. They aren't particularly aggressive since the urban ones have more or less figured out that humans find them adorable and will feed them without much fuss. Here they want some ice cream: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g3Tuhamsmis
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Sep 10, 2015 16:00
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So they dont really, like, come to you for cuddles or pets or snuggles or whatever? Just for food? Does one come up and curl up on your lap like a cat or have they not yet been that domesticated or just not capable of displaying that kind of affection?
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Sep 10, 2015 16:08
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The wild ones are wary of you and just want food. I think the ones kept as pets are more affectionate. Sometimes. They all have different personalities.
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Sep 10, 2015 16:09
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That's pretty cool. I remember reading in NatGeo about the domesticated foxes and how it took something along the lines of 3 or 4 generations of foxes before they started displaying affection towards their keepers as opposed to just approaching for food, and all the wild fear had dissipated. Same here if you read the Wiki page about Tasmanian Devils it says they are incapable of affection but a guy here recently has a couple that he's hand reared and he claims that they are incredibly affectionate. Having been with a few hand-reared ones myself and seen how loving savage they are, I find the changing attitude of an animal towards humans pretty interesting.
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Sep 10, 2015 16:13
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goose fleet posted:They're very curious and very hungry. If you have any food on you they'll start begging for it. They aren't particularly aggressive since the urban ones have more or less figured out that humans find them adorable and will feed them without much fuss. that guy is a jerk
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Sep 10, 2015 16:17
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goose fleet posted:
Just give that washbear the ice cream.  Look, he's standing and walking like a little Rory Calhoun.
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Sep 10, 2015 18:52
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what the gently caress posted:So they dont really, like, come to you for cuddles or pets or snuggles or whatever? Just for food? A woman who used to come into the store I used to work at told me one night, 30 or some odd years ago, she got really drunk and decided to go to her mom's house rather than take the train all the way back east. So, she cracked open another beer, lit up a smoke and promptly fell asleep on the lawn chair outside her mom's apartment. She said she could feel herself drifting off and the cat jumping onto her lap, so she fell asleep stroking its fur. When she woke up, she realized it was a very large raccoon and she had to wait until he woke up before she could go inside.
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Sep 11, 2015 04:10
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That's super cool. Little buddy just wanted a warm place to crash for the night. I wonder what he did when he woke up, if he just let rip a massive fart, yawned, scratched his nuts and did the walk of shame or woke up and freaked out and did the harold holt
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Sep 11, 2015 07:09
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Sep 11, 2015 15:43
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KphBM5W6R8c Raccoon: LOVE ME Cat: no        
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Sep 11, 2015 18:08
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Friday Raccoonday   
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Sep 11, 2015 19:41
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A raccoon with fur and his hairless pal
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Sep 11, 2015 19:46
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I am prepared to say that little dude is still pretty cute.
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Sep 11, 2015 19:50
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zakharov posted:A raccoon with fur and his hairless pal Awwwww  I do art for printing and embroidery and today I got a request for a shirt with a raccoon on it! Way more fun than my usual stuff, woohoo.
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Sep 11, 2015 20:02
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Cash Crab, wasn't this the Halloween where you ate too much pumpkin pie, and barfed all over your princess costume, and convinced people it was magical fairy dust? That was some night 
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Sep 11, 2015 21:51
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I4Dp7HJiGRU
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Sep 12, 2015 00:48
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Bina posted:Cash Crab, wasn't this the Halloween where you ate too much pumpkin pie, and barfed all over your princess costume, and convinced people it was magical fairy dust? This used to be my FB profile picture and I got really freaked out for a second. And yes.
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Sep 12, 2015 00:58
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I saw another video featuring this guy earlier but I haven't seen this one posted in the thread yet: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8rnHXV7A8Q
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Sep 12, 2015 02:07
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PYF Raccoon: cash crab Appreciation Station
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Sep 12, 2015 02:09
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I don't even know what raccoons sound like so I just imagine they make some loud wheezing labored "HRENH HRENH HRENH" with their tongues sticking out and their eyes wide from the exertion of living
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Sep 12, 2015 03:43
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goose fleet posted:I don't even know what raccoons sound like so I just imagine they make some loud wheezing labored "HRENH HRENH HRENH" with their tongues sticking out and their eyes wide from the exertion of living Raccoons make a horrible screeching sound, especially at night.
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Sep 12, 2015 05:08
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And a lot of chittering. We had some work done under our house several years ago and the plumber forgot to put the chunk of wood back over the crawl space. Some raccoons promptly moved in and had babies. Since I was afraid that if we put the wood back up and strand a raccoon or two in there too die a long, painful death, there were a couple more litters born under there before we were sure they were gone. Lots of raccoon domestic disputes going on, driving my dog insane. He'd stand over the area of the floor he heard their angry chittering coming from, look at us beseechingly, and whine.
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Sep 12, 2015 16:15
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Gridlocked posted:PYF Raccoon: cash crab Appreciation Station I thought that was AFP  
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Sep 13, 2015 16:58
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bl-QY84hojs
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Sep 16, 2015 11:40
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After my grandma died we set up for the long haul of cleaning out her house (she was a hoarder) and we realized that raccoons had gotten into the attic. We found this out because they'd set up a latrine directly on the trap door to the attic. My dad did some half-assed research (read: went to the local farm supply store and asked some guy) and ended up driving two hours to buy some fox urine, which he then sprinkled around the place. When that inevitably didn't work he rented some traps, and when THAT inevitably didn't work he finally, grudgingly, called a professional. Man, that was a heck of a summer. We found a bowl of perfectly preserved, rock-hard brownie mix with spoon still stuck in it in her garage.
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Sep 16, 2015 12:54
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJYV4mGjiyY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KlFu_s6-7cs
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Sep 16, 2015 16:16
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Sep 16, 2015 22:08
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Racist
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Sep 16, 2015 22:10
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goose fleet posted:Racist Don't be a prick
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Sep 17, 2015 00:41
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This is way too drat cute.
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Sep 17, 2015 01:21
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 so, uh, raccoons are tool users now?
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Sep 17, 2015 02:44
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Sep 17, 2015 04:25
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WE'RE HIDING
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Sep 17, 2015 05:47
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| # ? Apr 27, 2024 00:21 |
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It's kind of shocking how big they can get/look. We lived in a raised ranch with a deck attached to the second floor. One night we heard a big commotion and went to check out what was going on. When we flipped on the lights and there was a Momma racoon the size of an ottoman and about 4 to 5 kits. The kits were having a big ole time climbing on our deck chairs and running around with each other, Momma was totally unimpressed by the light and continued to chow down on the cat food we leave out there for outside cat. Of course this is when we notice our cat is petrified at the far end of the deck and we decide we should probably help him out and get rid of the racoons. We did the brave thing of rapping smartly on the door. She kind of looked up at us and continued to eat. The kits, however, started to scamper around harder and one or two ran past mom and headed down the deck stairs. Mom didn't budge. My husband got the broom and I cracked open the sliding door, he kind of waved the broom in her direction..he may haven even pushed her with it I'm not sure. It doesn't matter though because she gave us this "Fine, you don't want me here? I'll leave...c'com kids!" and turned slowly and started to waddle down the stairs. The remaining panicking kits, just flip out. They are literately rocketing around the deck looking for escape. All of them make it to the stairs except for one who decides he's so loving freaked out he's gonna just jump. Just as this kit positions himself on the edge of the deck and is psyching himself up to jump..His mom's arm shoots through the deck rails and grabs him by the scruff. She gave us a last dirty look like "SEE?!" and headed off into the night. Not our raccoons and not our deck. but eerily accurate. Not shown: fat mom Bonus: cute raccoon trilling. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0N_v0tBhFzQ
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Sep 17, 2015 17:11
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