On the Wild Side...Living with a Raccoon

We found the ad in the local paper for a 12-week old raccoon.  We went to see her.  She was sort of friendly and so cute.  I talked David into getting her.  Only later, I saw a 12-week old raccoon, and my pet had never looked that young --- live and learn…don’t believe everything people tell you, though I’m afraid I’m still a sucker sometimes.

We took Dizzy home – and I immediately changed her name.  She seemed to respond to her name, looking at me when I said it, so we pondered something similar and came up with Desi.  Not sure why we thought that was better, but we almost always rename our animals even today, even when they are adults when we get them.

Desi moved into our trailer house.  We really knew nothing about raccoons.  David was on his way out of town for the weekend…a trip to Lake Powell with his dad and brothers.  So I was home with a raccoon who climbed into our couch and wouldn’t come out.  Okay, so she wasn’t really friendly.  I spent the weekend enticing her with ‘junk’ food that might entice her to respond to me.  For three days that’s what I did.  I sat near the couch and gave her fruit or a cracker or a piece of cereal every time she would look out at me.  By the end of the weekend she was coming out to get treats. 

Desi on her couch
(I don't remember why the cushion was there).

 

We were told that she should get a mixture of dog and cat food.  She seemed to eat that okay, so that was what we fed her.  I found a book about having pet raccoons. It confirmed the cat food/dog food idea but other things it said bothered me, like that we should never punish her, that she would not understand…

David was happy with the progress when he came home. I could put a leash on Desi and walk her around the trailer house.  She had decided that the couch was a good place to sleep.  She was very good about using a litter box.  She liked to play in the bathtub.  I thought she was awesome.

My family was having a group campout nearby.  I decided to take Desi.  Since I don’t like to camp, she would also give me a reason to come home at nights – perfect!!  So, I took a leash and a litter box for in the car.  Desi was an excellent traveler.  She hung out on the backseat unless she got bored, then she would climb up in front with us.  I was in love.

At Oak Creek with Desi.

 

Desi was interested in the ferrets and would try to get their food (it was cat food, since there was no such thing as ferret food at the time). 

David liked to wrestle with Desi, which I didn’t think was a good idea.  I didn’t do anything that would encourage any mouthing that might lead to biting.  Later, David was sorry that he didn’t listen.  Desi loved to rough house with David – but as she got older, the biting was fierce and painful.  Lesson…Don’t do things that won’t be cute when the animal is an adult.

A wiser David playing tug-of-war with Desi.

Life with Desi was a little like living in a Disney movie with a wild animal invading your household.  Really, David was a good sport.

 Once while we were out, Desi went into the bathroom to play, I guess.  While in there, the door was shut and she pulled out all of the drawers (remember this is in a trailer house).  The drawers being pulled out made it impossible to open the door.  Desi’s little paw, that looked remarkably like a hand, was reaching under the door and she made mewing sounds wanting us to rescue her.  Luckily, the hinges were on the hallway side and David ended up taking down the door to let her out (our hero!).

Another time, we had been out and when we arrived home it was to a bloated raccoon sitting in our pantry with everything that she hadn’t managed to eat dumped onto the floor.  David wired cabinets shut. I couldn’t open them, but Desi could.

The couch became less and less comfortable as Desi made herself at home. She removed and relocated stuffing.  Also, people would freak out as her little paw reached out from between cushions to feel around….but that was funny to us.

We learned that raccoons learn many skills from their moms.  Things like getting out of trees or climbing down didn’t seem to come naturally.  Desi was interested in fish and crayfish in the water, but had no idea that she could catch them, though she did eat them if David caught them.  She did love to play in the water and would chase after things, but she was never very successful at catching things…even things that she did like to eat.

David rescuing Desi when she was afraid to climb down.

 

When David got a job in Virginia, we were told by other people that having a raccoon as a pet was illegal in some states.  I contacted Virginia and learned that they didn’t care.  So, we made a road trip from Arizona to Virginia with Desi in the backseat of the car.  At night we had a cage that we put her into.  She drew attention at every stop as we got her out for a walk and potty break.  We also had a litter-box behind the seat that she used without fail.

Ready to go....

Desi in the backseat between the ferret cages.

Wanting attention during the long trip. 
Most of the time she was great with David,
but when she decided to 'play' it could get pretty painful
(he still has scars).

 

We got a Norwegian Elkhound puppy, Tewa, and Desi loved to play with her.

Desi with Tewa.

Desi in her pool with Tewa looking on...

 

Desi went with me to the local science center and we went to some schools to talk about raccoons and what they were like as pets. 

We learned that dog food and cat food don’t have the nutrients that a raccoon needs.  Raccoons need a lot more iron than is available in such foods.  Desi ended up with an iron deficiency twice.  The first time I caught that there was something wrong and got her to the veterinarian in time.  The second time David was taking care of her and he was a lot more leery of her since she thought that attacking him was a game (that he taught her when she was young), and he didn’t catch that she was ill.  To this day, I worry about leaving my animals with someone else because I have caught things that others have missed (even veterinarians) because I know them so well.

A couple of years ago, I saw a baby raccoon that had been hand-fed.  Soooo sweet!  However, David says, “No raccoon,” and he doesn’t say no very often, so we are still raccoonless.  Maybe some day….



 

Ideas for Your Visit to GEE Funny Farm

   We want your visit to GEE Funny Farm to be a fun and rewarding experience.  There are a few things you can do to help that to happen.

1.   Please bring cash to pay for your visit.  We don't accept credit cards or checks.  Sorry if this is inconvenient. It works for us.

2.   Talk to your children about the importance of obeying instructions about how to pet or hold the animal.  Talking to them ahead of time puts us on the same page when I give instructions --- though I’ve had very few problems.  People who come here like animals and want to do the right thing!

 

People who follow directions get to pet all kinds of interesting animals!

 

3.    If you aren’t sure of what the weather is going to be, plan accordingly.  Having a windbreaker or sweater is better than wrapping up in a blanket.  The blanket ends up getting flapped around when you are trying to pet the animals and that might make them nervous – and if it doesn’t, it makes me nervous.

 

Bringing jackets will make you more comfortable and
there won't be flapping blankets that might scare the animals or distract Kathy.

  

4.    We suggest that you wear closed toe shoes (not sandals or flip-flops) to protect your feet.  Goats, sheep, mini pigs, horses, donkeys, and llamas have hooves.  While they would not purposely step on anyone, they do move around sometimes and may step on your feet.  Even when you are sitting it is possible that your feet may find their way under the feet of the animal that we are moving as close to you as possible so you can pet it.

Wearing closed toe shoes (tennis shoes, steel toe shoes --
not sandals or flip-flops) will keep your feet and toes safe
when you are around hooved animals.

5.   Bring bug juice or sunscreen if you might need it – most of our property is wetlands (ie swamp) and it often rains, so it is possible that there will be mosquitoes or other annoying insects.  While you are under the canopy for the presentation, the hayride does not have shade and some people (like my grandsons) can get sunburned on sunny days (not that Wisconsin has that many, says the girl from Arizona).

 

You are in the shade under the canopy
(you might want to bring a chair if you don't want to sit on benches provided...
we're working on getting a few chairs for adults. 
These adults brought their camp chairs).

 

No shade when you are in the haywagon, except near a few trees. 
If you burn easily, you might want to apply sunscreen or bring it along.

 

6.    WASH YOUR HANDS!!  We provide warm water and goat milk soap for you to use, and we also have antibacterial soap you can use without water – however, soap and water works as well and doesn’t kill all of the good bacteria on your hands that help to build immunities.

a.     If you eat BEFORE the presentation – wash your hands.  Some little animals smell food and think you might taste good (at least this is what I’ve heard).  Larger animals who smell food will look through your pockets and sleeves and under your shirt trying to find what is making that yummy smell.  While this might seem funny, it is not how we like our animals to be trained.

b.      If you eat AFTER the presentation – wash your hands… people aren’t around animals like in the ‘olden’ days and immunities are not built up like your parents’ or your grandparents’ were – besides dirty hands are yucchy.  (Second verse same as the first...a little bit louder and a little bit worse...)

c.       If you don’t eat and just leave after the presentation – wash your hands… people aren’t around animals like in the ‘olden’ days and immunities are not built up like your parents’ or your grandparents’ were – besides dirty hands are yucchy. (Third verse same as the first...a little bit louder and a little bit worse...)

 

I know, it looks like a water cooler.  In this case it has warm water and
there are soap and paper towels next to it so hand washing is easy.

 

   There you go!  Six things can help you have a great time.  If you have other concerns, please feel free to contact us by email information@geefunnyfarm.com or phone 262-751-8328.

   We look forward to your visit!

An Educational Experience at a Parelli Natural Horsemanship Camp, Part 3 of 3

So, it is the final day of the camp.  Here's what happened...

Wednesday morning I showed up.  David had to go to Eau Claire the night before, so no pictures at all of this day.  Too bad.  We went out to the playground.  I worked to get Porthos into the water.  John came over and asked if I'd like help.  We worked and got Porthos into the water.  Then I did it myself.  Again and again.  It was easy.  Then we worked on the pedestal -- we got three of Porthos' big feet onto it at one time, and I was given ideas about how to work on that.  I rode Porthos and we played a mirror game with another horse/horseman team.  One would lead and the other would follow -- backing up, turning, going sideways, etc.  We did okay.  When the day was over, I was worried.  I have never been able to load Porthos by myself.  He doesn't really like the trailer.  He is BiG.  John came over and asked if I was okay.  I told him I was worried, but I thought I should try.  John said that was fine and he would be nearby if I needed help -- but I would have to ask.  Porthos didn't go in right away.  He would put one foot in and then back out.  That's okay.  It is advance and retreat.  He finally got in and I closed the divider to keep him is a smaller area toward the front (he is big enough he rocks the trailer when he moves).  It took me about five minutes.


So, the five days was hard.  I was not as good as everyone else.  I did talk to John about it.  I wondered when I saw the ad if I was good enough to attend.  I contacted John and asked what Parelli level you had to be at to attend.  He responded that it didn't matter.  The last day, before we got Porthos into the water, I told him I didn't think that was true.  I told him that I didn't feel like I belonged there.  John asked if I had learned anything during the five days.  I admitted that I had, but this wasn't really for Level One people.  He said, "But you aren't a Level One."  I was devastated -- I mean, there is no lower level.  He explained, "Kathy, you are way beyond Level One.  I knew it when you decided not to ride and you worked with Porthos on the mounting block.  You didn't throw a fit and you didn't give up.  You worked with him and now he stands still to be mounted.  You showed up when it was hard.  You are not a level One.  Now, let's get Porthos into the water."

 So, would I do it again?  Saturday through Tuesday, I'm not sure I would have said, "Yes."   Then, on Facebook someone posted a quote from Thomas S. Monson, President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (who was actually quoting Mary Anne Radmacher), “Sometimes courage is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying, ‘I will try again tomorrow."

I thought about all that I accomplished: Porthos will stand still when I mount from a mounting block; I can play the seven games much more fluidly and with clearer signals; I was even able to play the sixth of the seven games while riding (that is the sideways game) using only leg pressure; Porthos came to me to be haltered (even if it took 3.5 minutes, that was a lot better than when it used to take 30 minutes to convince him to get close enough to get a halter on); Porthos let me hose him off the last two days when we were done for the day; Porthos not only went into the trailer with only me there, but he came out of the trailer like a gentleman (instead of bursting out like a maniac).

Practicing the Sideways Game on the ground.

So, would I go again?  I still won't be the best, but I'll be better than I was.  I will try again.  I will be courageous.  Watch out, John and Kathy...I'll see you next year!

 

An Educational Experience at a Parelli Natural Horsemanship Camp, Part 2 of 3

...so after the first two days, I was feeling pretty sad.  Did I return for more?  I guess I AM a left brain introvert (Parelli personality portrait -- it mostly means that I'm stubborn and a perfectionist), because there I was at 9:00 am Monday morning, sitting in the classroom.

I showed up, and I was able to ride.  Sadly, no pictures of me on horseback since David was at work, but I did get to mount (and Porthos stood still).  However, it was embarrassing again since everyone was doing things I didn't know how to do -- I'd spent the time they had reviewed what little I knew about technique trying to work on Porthos standing still.  Kathy Baar came to my rescue, reviewing the pieces I knew and giving me a couple of 'assignments.'  So, I was still doing my own thing -- it is hard to be different.

 John and Kathy had offered private lessons after our camp, and they filled up immediately -- but then Monday they had an opening.  Kathy was much more personable than John (sorry, John) so I asked for a lesson with her.  Did I pick riding for the private lesson?  No.  One of the reasons Porthos wasn't safe to mount was because he refused to do things like the "Circling Game," which we've done many times. 

The circling game is one of the seven games that Pat Parelli says that horses play.  I couldn't see it when I started, but now, when I watch my horses I find myself thinking, "Oh!  That's the _____ game."  It is pretty cool. 

Anyway, I asked Kathy Baar to help me with the circling game -- it looks a lot like lunging, but it is different since the horse has responsibilities.  I felt slightly better when Kathy found Porthos to be pretty unresponsive.  I thought I was probably doing it all wrong, but my basic technique was fine, I just didn't know enough when he didn't cooperate.  After a bit, Kathy had him circling, changing direction, coming toward her respectfully (not plowing into her) - yay!  And then we took him to be hosed off -- which is the second thing with which I asked for help. 
 

Porthos shies away if I have a hose or sprinkler.  I like the idea of being able to hose him off because it gets so hot and it would help him to cool down, or keep him cooler when he is stuck in the trailer on a summer day.  I knew that I was supposed to use advance and retreat technique but couldn't figure out how to do it.  It was easier than I expected.  Kathy said that it was because I'd been working with him for three days.  Anyway, by the end of the hour, I was feeling better.

Day four (Tuesday) I was able to ride again.  And we went out to the 'playground' and Porthos did some things that the other horses did not want to do -- and he wouldn't do some things that the other horses would do.  One of the things was going into the water (he is just not a water guy, I guess).  John worked with another horse and I watched, hoping to get ideas about how to get Porthos into the water.

John working with the Friesian horse (also a big guy). 
He did go into the water, but David (our camera-man)
had to go back to work, so no pictures of this accomplishment.

 

 

 

Porthos going through the pool noodles. 
A lot of horses didn't want to do this. 
Porthos was a little nervous at first 
because the noodles blow around,
but by the last day, he was mouthing them
and bumping them --
playing with them, so that was fun!

 

Jumping onto the second highest terrace
(the terraces were sort of like a pyramid).

 

Coming off the lowest terrace after going up to the highest.

Walking over one of the bridges. 
Porthos would even back off of it. 



So, Tuesday, I was feeling slightly better, but then John had a 'competition.'  I only like competitions if I might win.  This was depressing.  There were two corrals and a rider would take her horse into the corral, take off the halter and lead rope, go out of the corral, go and stand near a orange cone, wait until the signal to go, and then run to the corral, get the horse to 'catch you.' halter the horse, lead the horse out of the corral as fast as you could, run to a pedestal and jump on (just the person, not the horse).  It was timed.  I did it in 3.5 minutes, which doesn't sound too bad because I only hobble along, not run -- however, the next slowest time was 2.5 minutes.  The fastest time was 39 seconds.  I hate being last.  I went back to the hotel and thought about not attending the last day.

Tune in tomorrow to find out what happens the last day....

An Educational Experience at a Parelli Natural Horsemanship Camp Part 1 of 3

When I started writing this, it was so long that I decided to break it up into three parts....

On June 20 (Friday), David hooked up my stock trailer to the pickup, we loaded Porthos, our Percheron cross, and we headed for The Horse First Farm south of Madison, WI for a five day Parelli Natural Horsemanship camp presented by John and Kathy Baar, 5 star and 4 star Parelli instructors.

We dropped Porthos off and headed to Madison for a good night's sleep.

On Saturday, June 21st, we showed up at the farm to meet the other participants.  I had been to a couple of two-three day workshops before, but the participants were all beginners and about where I was -- some were better at some things and worse at others, but we were pretty similar in ability.  Not so at this camp.  I was definitely out of my comfort zone.  Several of the people had shown horses and a few had attended workshops at the Parelli Ranch in Pagosa Springs, CO.  I'm still a beginner -- I like horses, but I have 35 other animals to take care of so I'm afraid that they aren't my life.  Up to now, the things I've learned at the workshops I had used to make Porthos safer to be around.  He is a pushy fellow and at 1800 pounds, he is a lot of horse!!  Parelli techniques has made him more enjoyable to be around at feeding time or when I'm working in the paddock or pastures in his presence.

 

A couple of different views of our
classroom where we started each day.

This camp was totally different.  I felt lost and confused after the first day and I didn't ride the first two days since Porthos did not pass the tests to be sure he was safe -- and I'm pretty apprehensive since my knee surgeries.  I'm not just cautious around Porthos, but around the sheep and goats who might bump me (they have never butted me, but they butt one another into me -- YIKES).  So, John gave me the goal of having Porthos stand at the mounting block without moving.  The first day while others rode, I played 'the friendly game' with Porthos (rubbing him) when he stood with any of his body near the mounting block - the goal was to have him walk, when I directed him to, little by little past the block where I was standing without moving his hindquarters away from me while everyone else rode their horses -- umm, embarrassing, yes.  Challenging, yes.  I felt like staying home (or the hotel) the next day.

Working with Porthos from the mounting block.



The second day (Sunday), while everyone rode, I started with the same goal--getting Porthos to stay still at the mounting block.  Then John told me to put my foot into the stirrup and take it out, bumping Porthos as I did it.  While some the games we played teaches the horse to move away from pressure, he wanted Porthos to NOT move from pressure if my foot bumped him when I mounted.  Then, I was to pull myself into the saddle and then get down.  So, picture two hours of almost mounting and then dismounting.  I thought I'd be lucky to walk the next day -- but training at the YMCA apparently paid off since I didn't get sore.

John giving me the next step --
putting my foot into the stirrup,
starting to mount, and getting down.

I didn't want to go back.  Two days and I didn't even get to ride.  What a bummer! 

Tune in tomorrow to see what happened next....

Wash Your Hands, My Friends

I bet you've all been wondering where did that fellow, Asimov, go, anyway? I know it's been awhile since last I wrote, but, well, I'm just standing here on my fake tree branch inside my cage, tapping my three-toed foot, wondering when somebody (referring specifically to insurance companies) will have the guts to put us into business. You may be wondering why they don't insure us when we're so incredibly wonderful, but this is some information that's gotten passed along the grapevine to me recently, so I learned it right from the horse's mouth. (From Athos, to be specific, and he learned it from his friend who's a cow, who has been at the state fair in year's past.)

As it turns out there are kinds of sickness that we animals have that aren't that easy to recognize or see so farmers and veterinarians wouldn't even know that we've got them. As in, we aren't actually sick, but if you touch us, then you can get sick from us. If you haven't spent much time around animals (as a farmer gets to do) then you haven't had a chance to build up an immunity to things that we can catch. So people sometimes get sick after a state fair and then they sue the animals' owners. This is not fair because there is one simple remedy that people can use to be responsible. After you're around a petting zoo and you interact with animals (drum roll please) . . . wash your hands! It's that simple. I'm spreading the word and hoping this will encourage people to not be so stupid. If you pet a llama who's carrying something that he can accidentally pass your way, and then you eat some fries (oh, my mouth is watering right now) and a hamburger, and you're touching that burger with your dirty little fingers and then eating whatever passes from your dirty little fingers onto your burger and into your mouth, well, you can take responsibility for your own health by washing your hands after you touch an animal and again before you eat. Voila! Problem solved. No more dirty fingers. No more dirty burger. No more dirty mouth. It's that simple.

If you read this, pass the message and slow the germs. Perhaps that will speed this ridiculously slow process. I am just not used to your human ways, my friends. My stick is getting worn through with my incessant pacing.