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Re: Look what has been scaring me for weeks - photos
5/8/2009 10:59:16 AM
Amanda, just came across your post.  These prairies do have some strange animals with strange habits.  Mainly the woodchucks stay along creek banks but we had one in a tree close to our house last summer.  We think it has something to do with all the rain we have been getting the past 2 years.  Here is a link to an article that might be of help:
http://mdc.mo.gov/nathis/mammals/woodchuck/

When we moved into this old house it was already occupied.  The opossums have been able to live in the walls.  There seems to be no way to get rid of them and so just let them be.  They have their own special places they hang out.  It is creepy though hearing them climb along their routes to and from.  They live on second floor in NE corner!! 

Nice poem about the critters!!

Have a good day,
Sara
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Amanda Martin-Shaver

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Re: Look what has been scaring me for weeks - photos
5/8/2009 6:34:08 PM
Hello Sara,

Thank you for the link with extra information about our
groundhog/woodchuck. 

I was not aware that they lived around here, but can see
why he would choose the neighbourhood right here as we
have lots of trees, and some fruit trees on our property, the
next door neighbour property on our north side has a creek running through which is only about the length of a football
field away, also with lots of trees.

We have two different farmers whom own the property
around us and they alternate between corn one year and
soybean the next.

As long as our woodchuck does not go digging lots of
holes around he should not be a problem.  I was only scared
because I did not know what type of animal was living under
our house - Fear of the unknown! *grin*

Amanda
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Roger Macdivitt .

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Re: Look what has been scaring me for weeks - photos
5/9/2009 11:06:22 AM

Amanda,

How lovely that you are so interested now that you know who your lodger is. Let's hope he causes you no concerns.

Sara, I assume that you have wooden walls that house the opossums?

Have a lovely day folks.

Roger

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Amanda Martin-Shaver

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Re: Look what has been scaring me for weeks - photos
5/9/2009 11:20:28 AM
Hi Roger,

Yes, I agree with you.  It was fear of the unknown critter.
Once I saw whom it was I am now OK with him living here.

I am not familiar with most of the animals and what they
can do to hurt/harm us.  There are some animals that carry
rabies and other diseases you can catch if scratched or
bitten so one needs to know which of these not to suddenly
come upon that they may need to attack because they feel
cornered and threatened. 

New Zealand does not have any critters to be frightened of
nor do we have snakes - so I am quite ignorant of the species,
and have no real fear unless I was told they were dangerous.

Nebraska does not have any poisonous snakes and I have
seen the occasional garter snake and even picked one up to
look at it more closely.  The visitors we had at the time were
native to Nebraska and nearly freaked out when I picked it
up and was scared of the garter snake.  This was quite strange
to me that they would be scared of a non poisonous snake.

Knowledge is good.


Amanda
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Kathleen Vanbeekom

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Re: Look what has been scaring me for weeks - photos
5/9/2009 11:42:45 AM

Here's some info about rabies I looked up when I had an opossum living behind my garage, but these are different than groundhogs of course so I don't know about groundhogs being rabies carriers, but all animals have fleas.

Opossums do not carry rabies because their blood temperature is too low, only 88 degrees F.  My neighbor wanted to know if my possum would give her dogs rabies if they ate him!  Good question!!

40% of rabies cases come from raccoon bites, 40% from bats, 30% from skunks.  I don't know why anyone would handle a skunk, but I heard they can only spray when all 4 feet are on the ground.

I was once bitten by a gerbil or hamster, don't know...but it really hurt like a staple-gun, I called the doctor and they were not helpful, nobody had ever called saying they were bitten by a tiny pet before!!

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