5 fun facts about the Procyonidae family

ZEKE · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 436

~Coatis ankles are double jointed and extremely flexible, enabling the animal to descend trees headfirst.

~The heaviest raccoon recorded was 62 pounds.

~If you give a raccoon a sugar cube, it will first try to clean it (as raccoons clean all their food before eating it). It will wash it and wash it until the sugar cube finally dissolves to nothing

~Olingos are extremely agile, climbing through the trees and leaping up to three meters with ease

~A red panda can consume up to 45 percent of its own body weight daily eating approximately 200,000 bamboo leaves daily.

KOGDEN01 · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 4

I wanted to say that I have a raccoon and their feet are the same way. They climb up with their back feet pointing up and they also climb down head first, but their back feet turn all the way around and still face with toes pointing up. Also, I'm not sure about the sugar cube thing. Mine eats alot of thigns without washing them, but he does love to play in water/ Loves it. If I forget to close the bathroom door, he fills up the toilet with any available things....clothing, toothbrushes, all the toilet paper, etc. If he sees a bucket of cleaning water, he tries to jump into it. And when he hears any water running, HE comes running.

**Raven** · Site Admin Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 217

I think that many animals have individual traits that do not necessarily match up with what might be expected or predicted by "experts". This is why personal relationships are so important. There are lots of experts that will contradict people who have direct experience, but lack a title or degree. This is a huge loss to the world of animal husbandry. Especially as the new politically correct thinking says, " Animals belong in the wild". What wild? Exotic pets are not "wild". Exotic pets are raised to be part of their "families" human and other species.

Animals that are raised in their natural habitats are losing their habitats, due to human encroachment, at an alarming degree!
These animals are "wild".

Domestic responsible exotic pet owners and the conservationist breeders in the private sector are some of the most underapreciated animal advocates on the planet.

Tigerserv · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 4

People who have titles know nothing if they don't listen to people who actually work with the animals. Zookeepers usually don't actually work with the animals or get to know them. You don't get to know an animal by putting it in a box and shuffling it around between guillotine doors when you need to clean something.
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We must believe in things that are not true. How else are they to become?

ZEKE · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 436

~KOGDEN01~

thanks for the input. KOGDEN01 you should try to give your raccoon a sugar cube and see what happens lol. if you do let us know what the outcome is.

i bet that is a bad surprise when you go to brush your teeth and your toothbrush is in the toilet! your raccoon sounds funny. can you post some pics of it?

KOGDEN01 · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 4

Thanks, Zeke, yes he is very funny. A natural clown. Like when he gets up on the bed and sneaks up to where the dog is laying beside it and dive bombs on top of her. LOL!! Then it's on. They have so much fun. I'll have to buy some sugar cubes to test your theory. And maybe Raven can tell me how to post pics here. What Raven said about experts is somewhat true. When I first got Gator bait, I read everything about raccoons I could find to educate myself, and there seems to be many misconceptions. For one thing I read that the males were solitary. This si also not true for mine. He does like to sleep by himself, but when he gets up, he wants company, and he wants to play. In fact, he is very offended if he can't come in my room and play with me and the dogs.....even though it's usually late and I was hoping to get some sleep. He keeps completely nocturnal hours and about 9-10 pm he's coming awake. Sometimes even a little later.
In fact, of everyone I talk to that have pet raccoons, they seem to be VERY social animals. Males and females alike.

ZEKE · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 436

hmm thats interesting. by the way none of the facts i posted on any of the threads with the "five fun facts" are from me. i found them on google. that sugar cube one was one i found on google too. lol what kind of dogs do you have? i want to see that raccoon dive bomb the dog lol! he sounds soooooo funny!!

KOGDEN01 · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 4

I have 2 border collie mixes. My older one is kind of lazy and not too playful most of the time, but the younger one loves to play. She and GB chase each other all around the house. He comes up behind her and nips the backs of her legs to get her attention, and she drags him around by his ear when she wants to get his.
It kills me when people say that raccoons should be in the wild and shouldn't be pets. My raccoon has a great life which he obviously loves. He is very healthy, curious and playful. Ofcourse, we have daily interaction with him and he is also never caged. He has about 5 or 6 different hiding spots to sleep in because he likes to be hidden when he's sleeping. And if you peek in on him and he knows you've seen him, he gets all huffy and finds another spot. And he uses a litter box.....every time. Thank goodness. I guess you can tell I love to talk about this little guy.

**Raven** · Site Admin Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 217

Hi Karen,

Many thank you for helping me with this project. To post a picture you can go to the end of a post and there is an attactment portion. If you have the pictures on your desktop or in a particular file, then you hit "choose" and it will automatically go to your files. I find "desktop" to be easiest for me. The file has to be below 246 kilobites. If it is larger, you will have to find a way to reduce it. I've had to fool around on my mac to find the best way. Make sure after you choose, to hit the attach button. Then it will show your post, if you approve hit the "submit" feature. WaLa fresh post Smile

Good luck from your friend,
Raven

ZEKE · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 436

an easier way to post a picture is get a photobucket account. then you just upload all your pics on there and when you want to put one on a forum you copy and paste the image link to the forum.

i find this alot easier than searching my computer for a pic every time i want to post one.

TamanduaGirl · Joined: 16 Dec 2007 Posts: 35

**Raven** · Site Admin Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 217

Exactly. I'd also like to see some of these "experts" try to put a santa hat on a feral cat.

cheers,
Raven

ZEKE · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 436

lol i would pay a dollar to see that!!!

i agree. "experts" dont know as much as people think they do about exotic animals i think all these bans just because they are scared of what they dont know much about or dont understand are terrible.

Kastrophee · Joined: 18 Dec 2007 Posts: 48 Location: CA, USA

Bans succeed because hysteria works, exotics are for the most part not dangerous, just don't get one without accepting the risks and not knowing what you are doing. I wish people would start taking AR seriously, if Hitler can do it then they definately have a chance.
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ZEKE · Joined: 13 Dec 2007 Posts: 436

what is AR?

i agree completely that most of the exotic animals are not dangerous if you know what your doing. but that is the problem. most people that see them in the pet store and think they are cute or cool looking or whatever else might draw them to like that animal have no clue how to take care of them. so they ask the pet store people. the pet store people or the most part have no clue either. its like the blind leading the blind!!!