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Raccoon Update XXIV - All Are Welcome In The Critter Cafe
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betreger Send message Joined: 29 Jun 99 Posts: 11360 Credit: 29,581,041 RAC: 66 |
The Elusive Giant Coconut-Cracking Rat of the Solomon Islands http://www.nytimes.com/2017/09/29/science/giant-rat-coconuts-solomon-islands.html?emc=edit_th_20170930&nl=todaysheadlines&nlid=39317068 |
Gary Charpentier Send message Joined: 25 Dec 00 Posts: 30608 Credit: 53,134,872 RAC: 32 |
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2017/09/29/Floor-cleaning-raccoons-surprise-diners-at-Mexican-cafe/7141506709927/?utm_source=fp&utm_campaign=ts&utm_medium=12 Floor-cleaning raccoons surprise diners at Mexican cafe |
Suzie-Q Send message Joined: 9 Mar 07 Posts: 3324 Credit: 4,746,812 RAC: 1 |
https://www.upi.com/Odd_News/2017/09/29/Floor-cleaning-raccoons-surprise-diners-at-Mexican-cafe/7141506709927/?utm_source=fp&utm_campaign=ts&utm_medium=12 It's a good thing I wasn't there. I'd have fed them from my plate. :-( ~Sue~ |
Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
I have been teaching the raccoon kits to stand on their hind legs on verbal and gestural command. Standing on their hind legs is a behavior raccoons do naturally when they are curious about something or when they are trying to see something that is out of their field of view. Raccoons do not stand up on their hind legs frequently enough for me to reinforce the entire behavior, so I have had to shape and reinforce the behavior that I want in five steps: 1. nose up on verbal and gestural command, visually following a peanut 2. nose and one paw up on verbal and gestural command, visually following a peanut 3. nose and two paws a little up on verbal and gestural command, visually following a peanut 4. full hind leg stand on verbal and gestural command, visually following a peanut 5. full hind leg stand on verbal and gestural command without seeing a peanut Walnut Baily is on step 4 and he got there in two nights. He is a boy, by the way. It is pretty easy to tell the sex of a raccoon when a raccoon is standing on hind legs Brazilnut Bjorn got to step 4 in three nights. He is also a boy. Peanut, the mama, is barely at step 4, as of tonight. Hazelnut Tanooki has been keeping her distance. She (I am assuming she is a "she") rarely comes out from under the deck when I am sitting on the back porch step. She is at step - - -1. I am simply reinforcing her for showing herself! Before I can train her to stand on her hind legs, she needs to be comfortable standing close to me on four paws. If she pokes her head out from under the deck, I toss her a peanut. Macademia Bobo is super shy. So far he has trained me to feed him peanuts under the deck! |
Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
P.S. My avatar is Bravesy, a raccoon kit from many litters ago. This is what raccoon kits look like when they stand on their hind legs. |
Gordon Lowe Send message Joined: 5 Nov 00 Posts: 12094 Credit: 6,317,865 RAC: 0 |
I have been teaching the raccoon kits to stand on their hind legs on verbal and gestural command. Standing on their hind legs is a behavior raccoons do naturally when they are curious about something or when they are trying to see something that is out of their field of view. My rabbits do that sort of thing too, occasionally. It's called periscoping. The mind is a weird and mysterious place |
kittyman Send message Joined: 9 Jul 00 Posts: 51468 Credit: 1,018,363,574 RAC: 1,004 |
So, who's more nuts? The raccoons with the nutzy names following peanuts? Or our dear CRL playing with the peanuts? LOL. Meow. "Freedom is just Chaos, with better lighting." Alan Dean Foster |
zoom3+1=4 Send message Joined: 30 Nov 03 Posts: 65709 Credit: 55,293,173 RAC: 49 |
I have been teaching the raccoon kits to stand on their hind legs on verbal and gestural command. Standing on their hind legs is a behavior raccoons do naturally when they are curious about something or when they are trying to see something that is out of their field of view. It could almost also be called, bipedalism, almost. The T1 Trust, PRR T1 Class 4-4-4-4 #5550, 1 of America's First HST's |
Suzie-Q Send message Joined: 9 Mar 07 Posts: 3324 Credit: 4,746,812 RAC: 1 |
I have been teaching the raccoon kits to stand on their hind legs on verbal and gestural command. Standing on their hind legs is a behavior raccoons do naturally when they are curious about something or when they are trying to see something that is out of their field of view. I hope you'll have Eric video record you doing this and then post it where we can see it. I'd love to see it. ~Sue~ |
tullio Send message Joined: 9 Apr 04 Posts: 8797 Credit: 2,930,782 RAC: 1 |
In Cambodia rats are used to smell landmines. The French photographer Simon Guillemin ha documented their action. They were brought by a Belgian NGO, Apopo, which has used them in Mozambico,Tanzania and Angola. The photos appear in La Repubblica paper of 5 October. Tullio |
janneseti Send message Joined: 14 Oct 09 Posts: 14106 Credit: 655,366 RAC: 0 |
Quite amazing. The rats are trained to recognize to smell TNT and they find it very fast. Perhaps even faster than a dog. http://www.repubblica.it/r2-fotorep/2017/10/05/news/ecco_i_topi_eroi_che_salvano_la_cambogia_dall_incubo_mine-177420570/?ref=RHRD-BS-I0-C6-P4-S3.6-T1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L0swUc492hU |
Bernie Vine Send message Joined: 26 May 99 Posts: 9954 Credit: 103,452,613 RAC: 328 |
This week I have been trying to get a bit of order in my life so I decided to visit some of my favourite places. On Tuesday I wen to The Grove, a park a few miles away. I mostly went to see if the squirrels were still as tame. On the way along the river Wandle was a heron standing just a few feet the other side if the fence. And yes the squirrels are just as tame. This time I had walnuts and they seem to like them. However the pigeons also seemed to like them and would try and take them from the squirrels. I just like this picture, should be in the caption competition!! Today I went to London to do the Thames Path walk from London Bridge to Westminster then on to Victoria. I went through St James park and saw a black swan. Never seen one before, apparently a native of Australia, but some were brought to this country and have established small colonies. Not sure I have ever seen these before either. Egyptian geese, and in this case that is where they originate, again brought to this country and now considered native. Now if I can just sort out the other 120 pictures I took today I may post some in the picture thread. |
Gordon Lowe Send message Joined: 5 Nov 00 Posts: 12094 Credit: 6,317,865 RAC: 0 |
Great squirrely pictures, Bernie. They look well fed! :~) The mind is a weird and mysterious place |
janneseti Send message Joined: 14 Oct 09 Posts: 14106 Credit: 655,366 RAC: 0 |
Squirrels eat a lot. In just a week's period, they can eat their entire body weight in food, which is about 700 grams. |
Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
Bernie, lovely pictures! |
Suzie-Q Send message Joined: 9 Mar 07 Posts: 3324 Credit: 4,746,812 RAC: 1 |
Squirrels eat a lot. Shoot, I can do that! (Eat my body weight in food in one week.) :-D ~Sue~ |
Monday Send message Joined: 24 Sep 05 Posts: 9676 Credit: 20,067,888 RAC: 12 |
Squirrels eat a lot. My body weight in food for a week would be 145 squirrels. |
Admiral Gloval Send message Joined: 31 Mar 13 Posts: 20158 Credit: 5,308,449 RAC: 0 |
Squirrels eat a lot. 246 and a big chunk of one. |
Ulrike Send message Joined: 6 Nov 11 Posts: 648 Credit: 4,844,676 RAC: 0 |
As proud as I am to be the Godmother of Walnut Bailey, I saw all kids on my last visit. They are like us, Cocky, shy, stubborn and opinionated. Not sure if I agree with the training, but what ever floats the boat. I do recall a long time back, a food experiment. Pluto will always be a Planet to me. |
Angela Send message Joined: 16 Oct 07 Posts: 13130 Credit: 39,854,104 RAC: 31 |
I use only positive reinforcement to shape behavior. Eric shot some video footage the other night and has promised me that he will figure out how to YouTube it tomorrow. |
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