Had some visitors last night.

[pomtzu]

They're cute, but destructive and potentially dangerous. I certainly wouldn't be encouraging them to come around, and of course they are a big carrier of rabies, along with those cute little skunks! Living in a rural area, we have more than our share of nocturnal critters that come calling.

[chocolatepuppy]

In a Youngstown, Ohio paper today. I don't live in Youngstown, but not far from it.

http://www.vindy.com/news/2012/aug/3...d-here-over-n/

Published: Fri, August 31, 2012 @ 9:43 p.m.

Staff report

YOUNGSTOWN

To prevent the spread of raccoon rabies across the state, the Ohio Departments of Health and Natural Resources will distribute oral rabies vaccine baits across 14 Northeast and eastern Ohio counties between now and next Friday.

The Mahoning County District Board of Health and the Youngstown City Health District, with the help of the Mahoning-Columbiana Medical Reserve Corps, will distribute the baits Wednesday through Friday across

Mahoning County.

Operations may be extended due to weather conditions if necessary.

Baits will be distributed by fixed-wing aircraft, helicopter and vehicles staffed by USDA and staff from the local health

departments.

Mahoning residents should be aware of low-flying aircraft and should keep children and pets away from the baits.

Dogs in particular are attracted to the baits and will occasionally eat them. The baits are not harmful to pets.

To keep children and pets safe, officials suggest these safety precautions:

Know what the baits look like. The coated sachet is about the size of a ketchup packet. It is white and rolled in a brown fish meal glaze.

In urban areas, where baits will be distributed by vehicle, the sachet will be inside a hard, brown fishmeal block, about 2-x-2-inch square.

Photos of the baits can be found on the Ohio Departments of Health website.

Instruct children to not touch the baits.

Once your area is baited, keep dogs and cats inside or on leashes for up to five days. Most baits disappear within

24 hours; however, it is important that raccoons have every opportunity to eat them.

Do not attempt to take bait away from your pet; you may be bitten.

Anyone handling baits should wear gloves. If baits are found in areas frequented by pets or children, toss them into deeper cover. Damaged baits can be disposed of in the trash.

If a person is exposed to the vaccine (liquid), thoroughly wash any areas of the skin that were exposed to the vaccine with soap and water.

If someone has been exposed to the vaccine or has questions about the baiting, call the ORV Information line at 614-752-1387 or the Mahoning County District Board of Health at 330-270-2855.

During 2011, 13 cases of raccoon-rabies virus were confirmed in Ohio, including eight skunks from Lake County, three raccoons from Ashtabula, one raccoon from Trumbull County, and one dog from Summit County.

[Alysser]

A friend of mine feeds 'em. When I slept over one night I was fascinated and didn't wind up sleeping much

This picture is rather funny. He literally just sits there and eats. He washes his little paws first and then eats..truely smart creatures.

I don't encourage, but it's not much of my business. I wouldn't ever do it. I interned at a wildlife refuge this summer and because I didn't have my rabies vaccines I couldn't work with them, FINE by me! They were nasty buggers...though they are cute. I couldn't work with ground hogs or skunks either. But, it was still a good experience. The opossums were interesting.

Your visitors are cute =) Glad you enjoyed them and you won't be doing it often though!

[Freedom]

To the Original Poster,
If you are going to feed them -- even once in a while like this -- don't do it near the trash cans, near the house, or anywhere you do not want them because they WILL return to a feeding area, looking for more.

Cute photos!

[sumbirdy]

Aww, they sure are cute. Nothing will come into our yard but birds.

[cassiesmom]

My mom and dad have a mother raccoon and 5 or 6 little ones who have nested in one of the old trees in their yard. They have this family of raccoons, a few fat possums, a few squirrels because the next door neighbor feeds them nuts, and at least four cats who all visit their yard during the day and night. The raccoons get into the trash, dig for food, and leave a mess behind.

[caseysmom]

We have a family of them that come around also, I worry about my dogs when they need to potty at night I go out first and make lots of noise.