The trio venture "out"

If you can call it that! The 3 babies are the only one's left inside and getting brave! They actually dare to venture away from mom's lap now! LOL Getting curious about exploring their surroundings and playing up a storm with each other.

Cinnamon

Phoenix

And the ever exploring Peanut! He's more than caught up to his sister in size now.

Their first trip "away" from mom....a whole 4 feet maybe?? The first sound they heard they were dashing back into my lap to hide!

RJ joins the older babies.

A lot has happened lately! Unfortunately we lost one little guy. The little boy that came in with the older female died 2 days prior to his quarantine ending. It was very sad and a parvo test showed up negative so I had a necropsy done. It showed his liver to be the problem. The damage was probably done before he even made it into helping hands, poor little guy.

His adoptive sister who I have since named RJ (she looks just like Roxy did at this age, she is a Roxy Jr!) was beside herself over his disappearance. As soon as the autopsy showed nothing contagious as the cause of death, I brought her out to meet the big girls River, Baloo & Scootch.

Baloo was quite calm about it!

Scootch was less than thrilled as you can see!

And RJ was just like...what the heck!

But River as usual was thrilled to have another friend and it wasn't long before all 4 were playing up a storm together!

RJ loves the new climbing room!

River (left) gives RJ a warm welcome!

A great big Hello from River!

RJ is still wary of me, but warming up to me more now that she's outside with the girls and sees that they interact with me and trust me.....plus I'm the one that brings all that yummy food she loves so much!

Update on the gang at Mary's

Some of last years gang have been coming in for regular visits at Mary's. Winnie actually came back to the pen and had 4 adorable kits in the den box in there! She brought them out the other night for a little exploring in the woods.

Meeko and Tugger were hanging around together raiding Mary's bird feeder! LOL Both either have kits somewhere or are going to it appears! I got a quick hello from them while they scurried about eating and avoiding the very protective Winnie!

Seeker was chilling out on top of the den box near the feeding station keeping a safe distance from all the hormonal females! More than happy to get a little back scratching from mom though!

Ran into Buster about a week or so back...he seemed a little slow and sore but he was walking and climbing fine and happy to say hi to mom too!

The first wild kits sighting.

Another day checking the feeders, another pleasant surprise! Spotted 2 kits hanging out in the tree by the main feeding station.

Mom wasn't far though! In the box right below them keeping an eye on things. I think it's Brownie but I'm not sure. She's one of Ringer and Belles sisters and didn't have an issue with Belle who was eating on the platform right below her.

Mom keeps checking in on the kits.

While Tosser and Quinny also make an appearance. Everyone got along fine...the boys didn't bother mom and the kits and mom just kept her eye on things but pretty much knew the boys were no threat. Tosser was too busy following me around anyway!

And Quinny seemed to have his hands full trying to get down this huge tree to bother with anyone!

Mohican was also out there. He wouldn't come down to say hi to mom, but he was getting along fine up there and climbing well despite the cut on his hand.

An odd encounter.

While out checking the feeders the other day I ran into a couple surprises. First was this little juvenile red that got itself stuck in the feeder. Non the worse for wear though and scurried up the tree when I let it out.

Most odd though was this flyer! I started filling a feeder and it comes out of nowhere and right up to me! They are nocturnal so you don't usually see them during the day-that was surprise enough-but this one kept coming up to me like it was going to just take some food right out of my hand!

I would try to hand her some but she was too nervous and would scurry away, then come right back up to me again. I was right on top of this platform kneeling at the very corner of this feeder-not more than a foot away, if that!

I'm guessing a female with babies or about to have babies....it was kind of plump looking....and just really hungry and getting some chow while it was safe to leave them. Or I was close to the nest and she was looking out for the kids......?

The Raccoon shuffle.

Finally did some rearranging to fit everyone and get some of them outside. Got the shed all cleared out and the raccoon condos are ready to go.

3 deluxe suites ready to be occupied!

2 filled up quickly! Razz, Diesel, Cat, Dozer, Tank & Mack take the left while Goldie & the 3 bears-now out of quarantine- take the right.

Pass the Grey Poupon please!!

Finally all 3 suites are filled with River, Baloo and Scootch in the last one.

Their first day for Razz's group checking out the bigger pen with the older 3. It takes them a minute to realize it's their old friend Baloo coming to say hi!

Then it's business as usual checking out all the fun new things in this new place!

Lunch for the older 3 is a great time for the younger kids to try this new stuff!

Hey! What is this stuff? It's pretty good! Look ma....I'm eatin' it! I'll be weaned in no time!

Mom! Take me with you! Pleeeeeease!!!!

River gets some playmates!

Well River finally got to make some friends. Her test came back negative for parvo so we took the plunge! She was absolutely thrilled to meet Baloo and Scootch and they all became immediate friends.

River says Hi to Scootch for the first time.

Baloo checks out the new play area. They play here during the day and back to their crate at night for now.

All 3 loving playtime.

A dip in the pool!

These 3 are the oldest and finally weaned thank goodness because I still have 18 others on bottles!

No more room at the Raccoon Inn!

A new crop of arrivals over the past couple of weeks have completely filled me up! Even if I had the time for more, I definitely don't have the room! I'm at 21 now....no time for anything anymore so this will be short but sweet!

These are the latest 2. Yet to be named, the female is the older bigger one and a younger boy. They were together prior to arriving here so I am not going to separate them now and they will spend quarantine together. Don't let her cute looks fool ya....she is a bitch!! Very difficult to handle right now and she gets too stressed if I try. Luckily she readily laps her formula out of a bowl and is very neat about it too I might add! He's not much better...growls at me and tries to bite me, but not until AFTER he eagerly runs into my lap & sucks down a bottle of formula! It's when I got to put him back that he's a grouch about it!

These 4 will be out of quarantine in a couple of days. Mom stopped showing up for a couple of days and the people enjoying their presence in the backyard became concerned for their safety. But the babies were high up in a hollow tree den. We were going to attempt to get a friend to go up there to rescue the babies the next day but there was no need! All were found huddled at the bottom of the tree in the morning and I easily scooped them up.

3 boys and a girl, they are Goldie, Grizzly, Kodiak and Panda-Goldie locks and the 3 bears!

3 more-2 found huddled in a driveway. We attempted reuniting that night but they were still there the next morning.....joined by another sibling at a nearby tree. 2 boys and a girl, yet to be named....but very cute!

The rest of the gang continues to do well. River's test showed she is no longer shedding the parvo virus so she will be able to join some of the others and finally have playmates. She is weaned as well as Baloo the monster sized coon and Scootch....weather they like it or not! With 18 others on bottles anything to make it easier helps!

Crazy raccoon play group!

The original group of 11 are getting some playtime together again. Once everyone is fed they all get to run around an wreak havoc for a while so they get used to each other for the time when they are all put together in one pen. Here are a few of them....

The ever adorable Diesel getting some of mom's attention.

Baloo thinks she's being sneaky, approaching the bottle bucket from inside the laundry basket, but he jokes on her because they are all empty anyway!

Razz goes for the camera strap....

Baloo and Scootch looking guilty as sin....and they usually are!

Scootch again.

Dozer finally learned to follow the big kids up on top of the cages.

...and discovered a whole new world out there!

Scootch's turn to try to drag the camera away from me.

Baloo tries to sneak another bottle.

She is also constantly trying to steal my pen! Every time I turn around she is running off with it!

Tank wonders if this is his real mom??

Scootch gives us lessons on how to weigh ourselves!

But for those who are unwilling to stay put for a minute......

And the improper way to get an accurate weight! Phoenix is now in with Cinnamon and Peanut and happy to have company! That's her in the middle.