The gang in Framingham.

I've been keeping tabs on the gang in Framingham and I'm happy to say Cinnamon, Peanut, Phoenix, Willie, Raquel, Ellie,Chicken, Piggy, Fozzy and Gonzo are doing great! I finally got a chance to go through the pics on the camera.

They start to trickle in early and check out the new gadget that just appeared!I stop by occasionally after work and this night had a nice little visit with some of them! Raquel was the first to come say Hi to mom. Eventually Ellie and Chicken graced me with their presence too. The humidity and killer mosquitoes drove me out before I could wait for more to come in...not to mention I had to work bright and early the next morning!

It's safe to say they feel pretty relaxed out there now.....

And looks like they are sticking together also! There are 2 other feeders out there...why they all have to eat right on top of each other is beyond me, but it does show me pretty much the whole gang at once. Seeing them separate makes it hard to get an accurate head count....

...but the family portrait makes it pretty easy!

There are a couple mom's out there also...one is pretty large, possibly Baloo? The other looks like Rosie maybe.....? Either way, everyone is getting along pretty well out there. Maybe Willie was helpful mediating between the two groups since the original group were his siblings after all. Luckily Willie fared much better the second time around!

Free at last!

I did end up releasing the overwinters on Sunday night. Cinnamon, Peanut, Willie, Ellie, Piggy, Chicken, Gonzo, Fozzy, Raquel and Phoenix are officially free raccoons! It was a lot of fun watching them run around and play like maniacs!

Piggy wasted no time and was the first one out.

Willie was the last one out! Too many memories of what happened the last time he was released here perhaps?? LOL But he finally took the plunge and joined the rest of the gang!
I stayed and enjoyed watching their antics until they all finally drifted further off and it started getting dark....

The part I hate most.....saying goodbye and leaving....hoping they do OK out there on their own!

Willie and Ellie are fully recovered!

Well it's safe to say Willy has finally recovered from his wounds! His left eye looks like he needs a little plastic surgery.....the lid is droopy and doesn't open as wide as the other, but it's definitely functional!

His foot has healed...as well as it could...and that also works fine now. Two toes are stubs, but it beats the awful hamburger mess that was there! It's hard to believe this is the same foot. He's definitely a lucky boy.

Ellie is also healed up fine! I have to remind myself which foot was injured...they both look perfect now and she's using her tail normally. On those rare occasions when she lets me fiddle with her tail, there is no more than a scab to be felt. She fared much better than Willie! Let's hope they both get some self-defense lessons from the rest of the gang while with them! I know the Muppet's definitely have some talent in that area! LOL

Happy Thanksgiving!!

Happy Turkey Day to all from me and the fuzzballs!

I can tell you that Willie is thankful that his eye has finally healed enough to open again! It may be too scarred to fully open up again (the tissue around the eye, not the eyeball itself), but it's good enough to see out of and that's the important part! His foot is also healing well. One toe is stuck at a weird angle...kinda like he's giving us the finger with his back foot...but again it doesn't interfere with the function of his foot so he should be good to go by spring!

The rest of the gang came out to pick out a thanksgiving treat....their choice of holiday nuts, oh what fun....a toy and a treat all in one!

Peanut was too cute....he stuffed a couple in his mouth then grabbed what he could with his hands and waddled off on 2 legs to find a private place to enjoy his stash!

Willie update

Willie is doing great in the big pen with all the babies. His back is pretty much healed and it looks like the eye may not be far behind. The swelling is finally down enough to the point where it looks like the eye is starting to crack open again! The foot still looks like hamburger but it is healing. One toe is crooked up a little. It was probably broken and that's the way it's going to heal...but he's using it fine! The foot looks a little gooey-er than usual here because I took the picture after putting some granulex liquid on it to help the healing process.

I totally forgot to mention I ran into Tosser on Oct. 29th! I haven't seen him in a while, then one night just before dark I'm filling one of the feeders and he appeared. Scared the crap out of me too I might add! I'm standing on a chair checking the feeder. Then I turn to scoop some food out of the bucket and when I turn back to put it in the feeder....there he was sitting there next to the feeder! Surprise! It's a miracle I didn't fall backwards off the chair when I startled! Never even heard him and suddenly there he was at eye level no more than a foot away! LOL He looks great and healthy, and like Mo he's a little more shy now. Not as skittish as Mo...he sat comfortably right next to me while I was there but he wouldn't take treats out of my hand...I had to put them down first, and he would sniff my fingers but would start to move away if I made any attempt to pet him. He's not a mamma's boy anymore, but that's ok....I'm just thrilled to be able to share a moment with him and see he's doing well! Not bad for a raccoon thrown out of a car window and left to die on the sidewalk! Yet another moment that reminds me why I do this! (sigh...warm fuzzy moment!)

It's Willy....and he joins the group.

OK....I'm finally sure who I have here....Willie it is, and he and River were finally introduced into the main group again as I pray everyone will get along!

I worried needlessly! As you can see he fit right in!

...and he's VERY happy to be part of the group...especially chummy with Gonzo his new best bud!

River next to one of the Muppets....Gonzo again I think. Wow, what a size difference! But River is getting bigger than I think she should be. I know this is the time of year for them to pack it on and all, but I think she is getting un- proportionately large compared to what she is getting to eat. Laurie and I are going to draw some blood and check her thyroid and see if she is hypothyroid.

So it's one big happy family of 11! Hopefully it stays that way!!

Ouch!

Well the poor boy was getting agitated in his pen. I think he could hear and see his buddies River and Witchey across from him in the big pen and wanted in! In the hopes of further preventing more damage to his foot....I brought River over to join him. He was SO happy to see his sister again....a very cute and happy reunion.

But then River was agitated trying to get back to her pen and the 9 friends she left behind there. So I came up with another compromise....I separated the small section of the large pen off and put River and Einstein/Willie (I'm still not positive which one it is but now I'm leaning towards Willie) in there. The entry window was covered with wire so they can interact with the other babies. Soon they should all be used to Einstein and then when his foot is well enough they can all be mixed in together!

His poor back foot looks like hamburger! It looks awful...and much worse in person even! I've rigged the cage with flat surfaces and shelves for him to walk down so he doesn't have to use the foot to climb.

The very happy reunion!

River is definitely enjoying the new shelves!

Einstein meets the rest of the gang.

I think the foot is going to get worse before it get's better...it already looks worse since these pictures were taken......keeping a close eye on it in case it doesn't start healing properly.

Disney World for Raccoons

Flipper, Willie and Einstein are finally weaned and in with Baloo, River, RJ and Scootch. After a few play days in there to get acquainted, everyone is getting along and they are now permanent residents with the older four and loving it!

River of course loves everyone and they were immediate friends as you can see here with River and Flipper....

RJ took a while to warm up to them, but since they invaded her hammock and obviously were not going to go away she has come to terms with it and enjoys playing with them now!

Willie was all over the hammock when he discovered it!!What a fun toy!!!

Goldie and the 3 bears and Razz and Diesel's group continue to enjoy their new big pen with all the fun stuff to climb and play on! They now have mosquito netting covering the pen and the bug free environment is WONDERFUL!!!-for all of us!! I've got more on the way for the other kids pen too!

Grizz and Goldie enjoy lunch!

Diesel has a relaxing meal.

Play time in the pool...before they all start peeing in it! Ugghh!

Pine cones are ALWAYS a fun toy!!

...and Panda is not about to share his!

Tank comes over to say hi to mom.