Raccoons and Possums

RACCOONS and POSSUMS
We have had uninvited houseguests - off and on - during the 21 years that we have lived here! They have torn up the back yard, turned over flower pots, and caused other damage. Previously, I have rented traps from Animal Control and trapped them - usually the smaller ones. Then, I called Animal Control and asked them to pick up the animals. They would release them back into the “wild” - which I suspect was not too far away. I would return the trap to Animal Control, until the next invasion.
You would think that this area would be a hostile environment for them. I realize that they lived here before our area was developed about 40 years ago. The raccoons are very smart - more so than a possum. They are very possessive of “their” territory, and probably feel that if we don’t like this co-habbing arrangement, then we should move on.
I can’t understand why they pick on us. We do not have a pet, so no food is available. They up-end the flower pots, apparently looking for bugs and worms. They even turn over pots holding “fake” flowers! This must be the little ones who are receiving “on the job training”. The adult raccoons are way too smart to do that. The raccoons and possums dig in the lawn , too, looking for grubs. It would take a lot of them for a meal!
The other night, I couldn’t sleep. So, I got up and started reading my Wall Street Journal. About midnight, I heard a familiar rumbling noise on the back patio. I turned off the inside light, and turned on the outside light. I parted the Venetian blind and peered out. I wasn’t surprised at what I saw. On the hot tub -deck, I could see a large animal, trailing a large furry tail, about it’s length, and two small balls of fur, walking around. The Large animal saw me through the blind, and stood up on her (I assume that it was the mother of the little ones) rear legs. It was definitely a raccoon - and a big one! She probably stood three feet high!
Then, the three of them came down from the deck on to the patio. She was controlling the movement of the little ones, but I don’t know how. It was probably instinctive in the species, to stick close to mama - for their own safety and protection. She started rolling around with one of the little ones. The babies were balls of fur, and couldn’t have been very old. Both ends looked the same - no face, no tail. When the mother got up, she walked slowly towards our sliding -patio door. She ended up with her nose almost touching the glass. She could see me standing inside. I have never seen a wild animal so close - except caged or trapped. I have to admit, her pretty -distinctive face was very appealing.
I kicked my slippered- toe against the inside of the glass door. The adult backed up a few feet and stopped - keeping her eyes and attention on me all the time. She was startled, but not scared. She repeated these movements two more times. By this time, she was back against the deck - about 20 feet away. The three of them stood there momentarily, and then wandered off to continue on their rounds, visiting other “lucky” neighbors. I think that being a nocturnal animals, the outside light bothered them.
The next morning, I was telling our yardman this story about the night before. The only reason I told him, is because I knew that he would be interested. A few years ago, he was here mowing, while I still had a trapped raccoon in the cage - sitting on the patio. Jeff asked me about it, and I told him that I was waiting forAnimal Control to pick up the animal. He said that he would take it and release it, and bring back my trap. When Jeff came back, I asked him where he let it out, and he said, “near Stanley’s property.” Stanley lived in the County, nearby at that time, and is a friend of the family.
Jeff said that the raccoon approached our door because it thought that I was going to give it something to eat. He said that people feed them!
A while back, Joy, a neighbor and I, were commiserating about raccoons. She told me that she had some expensive fish in her pond in the back yard, and the raccoons “fished” them all out - killing all of them! The other morning, during my walk, I ran into Pete a neighbor. He told me about losing all the fish out of his pond. He asked me if I had any ideas what it might have been. I had a flashback to my conversation with Joy, and told him that a raccoon got them. His response, “I’ll kill that raccoon”. Good luck, Pete.
Tonight, I will leave the outside light on, in hopes the raccoons get the message. “Good luck to me!”