Wildlife

[ehowton]

I've heard that skunks make great pets - something between a cat & a ferret, but more docile than either. That is to say once their highly-accurate anal "sacks" are removed, otherwise there is surely hell to pay.

I first saw this little guy early last week on a walk around the neighborhood - I take one every evening, 1.5 miles in about 20 minutes. I remember this day in particular because I rarely walk it alone. Remember that scene in the new Star Trek where Kirk climbs from the pod he was ejected out of the Enterprise onto the sixth planet of the Hoth system? He starts walking to the outpost and something catches his eye so he turns around and tries to make out what it is he saw? Then they zoom into this running, screaming beast? Yeah, it was like that for me, but mostly because these things move so foreign to what I'm used to seeing. And it was broad daylight. Because I'd been playing hours and hours of "Serious Sam" I was already on edge because of the stampeding buffalo, so I ran from it. Like a little girl I ran.

I hear those those things can hit a fly on a fence-post at 15-feet.

Yesterday, that little guy showed up in my backyard. This time, he didn't seem so ferocious. There's been talk around the neighborhood that it might be recently abandoned domesticated skunk. The only issue I have with that is how the hell you'd find out? Sure it looks soft and cuddly now, but I'm not going to approach it to find out if it sprays or not!

Here's the little guy:

Comments

[schpydurx.livejournal.com]

I recognize the tune, but I can't place it. I'm thinking something Jerry Lewis. What is the music from?

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Hatari.

[celtmanx.livejournal.com]

Your Dad seriously needs to come over and cut your grass!!!

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

So we had these like...caterpillars or something. Dozens of them. In the back yard. And my wife initiated a moratorium on mowing back there, lest we harm them.

[celtmanx.livejournal.com]

I'm thinking it is too much gaming on the weekend!!!

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Or too many production maintenance weekends or too much drinking - take your pick!

[celtmanx.livejournal.com]

Maybe a little bit of all.

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Or other things...

[celtmanx.livejournal.com]

"Those women were in the nip!"

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Where might I get that show?

[celtmanx.livejournal.com]

Father Ted can be found on most PBS stations or BBC America. If you like comedies, it's AWESOME!!! I thought my mom was going to think it was sacrilegious but she loved it. I'm sure you can get it on Netflix.

[dawaioser.livejournal.com]

You're out of your damn mind, eh? Leave that skunk alone. LOL

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

But it looks so soft and friendly! I cross-posted this on the Anna Texas Forum and everyone there thinks I should approach and "touch" its anal sacks to determine safety, but I don't think they have my best interest in mind :(

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Remember that scene in the new Star Trek where Kirk climbs from the pod he was ejected out of the Enterprise onto the sixth planet of the Hoth system?

Still haven't seen it...


Like a little girl I ran

Been doing that since I could run. I had no playground or street cred :(

but I'm not going to approach it to find out if it sprays or not!

This sounds like a job for MARKO RAMIUS!

or do what we do here in EL Chuco...throw rocks at it to find out (just don't hit it).


The Most Interesting Man In The World would walk up to it and remove those anal "sacks" himself. ...and the skunk would let him with no fuss. LOL

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

I had no playground or street cred :(

I was a late-bloomer.

[thesweetestnote.livejournal.com]

Me too. I didn't have facial hair till I was 22.

[irulan-amy.livejournal.com]

This is what kids are for - have one of them find out if it sprays. Probably not one of your kids though because then you'd have to deal with the smell.

He's a cute little guy. You could use a live trap with food and see if the vet could check his sacks. Of course, you might find out somewhere in that process...

It is a tough one.

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

I need to find a used nuclear, biological, chemical suit from the Army/Navy store.

[celtmanx.livejournal.com]

Just ask the most annoying friend of G over and introduce him to the skunk and see what happens.

[ubet-cha.livejournal.com]

Somehow I missed this one. I've been sprayed a few times. Its not that bad so long as you're willing to throw away your clothes.

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

So I sometimes cross-post to the Anna Texas Forum if its city-related, and this was posted by someone there just a few minutes ago:

http://courier-gazette.com/articles/2010/06/09/news_update/214.txt

So now we know! A "few" times huh? I hear even dogs know better than to get sprayed more than once! There absolutely has to be a story behind those :D And I'm almost never wearing clothes I'm willing to throw away, lessen I'm doing yard work or the like, but I'll keep that in mind next time I want to cuddle a rabid animal ;)

[ubet-cha.livejournal.com]

Hilarious. Since a stranger took an interest in it I'll explain.

When I grew up we weren't exactly what you called affluent. By the time I was 12 I did whatever I could to earn my own spending money.

Sometime in those tween years (11-15) the neighborhood became infested with skunks and there was a reward for killing them. I used rocks, obviously a few times I got to close. To be honest I don't remember how much it was, I want to say $15.00 but I don't remember. This was over 25 years ago.

Whatever it was I thought it was big money at the time. Bygones.

[kat-rowe.livejournal.com]

He's a cutie. If you haven't checked yet and he's still around, it's not hard. Skunks spray only when they're feeling threatened. If you approach slowly and stop if he retreats, he won't feel threatened. If he lets you touch him, he's definitely domestic. If he seems skittish, probably wild so don't approach. Or you can buy me a round-trip ticket, pay for my hotel, and I'll just pick him up and check because I'm a loon like that...

[ehowton.livejournal.com]

Ok first of all - your avatar is a little scary :P

Secondly, the general consensus is that in Texas, 100% of the time you see a skunk in broad daylight...its rabid.

So no plane ticket for you!

(Its good to see you up and around!)

[kat-rowe.livejournal.com]

it's one of my plot-bunnies! they're what give me my story ideas *pets it*

see now why the bat didn't much scare me? I have these babies living in my head and gnawing on my soul with those sharp little bunny teeth :D

100% of the time? *blinks* Damn. Then picking it up may not be wise although that little guy didn't seem rabid to me (pretty coordinated to have neurological issues). Ah, well, no plane ticket for me, I guess

it's good to be back up and around, thanks *hugs you*

hope you had a good 4th!