We’ve all had that neighbor that suddenly gets too comfortable. You allow them a little benefit from your place, and all of a sudden, they’ve become entitled. It can be annoying, but in this raccoon’s case, she’s so cute that you’d just have to indulge her.
Rocksy the Mama Raccoon is a regular visitor at the home of Zoosie, a YouTuber that posts awesome videos of raccoons displaying their funny antics. [1] Rocksy is a totally entitled neighbor that’s been stealing the cat food from the bowl outside. Zoosie lets her get her share, and whenever the bowl is empty, Rocksy lets her hosts know that they are not taking great care of her.
She holds a rock in her paws and begins to knock relentlessly on the glass until the bowl is refilled. No one knows where she learned that trick from, but she probably figured it would get more attention than just rapping on the glass with her tiny paws. [2]
Zoosie explains that raccoons (some of them anyway) are actually pretty sweet and they are not as harmful or vile as everyone thinks. Rocksy has young babies and she’s only a mother trying to provide for her young.
“Just because you see a raccoon out in the day, it does not mean it has rabies, that is such a myth. Usually, it’s a nursing mother who is trying to get food for her babies. They stay in the den at night so the predators don’t get their babies. But in the day they go foraging for food and steal cat food.”
Members of the neighborhood
Zoosie lives in a raccoon-prone area and for many years, lots of the sweetly masked animals have taken up shelter in her yard. She loves seeing them every day and watching as their families evolve. She also gives them names and makes sure there’s enough food for everyone.
In 2013, she posted an adorable video of her sweet little dog, Rascal, playing with several raccoons through the glass. The dog is so in love with his raccoon friends that he now thinks he’s a raccoon too.
“For years, a family of raccoons has lived in my yard. They are adorable and I am blessed to have them live on my property. They are curious creatures and each night… they come to my back door and look in! My little dog looks forward to their nightly visits because they play through the glass! It is hysterical and happens each night! He will paw at the door for 30 minutes… it’s great exercise! I would NEVER let him out… but it is sure fun to watch them play!”
Raccoons are crafty animals native to North America but can also be found in many parts of the world. They have some of the most dexterous hands in nature with tiny human-like hands that enable them to perform all kinds of cunny tricks, such as opening a knotted bag or turning a garden faucet. The word ‘raccoon’ comes from the Powhatan word aroughcun, which means “animal that scratches with its hands.” They are extremely intelligent animals — collectively smarter than dogs and cats but less than monkeys on the mammal IQ scale. [3] The ‘mask’ on their faces contributed to the thieving reputation they developed over the centuries, but it also serves an important visual purpose. The black striping absorbs incoming light during the day to enable them to see better. Raccoons are highly nocturnal animals and are also reputable problem solvers.
References
- “WATCH: Clever raccoon politely knocks on door to ask for treats.” AJC. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- “Watch This Hungry Raccoon Knock on a Woman’s Door to Demand More Food.” Inside Edition. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
- “Raccoon intelligence at the borderlands of science.” APA. Michael Pettit. Retrieved October 23, 2020.
