Backyard Zoo

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Comments from Backyard Zoo Readers

  Your pictures were great. the squirrels in my yard are rascally too. take care

Hi,

Glad you enjoyed yourself. Thanks for the comment. I will include it on our comments page.

Bonnie

My wife found backyard zoo today. We logged on tonight and had a good laugh with our two boys. Thanks for adding a little joy to our evening.

Thanks for telling me. I'm happy you're happy.
I will include your note on our comments page.
Bonnie

From: Delaney

I very much enjoyed the pictures. That is the first white squirrel that I have ever seen.

Thanks for sharing.
Delaney

Thank you for your interest and comments. I am including it on our comments page.

It was the first one we had seen too. It was fun to watch for him in the woods and hurry for a camera. We felt we were very lucky to get a photo of him/her.

Bonnie

From: Rhonda

Do you know if chipmunks have two stomachs? Please tell me whatever else you can on chipmunks, because I am doing some research on them. I am doing it just to learn more about them since they are part of our wildlife.

Thank you
Rhonda

Hi Rhonda,

Thank you for visiting the zoo.

What a great question. I haven't a clue. Have you checked out the search engines, using chipmunks for your search word?

You know who might know the answer is Pam Spragins. She has the great site mentioned in our Hall of Fame. Although it is mainly about squirrels, she is a rehabilitation person and saves many animals lives.

I will also include your question on our Zoo Comments page.

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

Hello,

I found your page while checking out Pam Spragins homepage. She is a friend of mine and I have a link to her site on my awards page. I loved the pics and it's good to know there are others out there that are doing their own part in helping nature. Keep up the great job!

I specialize in taking photos of garden wildlife such as butterflies, hummingbirds, and songbirds. I can't wait 'til spring to start shooting again. I have been doing this for over 11 years. We have some racoons hanging around at the present and it's nice to see them around occasionally.

Thanks again for the great page! Take Care!

Hi Stan, Glad you enjoyed the Backyard Zoo. After visiting your site (2 hours is a long visit!) I came back home and put your site up as "Bonnie's Favorite Site of the Week." TaDa! Congratulations! I put your banner up and hope everyone who visits my site visits yours too. Although I only have a couple of sunny places in my woods there is a small meadow area behind them. You have inspired me to get to work on it. I have a file along this line of thinking, complete with directions for making Bluebirds houses. I will be back to adopt your Bluebird as soon as I decide where to put her. Meanwhile, I will be sure to attract more butterflies and birds in my smaller flower garden. Thanks again. Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

Hi Chris, Thank you. Glad you liked our wild turkey! Just started a comments page and included yours.

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

From Mike

I am amazed at your picture of the albino squirrel. I have never seen or heard of one before either. Is there anyway you could make me a copy of the picture? I would pay you for shipping and the cost of making another print of the film. I am a student studying albinos and other variants. This would really be something I would like to see up close, as I cannot see the picture that well on my computer. Let me know what you think,,,,,,,

TIA,

Mike N.

Hi Mike,

Surprise. We were too when we first saw the Albino Squirrel. Did you read the comments page? There is an E-Mail from a man who has a collection of Albino animals. His E-Mail address is there too. He would be interested in your research project.

If you would like a picture of the Albino squirrel try printing it on a color desk jet printer from the website. Or I can send an attached photo by E-Mail (gif file) to you or to another address of a friend who has the color printer. Let me know the E-Mail address.

Bonnie From: Pam

At 10:22 PM 1/4/98 you wrote:
I just wanted to let you know that I have had a blast at your web page. The photos of all the wild babies are great!!! Especially the squirrel on the feeder :-) I rehab squirrels and this picture does not surprise me one bit. The other pictures are great too. I have also raised opossums and the picture of the opossum with the cat is precious.

The raccoons are sweet too. We are not allowed to rehab them in North Carolina due to rabies, but they are the sweetest babies on earth.

Keep up the great work !!!

Pam Spragins
Wildlife Rehabilitator - 5 years
North Carolina
Squirrel Rehabilitation - http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/9616/
 

Hi Pam,

Glad you enjoyed it. How did you get started with rehab? Do you have a "official" rehab? It is a wonderful thing you are doing. Let me know more about it. I will share it on the zoo comments page.

Bonnie

Hi Bonnie,

I have always loved animals, and when my hubby and I got married, we both worked at the same place and one of us had to quit, so I quit. :-)

I heard about a group that was offering wildlife rehab classes in my area and I signed up and took the classes. They put me to working with another rehabber, I got my permits and the main mammal I do is the Eastern Grey Squirrel. I have done Southern Flying Squirrels and Opossums.I have a Squirrel Wildlife Rehabilitation page on the WWW. If people find an orphaned squirrel, I have several people listed there in addition to myself that they can contact and we will help them find a rehabber in their area to take the babies they have found. The web site is: http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Hills/9616

Pam

To the Zoo Entrance

Dear Sir!

I am collecting images of albino animals. Lately I found your photo of albino squrirel on your Page. But I do not know It`s true English name and Genus species. If you can qualify its please help me, if possible.

Best regards.

Askar Isabekov.

P.S. Sorry, my English very bad.

Hi Askar,

I am so happy to hear about your interest in our albino squirrel.

I don't know the answer to your questions but I will include your message on our comments page and see if someone else can help.

What country are you in? What is your research project for?

Bonnie

From: Askar

Thank for your answer.

I live in Kazakhstan. I began collect photos of albino ( and other unusual white animals ) in 1980. Now I have photos over 200 animals. Why? I do not know. Somebody collects postcards, postage stamps. I collect albinos.

Best regards,
Askar Isabekov.

Hi Askar,

The dictionary says that Kazakhstan is in western Asia. It also mentioned a vigorous folk dance. Do you do the kazatski?

Would you like people to send you photos of albino animals? I could put your E-Mail address on our comments page if you like.

However, you are the first person to take an interest in our Albino photo.

Bonnie

Dear Bonnie,

Kazakhstan is central asian country between Rusia and China. Kazakhstan is borrow the ninth place in the world by the area. People over 100 ethnic groups lives in Kazakhstan. Over 6 millions ethnic Kazakhs, over 5 millions ethnic Russians, others - Uzbeks, Germans, Koreans, Uigurs, Ukranians etc. Each group have yourself folk dance.

You mix up Kazakhs and Kazaks. Kazaks is ethnic Russian, who lives in South Russia, North Kazakhstan, North Caucasus, Siberia ect. They are posterity of russian countryman, who fleed from Russia to free lands, and local Turk residents. Later Kazaks was Military estate in Russia. Kazatski is Kazak`s dance.

The words "Kazakh" and "Kazak" have one root. But now Kazakhs is main nation of Kazakhstan, Kazaks are not allocated from other Russian.

I will glad to recieve photos of albino animal by E-Mail or by post. I will glad if you put my address in your page. I need that later I will have myself Home Page. Now I am ready to publish, but all my information occupies over 25 Mb.

Best regards,
Askar Isabekov
assa@kaznet.kz

Dear Asker,

I love the internet! It is wonderful to learn about your country and the people. Thank you for sharing this information. Good luck with your Albino site. It sounds like something I would love to see.

I will include your E-Mail address this time so people can send you more photos if they see them. Please E-Mail to let me know when someone sends a photo by E-Mail, and what kind it is.

Dec. 25 we celebrate Christmas. I am baking cookies, candies and snack food that I do not normally eat or bake. I wish I could pass you a plate of Christmas cookies and treats through the E-Mail. But I will wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Do you celebrate Christmas too?

Bonnie

Dear Bonnie,

I had consultation about your backyard albino squirrels. Specialist said that it is Eastern Grey Squirrel or Fox Squirrel. Can you ask naturalist what kind of squirrels lives on your backyard?

Merry Xmass! Best Regards,
Askar Isabekov.

Dear Askar,

We have two squirrels here in the Backyard Zoo. One is a Grey Squirrel, Sciurus carolinensis, 8-11 inches and a Red Squirrel, Tamiasciurus hudsonicus, 7-8 1/2 inches. I do not know which one the Albino squirrel was.

Had a quiet Christmas. It snowed. Very pretty.

Bonnie

Hello, Bonnie.

Thank for your answer. It may be Eastern grey squirrel.

Best regards.
Askar Isabekov.

Hello Askar,

I believe you are right. It is probably a grey squirrel.

The librarians at our St. Charles, IL library told me about an article in the local newspaper about a "colony" of Albino Squirrels that live in Olney, Illinois. That is in Southern, Illinois, near St. Louis Missouri. I have attached the file and I will also include it as a photo to click on our comment page.

Bonnie

Thank you, Bonnie.

I have read piece of newspaper. It`s poor if Olney`s albino squirrels will died.

Askar Isabekov.

Hi Askar,

I found this attached photo of an albino squirrel in Olney, Illinois from this website about squirrels. Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

I searched altavista under racoon and your page came up. I need some advice. I hope you can help.

I live in Southern California about 20 miles outside of Los Angeles in a normal suburban type neighborhood. I've lived in this area for going on 37 years, and discovered that a family of racoons has moved into my cypress trees. Actually my two cats noticed them first. They don't bother each other after an initial stare off. I rather like them, and would like to provide a safer home than the cypress tree.

My questions are these:

1/ I thought I would build a house for them, any idea on what it should look like.

2/ What do they eat. I think they may be stealing dog food from the neighbors dog, and possibly eating trash. I would like to offer a better source of food. any ideas?

3/ One of them is much bigger than the other. I think she may be expecting, but don't know. When do they have their young.

Well, that's all for now. Thanks in advance for any input or ideas you have.

Hi Bob and Nancy,

Sounds like the raccoons are entertaining you too. We lived in Hidden Hills in the West San Fernando Valley about 15 years, 15 years ago! Are you near there?

Perhaps our readers will have some substantial input. I will put this up on the comments page and we will see.

I believe raccoons like to live in trees. I don't know about Cypress, ours are Maple and Oaks.

We put out dry cat food, water, and they helped themselves to the bird seed.

They appear in the early summer with their young. That leads us to believe they have their babies in the spring. I don't know how long the gestation period is.

The males appeared too. The females didn't want the males near the babies. I don't know if they were strange males (to them) or if they didn't want to share the food, or if they feared for the babies. Maybe all of the above.

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

Great site...lots of fun...very creative

Dawn

Hi Dawn,

Thank you for the kudos. I am including them on the comments page.

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

I have enjoyed your Backyard Zoo. I live in the Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina and my husband Jerry and I feed deer corn out behind our log cabin on the edge of the woods. We see lots of critters that come to our feeder - raccoons, squirrels, chipmonks, deer, doves, but no turkeys, although we hear them calling to each other. I have enjoyed your web page and have bookmarked it. I'm getting a new computer and want to make sure to save it for transfer to my new computer. Clara

Hi Clara,

Sounds like a beautiful place to live. Have you ever seen an albino squirrel? No body has mentioned this photo. We thought it was quite a sight to behold, especially in the summer. In the snow he had perfect camouflage.

Good luck with saving your data for the new computer. What a nice treat for you.

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

From: Angel Shanafelter

I just love your backyard zoo! We've been living in the woods for only about eight months now, and I am just enchanted with having wildlife visitors! In fact, I found your web site while searching for information on opossums.

For the last week, I have had two darling little possum youngsters coming onto my deck at night. They were eating the bird feed (it looked more like they were chewing it up and spitting it out), so I started putting them out a bowl of leftovers. Well, after just a couple days of this, they are now on the porch by 7:30 PM looking for supper! They don't mind us gawking at them from the window a few feet away, or walking around and making normal human noise and commotion. And last night, a stray cat came and intimidated them into leaving for a while so he could have some crab salad, too.

So here's my question(s!): Is it OK to feed these little guys? Am I going to make them dependent on me? Are they going to have 20 babies in the spring and then I'll have to buy 50 lb. bags of dog feed to feed them? Do they have any destructive habits that will make my landlord unhappy with me? Am I going to make them unafraid of humans, which will get them shot the moment they walk onto my redneck neighbor's porch (that would be my landlord!)? Will the stray cat eat them right after I fall hopelessly in love with them and give them names? Will they chew up my 5 lb. hairless chinese crested dog if they ever run into her? Will they get rabid and bite my cats? What in the world do they eat all winter in the wild? Can I teach them to eat out of my hand? And if so, should I not do it, for the above reasons? What happens to them if I move in 6 months (we're looking to buy a house, so it may happen)? Will they starve? Will I be obliged to catch them and take them with us? Will I have to get them fixed so they don't have the above-mentioned 20 babies in the spring? Oh, the moral dilemmas!

I'd just love to make outside wild pets out of them, but I want to do right by them, not just do what would amuse me. Anyway, I'd really appreciate any advice you could give me, since you seem to be quite experienced in this area! Thanks!

Angel

Hi Angel, Thank you for your lovely comments. It sounds like you are having a lot of fun in your woods.

Everything I have read says you should allow wild animals to be wild. (this is a disclaimer). I believe that any wild animal, will protect itself if it feels threatened, by you or a little dog trying to take charge.

However, we have always put food out for the wild animals. Birds, deer, and we have a picture that shows several wild animals eating together from a dish when we lived in California. They were right outside our patio door. So far we have gotten more than enough pleasure watching them, even inviting some in, to counteract any distruction that has come about. We haven't tried to pet them, because we were afraid the other animals would shun them if they had our scent on them. They are not really tame, they just think of our home as another place to find food.

I just put your E-Mail on our zoo site under comments. I didn't put your E-Mail address on it so if there are any replies I will put them up there so others can learn from them..

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

I guess you live in Plato Center, Ill. Seems like an interesting spot. I'm envious of your zoo! I don't know if my wife would appreciate a raccoon tearing up the porch.... There pretty strong critters... I once did some research (telemetry studies) of raccoons on St. Catherines Island, off Savanna , Ga. ..... I know what you mean about them being strong and curious....

The closest I've been to a wild turkey is seeing some tracks in the snow in the Catskill Mts of NY. It would be interesting to see what they look like in the wild.

Anyway nice site, enjoyed the pictures, don't have any to offer.... don't seem to carry a camera with me when I'm hiking.......

bfn

Phil

To the Zoo Entrance

Glad you liked the page. Thank you for your comments. I put your note up on the comments page.

One time we were camping in a National Park in Florida and one of the most memerable things was waking up during the night to see the eyes of about 10 raccoons glowing in the dark, in a tree near us. It was like a disney cartoon!

bfn

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

Subject: turkey shots - photo kind

Your page was wonderful!! I was enjoying the read when along came the music - most entertaining!! Gonna give the site info to a friend that just bought a 20 acre farm in Oregon -- they spied wild turkey when they checked the place out!

To the Zoo Entrance

Glad you liked the page. I am glad to hear the music is working too. Thank you for your comments. I put your note up on the comments page.

Have your friends moved onto the farm yet? I hope they have a camera ready. It would be great to hear from them too.

Bonnie

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Susan

To the Zoo Entrance

Wow. This sounds great. Cougar! Please keep us posted. Thank you for your kind words. I am thrilled you could hear the music and liked it. I put your note up on the comments page.

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

I wish I lived there

Joey

To the Zoo Entrance

Thank you for your comments. I put your note up on the comments page.

I am very grateful to be living here. My only regret is that our children are all grown up and I can't yell to them to come look at whatever is appearing. The good thing is they (in varying degrees) all have their own backyard adventures going on and love nature too. It is a thrill to know that my love of animals and plants has been multiplied. As a parent of grown children this is a blessing.

I wish everyone could have this love. I guess that is why I am sharing it on the web! It Works! (I know, all you said was you wish you could live here. I must be in a sentimental mood this morning.)

Bonnie

To the Zoo Entrance

I love my birds and Squirrels. There is nothing they wont do for a peanut or peanut butter . I have seen one hang up side down by one foot to get sun flower seed from the feeder. They are a great source of joy for me .

Elaine

Hi Elaine,

Thank you for your comments. I put your note up on the comments page.

It is a joy to me too. It tickles me to watch their ingenuity and determination. I have known people that think there is a war and the people are losing!

How do you put out the peanut butter for them?

Bonnie

Let us know if you have enjoyed BACKYARD ZOO, your comments are appreciated.

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