# Wildlife, Ferals and other animals



## Claire (Sep 22, 2008)

Last night and one night last week I heard a dog crying in the night.  It sounded for all the world like my own dog (an aged Jack Russell).  Last week when I heard it she was sitting on my lap, so I knew it wasn't her.  It was in the wee hours, when I'm inclined to be awake (insomniac tendencies).  Last night I went upstairs and found her soundly asleep next to my husband, who I woke for long enough to ask him if she had been crying.  No.  I know it wasn't one of the feral cats, it did not sound like a cat.  Do either foxes or racoons make a similar noise?  I know we have both in the neighborhood.  I've heard tell that there are coyotes around, but haven't seen one.


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## urmaniac13 (Sep 22, 2008)

Have they been any sightings of prairie dogs in your area?  If I am not mistaken they earned their name because of their very dog like yapping...
Or perhaps some poor neglected dog who needed to go out and take care of his nature's calling but there were no one to let him out?


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## quicksilver (Sep 22, 2008)

We have some coyote from time to time. But they usually don't travel alone. I don't know about fox, but it's not racoons.
Check out this site for coyote noises:                                          
YouTube - Coyote noises outside


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## smoke king (Sep 22, 2008)

Chupacabra???


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## Fisher's Mom (Sep 22, 2008)

smoke king said:


> Chupacabra???


 I didn't know people outside of Texas and Mexico knew about those critters!


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## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

Fisher's Mom said:


> I didn't know people outside of Texas and Mexico knew about those critters!


 
MonsterQuest on the History Channel keeps us abreast


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## larry_stewart (Sep 22, 2008)

You can have my ' not so aged" jack russel if you want


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## Fisher's Mom (Sep 22, 2008)

Could it be a bird, Clare? There are quite a few that are very adept at sounding just like another animal.


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## smoke king (Sep 22, 2008)

larry_stewart said:


> You can have my ' not so aged" jack russel if you want




Larry, If I were closer I'd take him (her?) in a hot second


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## MexicoKaren (Sep 22, 2008)

LOL - chupacabra was my first guess! Since we used to have goats, we were always on the lookout for the dreaded chupacabra....last night, we heard strange noises and got up to investigate. We found two little _tlacuaches_ rooting around in the cat food bag in the pantry. Our two cats were simply sitting and watching, with curious expressions on their faces, a foot or so away. Tlacuaches are a type of little black opossum (I happen to have an affection for opossums - one I know that not everyone shares). Here is what they look like - very cute.


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## quicksilver (Sep 22, 2008)

Funny, MK. I call our armadillos, opossums on a half shell. And I DON'T think they are cute. They are very destructive here.


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## MexicoKaren (Sep 22, 2008)

QS, we have armadillos here, too...we saw one walking down the street just after we arrived here, more than two years ago, and haven't seen one since. They must stay well-hidden.  I like your avatar - we also have crocs, not alligators. BIG ones. They are pretty aggressive saltwater crocs and the beaches are sometimes closed when one is spotted.


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## quicksilver (Sep 22, 2008)

MK., arms are nocturnal, and they burrow holes or under houses, tear up a/c duct work to nest and raise their babies in. Alligators are everywhere here and there are manmade canals everywhere for rain run off, and mangroves, which are great for hiding in. You can hear their gutteral calls at night to their babies and back. It's kind of spooky. 
I had possum up north, and they ate what was left after the dogs, then ducks, then cats ate. They were cute-except for their tails. 
But, boy, is this getting way off topic. Sorry, Claire. I hope you find an answer to your question.


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 22, 2008)

Claire said:


> Last night and one night last week I heard a dog crying in the night. It sounded for all the world like my own dog (an aged Jack Russell). Last week when I heard it she was sitting on my lap, so I knew it wasn't her. It was in the wee hours, when I'm inclined to be awake (insomniac tendencies). Last night I went upstairs and found her soundly asleep next to my husband, who I woke for long enough to ask him if she had been crying. No. I know it wasn't one of the feral cats, it did not sound like a cat. Do either foxes or raccoons make a similar noise? I know we have both in the neighborhood. I've heard tell that there are coyotes around, but haven't seen one.


 
 The youtube Quicksilver linked is exactly what coyotes sound like. Raccons make a kind of chirping noise prairie dogs make a more chip chip noise fox make no noise unless confronted I also doubt it's a possum and definitely know it's not an armadillo to far north. It's most likely is a dog in distress unless you know how to differentiate dog howls and barks it will be hard to know what they are trying to say.
I do not know if you have coyotes in your area but I would not be surprised.


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 22, 2008)

This is some of the dog barks there are many more.
10 Dog Barking Moments & What Your Dog Is Trying To Say


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## Claire (Sep 22, 2008)

Haven't seen any possums or armidillos since moving here, but I do know that the former will live almost anywhere.  Heck, I don't care if a line gets off topic, it is fun to just chat.  I DID find a kitten in the yard, a real cutie I'd adopt if my geriatric dog didn't mind (I don't think she'd be happy) but I know what the feral cats sound like, and this didn't match up with what I've heard before.


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## Claire (Sep 22, 2008)

My mail carrier also owns a geriatric Jack Russell and said that she'd decided to get a JR puppy and wound up finding it another home.  They are SO energetic and take a lot of time and energy to train.


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## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> This is some of the dog barks there are many more.
> 10 Dog Barking Moments & What Your Dog Is Trying To Say


 
Something tells me that I do not want to click on this link..... not with my three dogs sleeping peacefully at my feet anyway


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 22, 2008)

I have owned this book for several years it has a part that explains dog barks and howling and what it means. I believe it to be very true. It also shows what their body language means. It is very interesting and I refer to it often. It even has a list of the smartest to dumbest dogs as in how well they train and how well they take commands. A  good read regardless. I highly reccomend it.


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 22, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Something tells me that I do not want to click on this link..... not with my three dogs sleeping peacefully at my feet anyway


 
 Not to worry its just in text no sound but is missing many other barks and howls dogs have which is why I added the link to the book I have to explain it much better.


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## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

jpmcgrew said:


> Not to worry its just in text no sound but is missing many other barks and howls dogs have which is why I added the link to the book I have to explain it much better.


 
Thanks for telling me that, my dogs just settled back down after clicking on Stacy's singing the dogs to sleep thread 

So what is the book? I didn't really see a book advertised except for something on dog food.... I'm always up for a good dog read, although I can't say I agree with all the interpretations, but that's normal.


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## jpmcgrew (Sep 22, 2008)

pacanis said:


> Thanks for telling me that, my dogs just settled back down after clicking on Stacy's singing the dogs to sleep thread
> 
> So what is the book? I didn't really see a book advertised except for something on dog food.... I'm always up for a good dog read, although I can't say I agree with all the interpretations, but that's normal.


 
 OOPs here it is I really think you will like it.
Amazon.com: The Intelligence of Dogs: Canine Conciousness and Capabilities: Stanley Coren: Books

I do have to say that one of the tests they recommend is to throw a towel on the dogs head and that the quicker they pull off the towel the smarter the dog is. In my test I think my red bone coon hound just thought that since I wanted the towel on his head he was just going to let it sit on on his head at least for a while anyway. He has since passed away but my other dogs pull the towel off right away but I'm convinced Henry just decided to go with what I was doing he was quite the go with flow kind of dog. I sure miss him.


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## pacanis (Sep 22, 2008)

Thanks for the link, JP.

Yeah..... the towel on the head test.
Pierce has been bumping into things for ten months now....


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## Saphellae (Sep 23, 2008)

My best friend in high school had a Jack Russel named Goliath (ha.. ha). He looks exactly like Wishbone. C'mon, we all remember Wishbone.

Anyways, I remember every time I went over there, he would run up and down the front hallway, peeing, so excited he was.

Also, at Christmas time, we left some food on the table and came back, he had eaten ALL the rolls. We then found him under the tree demolishing a huge stick of butter.

He farted all night.


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## Lynd (Sep 24, 2008)

It's funny what kind of sounds animals make sometimes, I went on one site that had recordings of wolves, jackels, hyenas etc, and one of them made sounds exactly like a screaming women. Imagine camping out and hearing that!


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