Today's Animal Find

[hspinnler]

Okay, I've seen pictures of racoons, o'possums, snakes and stuff, but did not expect to see one of these today. Meandered through and open vent. Ducks don't walk, they meander. Of course, if she was guarding her eggs or hatchlings, I've would have been slithering quicker than a snake.

[Ted Allen]

Very Nice!

It beats the heck out of a rattler.

[jthalmann]

My father was inspecting a tight crawlspace in the Poconos about 15 years ago . Out of the corner of his eye he saw something move a few feet from him. He turned and it was a sleeping blackbear starting to wake up. He dropped his tools and got out ASAP. As far as he knows his tools are still there to this day.

[hspinnler]

If that tail is true regarding the waking bear and having had the opportunity of coming face-to-face with a Rattler, I'd probably be on Zoloft already. I might go back later for my tools though.

[ccarrington]

How much damage can a scared 35 pound raccoon do after it comes down the chimney into an unoccupied home? At least it swept all the soot out on the way down, and we were able to track its movements through the house via sooty footprints.

Several points to make here…this home was inspected by a NON NACHI inspector. The lack of a rain cap/spark arrester was missed during the inspection. The chimney damper was left open, and the glass fireplace doors were also left open too.

All I can say is that a frightened and trapped 35 pound raccoon can do a hell of a lot of damage, when it’s trapped for a few days... This will cost the owners many thousands of Pesos to get fixed.

[gbeaumont]

Originally Posted by ccarrington

How much damage can a scared 35 pound raccoon do after it comes down the chimney into an unoccupied home? At least it swept all the soot out on the way down, and we were able to track its movements through the house via sooty footprints.

Several points to make here…this home was inspected by a NON NACHI inspector. The lack of a rain cap/spark arrester was missed during the inspection. The chimney damper was left open, and the glass fireplace doors were also left open too.

All I can say is that a frightened and trapped 35 pound raccoon can do a hell of a lot of damage, when it’s trapped for a few days... This will cost the owners many thousands of Pesos to get fixed.

I have to agree, I project managed a cleaan up from a female Racoon gaining entry into a home down the chimney to give birth a few years ago. The total insurance loss was over $12,000 in carpets, furniture and bedding.

Not a pretty sight

Regards

Gerry

[Russel Ray]

Originally Posted by ccarrington

This will cost the owners many thousands of Pesos to get fixed.

So this inspection was in Mexico?
What was the travel charge for going there from Abilene?
Did you drink the water?

[Michael W. Gault]

I had to go out and check to see if my yard duck (Herman) was still here! We had two till a neighbor's Yellow Lab got the white one (Melville) earlier last summer...



Hermans' been a tad lonely since then, but I'm glad he didn't run away to Georgia

[hspinnler]

I can't think of a safer place for that duck right now. Inside a quiet crawlspace, nesting in soft batt insulation. Hope no one's pet boa constrictor is on the loose.

[David A. Andersen]

My find.

[tneumann]

Nice....