small animals (Newell: how much, house, living in)

[jbright5]

how much do we have to worry about our chihuahua's, min-pin's, and cats coming up missing when they are outside after we get moved out to our ranch? Just wondering, I know there are predator cats, and other animals out there.

Thanks guys
Jen

[DannyBanany]

Coyotes and mountain lions might be a factor if you are close to the Black Hills. If you are far enough away you shouldn't have to worry about it too much. Still, I would train them to stay close to home. Snakes might also be another factor in the summer.

[cancan]

friends yorkshire terrier was taken by a hawk here, I told them to watch him runnin loose but they thought i was full of it.

Dont discount the hawks and eagles.

[MJ1986]

yeah, it depends on where you are moving to in SD. How are they trained...Are they "indoor" or "outdoor" pets?

[Jammie]

If you would be living right in town, your pets would be relatively safe. Since you're living in the country, there is danger for your pets. I grew up on a farm and we had coyotes and other wild animals. They actually try to avoid people, but they will come closer to your yard and house then most people think they will. I still remember my Mom shooting the shotgun into the air when a coyote was killing chickens and our dog tried to defend them from the predator. The poor little guy~we didn't think he'd make it, but he was a survivor. Unfortunately, the gunshots didn't even scare him away. He just kept on with his killing spree and attack on my dog.

[smitter]

Hi Jammie...sorry about the dog story. That made me remember losing a dog to rabies, when I was young. Another factor of living in the country. I know you can tell when a skunk is rabid they come out in the daylight, otherwise they are nocturnals. 2cents

[cancan]

that may be an indication of rabies but not a hard fast rule....Ive seen skunk and racoon during daylight hours that were obviously not rabid.

[smitter]

Yet!!! I wouldn't take a chance of it. Your welcome to it if you want. What would you have to do to make sure either wasn't rabid? Set up traps and cage them? Why take a chance of getting bit in the process. I am sure there would be a few more skunks & raccoons left.

Besides, I don't know off hand how many raccoons populate rural Newell. I always thought they liked more trees and water areas, to help with their digestion. In fact I don't believe I know how many skunks would populate that area either. I maybe speaking out of line altogether. Sorry!

[cancan]

no need to catch them or find out.....but seeing them during the day isnt a hard fast rabies indiction....now if they look sick are staggering,drooling , hair matted.....then you know sumthings up. Just not necesary to kill every noctunal critter you see during daylight hours. No need to find out, just keep clear of them....if they attack then maybe call animal control or shoot them...but other than that just keep distance and steer clear of em.

Just my lifelong observations and 2 cents.

[smitter]

I will have to agree to disagree here. I don't believe the staggering, drooling, hair matted signs of rabies would be seen right away. I believe they would be signs of later stages of the disease. Further, why let such a disease spread to other animals? The skunk seen during the daylight here on the prairie anyway would not be standing in one place. It would be on the move traveling who knows how far. I don't believe I would spend all day or week following it around just to make sure it did not have rabies. Animal control..would take hours. No, I will stand by nocturnals not appearing during the day hence the name nocturnals. There still would be plenty of them critters running loose.