Who are the animals living in the Sacramento Suburbs?
When you live in the suburbs of Sacramento, you live with animals. Who are these beasts? You have the domestic types, dogs, and cats. The chicken and potbellied pig crazes seem to have subsided. Then there are the wild animals; snakes, deer, turkeys, skunks, raccoon, frogs, mice, rats, and squirrels just to name a few. Aren’t squirrels disguised rats with bushy tails and tend to stay out of your house. I actually saw two beavers in the Parkway in Folsom as well as a fox.
Normally, these wild creatures are not a problem as they mostly come out at night, except for the turkeys. These guys go anywhere they want as there is power in numbers. I saw a hawk come after a turkey that was sitting in a tree (yea, they do fly). Not a smart move as four turkeys attacked immediately causing the hawk to change his lunch plans. Then there are situations when creatures are a problem.
I let our dogs out late one night, and the larger one sensed another animal in the backyard and took after it. Unfortunately, she discovered how a skunk protects itself. Luckily, only her head was affected. A lesson learned. The frogs will croak all night, particularly in the spring, when your windows are open to catch the pleasant spring breezes. However, the worst of all are the rats.
Everyone is a orchard farmer.
In the burbs a lot of folks think they are orchard farmers and will plant fruit trees. Wonderful, I like fruit just as much as the next guy. With the fruit trees come the rats. The trees provide a smorgasbord with variety throughout the neighborhood. I hate rats. Could you tell? I am like Monk; I immediately think plague. They will get anywhere and everywhere. I do my best to eradicate when I suspect one hanging around. I haven’t planted fruit trees simply because of rats. Neighbors do, so I harbor rats from time to time. Guess I could let snakes loose in the yard or get a cat.
The nomad cats.
Speaking of cats, not many are seen running around outside doing what cats do. No, it seems that the Burbs of Sacramento is a haven for dogs. The most common cat complaints are their bathroom habits, going in the neighbor’s flower bed or garden and catching birds. Years ago when we had an outdoor cat, a neighbor called asking us to keep her inside for a few days as the young birds were learning to fly. Celia was a great hunter and surely would have had her way with them. Celia was not happy. However, the baby birds of that spring did learn how to fly without interference from her. In her defense, a neighborhood rodent problem was non-existent.
Then there are the dogs.
I have dogs–Honey and Sophie sunbathing in the photo above. I love dogs as well as cats. However, there is one thing that grates on me about dogs—the barking. Two facts; 1) dogs believe in protecting their territory and 2) hearing a dog barking in the distance tells them to do the same. It’s what they do.
The chattering with other people’s dogs, in general, is easily corrected. But the territorial thing always leads to fence fighting. Because of the lot boundaries, I have four neighbors with adjoining fences separating the properties. Each of these neighbors has dogs. Two neighbor’s dogs will begin barking as soon as I open the door to go outside. It is very irritating. The whiff of another dog causes the fence fighting. Save a fence to partition the rivals the anger on display would surely result in a rumble. I have to be honest my dogs are no angels regarding this activity. Consequently, each time they go outside they have a chaperon.
My wife wants to me to install a double fence. Not going to happen. So short of that I will continue to take in the fresh air a few times a day and make sure my little angels remain so.
These minor inconveniences are what one puts up with living in the Burbs. The trade-offs are many with more elbow room, safe neighborhoods and quality of the schools being the primary incentives. I could also put together a list of the advantages of urban living as well as I do not mean to pit one lifestyle against another. I currently live in the suburbs and practice my craft in the suburbs. Reason for this blog is to provide those wanting to live in the suburbs of Sacramento a perspective of the lifestyle, what to expect and what not to expect.
As I am writing this, a dog barking in the distance is heard by my angels, and they just have to respond. Guess dogs have a lot to say.
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