Mystery Nerf-eating creature!! A strange tale

[greenbuttskunk]

My poor son is devastated. we came out into the back yard (SE portland)
last morning to find his Nerf football torn to shreds!
There was about 1/3 of it left, the rest just small pieces scattered around the yard. I picked up the tattered mess and found all kinds of teeth marks, and mouth impression the size of a cat, raccoon, or opossum had it for an appetizer. Then this morning, another Nerf baseball bites the dust, destroyed. I have never seen anything like it. We have a gated fence around the year, its not a dog. I'm guessing raccoons, but why??

Has anyone else experienced this. I wonder if there is something in the smell or taste of the toy, maybe it's a territorial thing, or maybe they work for a rival toy company.
Strange, very strange!
Inquiring minds want to know.

[Hare's Ear]

I'm guessing a raccoon. Raccoons have done all types of damage in my backyard. Most of the things I was able to determine what they were getting at. Turf turned over - worms. Goldfish missing. Rat with its head skinned - raccoons think rats are as gross as we think they are. Other things they do are beyond me. Every few days they pull the case that holds my pond pump filter off the pump. Why do they do that? As for your Nerf toys, maybe they think there is a prize at the center of the chewy thing.

[Sweet Melissa]

If you ever want to read an interesting little story about raccons, check out "Frosty." (I can't find my copy at the moment, but it's by a woman who was a park ranger in one of the large redwood parks south of San Francisco. Written probably 30 or 40 years ago.)

Anyway, it is "cute," and you could read it to your kids, but she makes some interesting observations. For instance, she theorizes that raccoons don't "wash" their food, like we have always been told. She writes that the inside of their mouths are pretty dry, and she believes they "dunk" their food like we dunk donuts, so as to make it go down easier.

I bet if you put out a little snack, and watched, your Nerf bandit would reveal himself.

[yankemnbankem]

Hey Brad, you may want to watch Wyatt while he sleeps at night. He could be getting up and sleep walking out into the yard to play and lets his alter ego run wild. I was a kid once and I sleep walked out into the night with my nang (sleeping blanket) and played in the sandbox......then discovered Id locked myself out and woke up..... whaaaaaaaaaaaaaah (that was yesterday)

[alaskan]

I'd bet it's the salts from you're sons and his friends hands that the creature is looking for.
We can't leave any shovels or rakes out at the cabin or the local animals will chew on the handles.

[letsfish]

Originally Posted by alaskan

I'd bet it's the salts from you're sons and his friends hands that the creature is looking for.
We can't leave any shovels or rakes out at the cabin or the local animals will chew on the handles.

That was my thought ...porcipines are notorious for this behavior. But consider squirrels also. They have a nasty habit of tearing stuff up for unknown reasons ie. a chase lounge cushion comes to mind.

[Trick]

I used to have a large pool and the kids left their fun noodles in the yard. One night I heard some commotion and looked out the window to see a couple large coons tearing up the toys. Looked like it was more of a game to them.

Few weeks later they killed my pet duck.:frown:

[flyfish101]

I have a cat that loves anything like that. She'll eat my wifes cosmetic sponges, rubber bands, rubber gloves, or anything that smells like rubber. I also have a few other friends that have the same issues with their cats. Be on the lookout for some friendly felines in you area.