Today's Headline

[slistoe]

Got the local paper today and the headline on page two reads: "Coyotes are digging up and eating carrots". Seems a few folks in and around town are having some problems. I shot one by the pear tree two nights ago - I think he was looking for a beefsteak.

[brdhntr]

Any possibility they are hunting over bait?

[birddogger]

Any possibility they are hunting over bait?

Yes, that is a strong possibility. People are planting gardens and orchards, so they can bait and shoot coyotes!!

Charlie

[Sharon]

I wouldn't mind that. Here they are eating cats and dogs under 35 pounds. But we have to learn to live together don't forget. :roll:

[slistoe]

They get their fair share of cats and small dogs around here too. Funny thing is, I have a pen full of pheasants, a roost full of pigeons and a yard full of cats - but I still shoot them under the pear tree.

[nanney1]

I wouldn't mind that. Here they are eating cats and dogs under 35 pounds. But we have to learn to live together don't forget. :roll:

How large are the coyotes in your area? I was thinking that coyotes were usually 30-40lbs in my area of North Carolina. Maybe 45-50 for a really big one.

[windswept]

Carrots and pears? How could that be? I've read enough dog food threads to know that canines are carnivores, will only eat meat and there is no room for anything other than raw meat in the food dish.

[slistoe]

not only that windswept, these pears are not fit for human consumption. The season here isn't long enough and they don't ripen so until they freeze they are hard, green and bitter. But the pears are good bait and it keeps them away from my carrots and peas.

[ezzy333]

I was hoping to see some of the people get educated about dogfood and not the other way around. :roll: I'm ready for the whole subject to be dropped for a while and from the comments most everyone else is too. Thanks guys! We all get your point.

Ezzy

[Greg Jennings]

I've never understood the appeal of the "when free to choose, dogs eat this way", "wild canids eat this way" and "dogs self-regulate to eat what they need" lines of thought.

My dogs eat grass and puke it up. When younger, they ate deer turds and got sick. I see grossly fat dogs everywhere. For that matter, I'm overweight myself and I'm pretty sure that I have a better handle on how I should eat than a dog.

Wild canids don't eat what they eat because it's what's best for them. They eat what the can. They have to be opportunistic to survive to the next day.

For that matter, I don't necessarily buy the what is best for wild canids is what is best for domestic dogs line of thought. Sure, they evolved from a common ancestor, but it's been thousands and thousands of years. I think that there is a good chance that their nutritional needs evolved along the way too.

On a more humorous note: I used to have a lab that ate pears, blue berries and would get irate with you till you gave her the rind of your watermelon slice. That watermelon rind must be really tart, she would have her face all puckered up while she munched it down....

[Sharon]

My dogs fight over watermelon rinds too.

[Greg Jennings]

My dogs fight over watermelon rinds too.

It's so *wrong*.

[snips]

Rick shot one under the Persimmon tree.

[ezzy333]

I've had the dogs kick them out from under the grape vines when the grapes are ripe and they love the mulberries too.

Ezzy

[ACooper]

My cousin has a very prolific pear tree, every year when the pears are ripe the dogs are FREAKING obese. He cant pick them all up fast enough to keep his two dops from eating them. He ended up fencing off the pear tree to keep the dogs from over dosing on pears, it was pretty funny.

[claybuster_aa]

Got the local paper today and the headline on page two reads: "Coyotes are digging up and eating carrots". Seems a few folks in and around town are having some problems. I shot one by the pear tree two nights ago - I think he was looking for a beefsteak.

The coyotes around here go snorkeling for organic seaweed.

[brdhntr]

I've had the dogs kick them out from under the grape vines when the grapes are ripe and they love the mulberries too.

Ezzy

This is proof a dog will eat what they shouldn't. I hope everyone here knows a dog should never eat grapes or raisins.

[ezzy333]

I've had the dogs kick them out from under the grape vines when the grapes are ripe and they love the mulberries too.

Ezzy

This is proof a dog will eat what they shouldn't. I hope everyone here knows a dog should never eat grapes or raisins.

I've read that too but I sure have trouble keeping them from pulling them off our vines. Never had seen that till just a couple of years ago but I think the dogs haven't read it or at least don't believe it.

Guess until someone proves otherwise it would be wise to try and keep them out of the vinyard.

Ezzy

[High Voltage]

Ours love beating us to the fruit we have growing, cherries, mulberries, peaches, black raspberries. And forget about trying to keep them out of the tomatoes! They have knocked down the fence and when we put up a "stiffer" fence they climbed it

[tommyboy72]

I saw my first one in several years where I live just a few days ago. Looked like a young one with a bad case of mange. That is what killed most of them off several years ago. We used to have them everywhere and coyote hunters and coyote dogs everywhere around here but after that mange epidemic, many of the yote hunters got rid of their dogs and rigs and gave it up. The mange has been fantastic for the quail and pheasant here.

[shanebevel@gmail.com]

Ours eat all sorts of strange stuff. But the strangest is the burnt corn husks from when we cook corn ears on the BBQ grill. Strange, they only eat the burnt parts. They steal it off the picnic table, dig it out of the trash and pick up the floaters out of the yard. They love it.

[twofeathers]

I've had the dogs kick them out from under the grape vines when the grapes are ripe and they love the mulberries too.

Ezzy

This is proof a dog will eat what they shouldn't. I hope everyone here knows a dog should never eat grapes or raisins.

Whats wrong with them eating grapes? Not arguing just didn't know. Our Australian Shepperd LOVES seedless grapes and I'll share halves with her ocasionally. Might not after your response though had no Idea.

[nanney1]

Sharing a few grapes shouldn't be a big deal, but they are toxic to dogs. A good number might give your dog upset stomach or make them sick. Raisins are much more dangerous and concentrated.

[Sharon]

Got the local paper today and the headline on page two reads: "Coyotes are digging up and eating carrots". Seems a few folks in and around town are having some problems. I shot one by the pear tree two nights ago - I think he was looking for a beefsteak.

Well I know one coyote who wasn't eating veggies yesterday. Jessica Simpson had her dog grabbed off the porch by a coyote - never to be seen again.

[Shadow]

Sharing a few grapes shouldn't be a big deal, but they are toxic to dogs. A good number might give your dog upset stomach or make them sick. Raisins are much more dangerous and concentrated.

based on what proven study are raisins much more dangerous

I remember a family on a farm that used to toss them out for coyotes- next year they stopped- coyotes were starting to come around regularly

[slistoe]

http://www2.aspca.org/site/DocServer/gr ... ?docID=189
Try this paper. I would trust this source, even if there isn't a research paper on it.

[Shadow]

thanks- that sure does sound like fact- criminy- never would have guessed-

my daughter used to give chocolate covered raisins to my Britt and English Setter- both lived a good full life and died of old age- 15 and 14

[TEX-X]

we've been spotlighting coyotes for a while in west texas... they are a bad problem there, almost as bad as the pigs. the most productive place to shoot them is behind the dairy in the pit where they dump the dead cattle. they have gotten so bad that last year they started dropping rabies bombs... dog treats with the rabies vaccine in them. 36 confirmed cases. on even had to be caught and removed from INSIDE of the nursing home, and another one was shot trying to get into the animal clinic. A red lens on the spotlight and a wounded jack rabbit or cottontail call always seems to bring them running as well.