[kgentile1010]

We've been seeing a coyote the last week or so in Fernandina. Please be careful if you have small pets.

[shcisamax]

I hope no one goes to shoot it. He has a right to live as well. Everyone should just be careful of their pets as the OP stated.

[sueandskip]

Originally Posted by kgentile1010

We've been seeing a coyote the last week or so in Fernandina. Please be careful if you have small pets.

All pets have to be on a leash so what,s to be careful about ?

[kgentile1010]

When I lived in Jacksonville, a coyote took a ladies small dog when she was walking him on a leash.

[Marigold]

Before moving to The Villages, I lived in Middletown, NJ. Coyotes were a big problem for our community after a 20 month old child was attacked in his yard by a coyote who tried to drag the child into the woods. The coyote then went after the child's grandfather. Several weeks later a five year old was attacked by a coyote in front of his home. One of my neighbors could not get out of her car as three coyotes circled and jumped on her car. Children's outside activities including gym classes and lunch recess were cancelled by all schools until sharp shooters brought the number of coyotes under control. I mention these incidents to make the residents aware that it is not just small pets that can be attacked.

[shcisamax]

sheesh. You had a very aggressive strain.

[ariel]

A hungry cyote will attack. Being careful is a good recommendation.

[buggyone]

Sure, there are coyotes in The Villages. Look at all the natural preserve land and be assured there are wild critters in it and they do come out sometimes. They are usually wary of humans.

I doubt the story of three coyotes keeping someone in their car. More likely, it was three dogs of the pitbull, doberman, or shepherd types.

Watch out more for the pygmy rattlesnakes and brown recluse spiders in The Villages. Lots of reports of both of them recently.

[Marigold]

Trust me, they were coyotes....not dogs. We were told by the police to report all coyote sightings and even take pictures. My neighbor lived three doors away from me. She called police and they came with guns drawn due to shoot order because of the aggressive nature of the packs. Coyotes took off into woods when police came.

[Barefoot]

Originally Posted by sueandskip

All pets have to be on a leash so what,s to be careful about ?

Some people tie their pets outside. Not a good idea.

[pooh]

They jump fences, also. Our friends in CA had a coyote jump their tall fence, grab their doxie and leap back over the fence with the screaming dog in its mouth. They were in the yard with their pet when this happened. Cat was the meal d'jour in our neighborhood for the coyotes, day or night. They could be seen walking down our street , down the paved wide walkway between our street and the next. I saw them, the walkway was right next to my house and fenced back yard. Coyotes are beautiful canines, but they are wild, they are hunters and will do whatever they must to survive. And they do come out and hunt in daylight.

[NotGolfer]

Some folks have invisible fences as well for their pets. I wouldn't discount the stories folks tell btw, regarding coyotes. They can be more than a nuisance!

So, what are the stories of pygmy rattlers and brown-recluse spiders??

[buggyone]

Pygmy rattlesnakes are around 18 inches long but are quite venomous. I was told by a golf course ambassador that some have been seen in the clumps of weeds and grass on golf courses and also in some home flower gardens. Just be careful where you put your hand when getting those errant golf balls - or even when putting your hand in a dark corner of your garage.

I am not going to worry about them or the spiders - just going to be a bit more cautious.

[justjim]

Originally Posted by buggyone

Pygmy rattlesnakes are around 18 inches long but are quite venomous. I was told by a golf course ambassador that some have been seen in the clumps of weeds and grass on golf courses and also in some home flower gardens. Just be careful where you put your hand when getting those errant golf balls - or even when putting your hand in a dark corner of your garage.

I am not going to worry about them or the spiders - just going to be a bit more cautious.

Pygmy rattlesnakes are venomous and they do like the weeds and high grasses. A couple years ago a guy at The Plantation in a group in front of us was bit by one as he was getting a golf ball out of the weeds. He spent the night in The Leesburg Hospital. Forget the golf ball in the high grasses---not worth it! Any wild animal can be dangerous----Coyote especially.

[cquick]

Originally Posted by kgentile1010

We've been seeing a coyote the last week or so in Fernandina. Please be careful if you have small pets.

what a great photo....we haven't seen or heard him here