CAUGHT RED HANDED

Costa Rica Cost Of Living Update:            Garbage Pick Up- $6/month

We wake to our alarm going off.  My husband jolts up ready to surprise an intruder, grabbing an assortment of weaponry he keeps just for this occasion. However, there was no bloodshed, no fisticuffs, no fight to the death.  Our interloper was this little guy, caught red handed eating a banana.

He got up on our table, knocked down our security camera, and watched as we took a photo shoot of him.  Similar to Barbara Streisand, he only allowed us to photograph his left side.

And just to show us who’s boss, he defecated on our terrace as he left.  And just to show him who’s boss, I stepped in it the next morning.

My guess he is some kind of opossum. A banana stealing, alarm smashing, terrace pooping opossum.

By | 2018-04-15T18:19:56-04:00 February 9th, 2011|Categories: Nature|Tags: |10 Comments

About the Author:

Nadine is the author of the best-selling series, Happier Than A Billionaire. Join her as she navigates living as an expat in the sometimes confusing, always beautiful, country of Costa Rica.

10 Comments

  1. Jorge Chinchilla June 30, 2017 at 5:28 pm - Reply

    We called it Zorro de Balsa… una Zarigüeya

  2. Victoria September 26, 2011 at 12:59 pm - Reply

    Coatimundi, right?

    • admin September 27, 2011 at 10:00 am - Reply

      I believe this was a opossum. But I did see a bunch of coati’s walk past my front yard. They are so sweet.

  3. Barb February 11, 2011 at 7:40 am - Reply

    Loving your blog.
    I watched an episode of No Reservations last night – Anthony was visiting the Grenadine Islands in the Caribbean. Seems it is a local tradition to capture these creatures at night (located high up in trees by the gleam in their eyes) and roast them up for a midnight feast. Being a raw foodie I was not particularly captivated by this particular show, but right away recognized the similarities between your intruder and their dinner. I much prefer your version.
    You’re living my dream!

    • admin February 12, 2011 at 8:38 am - Reply

      Gross…didn’t once think about eating this guy, although, I wasn’t hungry at the time. It’s one of the things I like about living so close to a reserve, I get to see interesting critters all the time. This one looks a lot like an opossum, just slightly different, more rat-ish. I am sure he will be back.

  4. Todd February 10, 2011 at 7:17 pm - Reply

    Now what would be funny is if you could get some revenge and defecate on that possum’s den entrance.

    • admin February 12, 2011 at 8:41 am - Reply

      I think it’s the best action. Non-violent but gets the point across.

      Sounds like a job for my husband. He’s just the guy for that sort of thing.

      • Todd February 13, 2011 at 1:07 am - Reply

        Well at least it’s only a possum. When I lived up in the mountains we used to have a pesky bear that would come by, knock over the trash can getting garbage all over the yard, then crap in the driveway.

  5. Sandy Streit February 10, 2011 at 10:31 am - Reply

    Wow! What a great possum. I knew there were possums in S. America, but I didn’t realize Costa Rica had so many varieties. I did a quickie Google and it looks a lot like the common possum (Didelphis marsupialis). Your friend looks pretty fat, compared to the photos I found online. Your photos and stories continue to amuse and amaze me.

    I have a squirrel nestbox with a tv camera inside. A squirrel built a nest inside. About 2 weeks ago, a screech owl checked it out. We didn’t see the squirrel using the nest, so we decided to clean-out the nest material, hoping to make the nestbox more owl friendly. Gil got up on the ladder. I had the camera on so I could listen to his running commentary as I cooked in the kitchen. He pounded on the box, he pushed on the material, and there was no give. Obviously, the squ was not in the box. They have several nests, so we were not surprised. He pulled out several handsful of material, when I heard him holler “Shit”. He had a handful of material and a squirrel was mixed in the stuff. He dropped it all. He didn’t get bit and the squirrel was not happy. For several days, the 3 squirrels that come up for food seemed afraid. I think the poor victim told the others about his mistreatment.

    On the plus side, the owl has come back to inspect the nest. It’s a western screech owl. I can’t tell the sex. Females are larger than males, but I see only 1, so… nothing to compare it to. Anyway, I had the camera on to watch. It didn’t stay long. Now I am wondering if the owl can see the UV light from the camera.

    I’m heading out to Mexico for 3 weeks starting March 1. Going with a group who go down every year to escape the Wisconsin winter.

    • admin February 10, 2011 at 10:44 am - Reply

      I should do exactly what you are doing. Get some cameras and hang them up in a nest or in a tree. I really would like to know where the Kinkajou is hiding. Probably not to far from my house.

      I bet your husband got quite a scare once he saw that squirrel. I really would have freaked out!

      Does an owl make a lot of noise? I hear what sounds like “whooo whooo” in the middle of the night and wondering if that could be an owl or another type of bird.

      When we first moved here, we were driving up the mountain when an owl started flying next to the car. He continued for a while, just turning ever so often to take a look at us. I knew then that this was the right move for us.

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