The one on the left is not frightened of me at all.  In fact, the little rascal is very curious and often comes right up to the fence to get a look.  It’s very cute when I’m already looking over the fence and he stands on his hind feet right below me and looks up (which also puts him within arm’s length).  If I didn’t know better about raccoons, I’d be all “Aaahhh, look at the baby…  Come here and let me squeeze you and hug you and keep you for my very own…”  But I would never be so foolish.  Still, it’s very cute and makes for some entertainment if I happen to be out there when it’s dinner time.

The one on the right still isn’t very sure about me.  That one interrupts dinner constantly to check on my location and make sure I haven’t moved in for the kill.  That’s fine with me and is better for them.  Be afraid of people.  Be very afraid.

I’ll also say that having the fence between us helps calm them a bit if they do come around while I’m out there, and it even gives them a bit more confidence if I walk out while they’re already eating.

Neither of these two is very large, and certainly not as large as I’ve seen.  The one on the right is only slightly bigger than the one on the left (a wee bit in girth and a hair in height).  That makes identifying the sexes impossible, even cursorily, since otherwise I’d need to spy on their private parts.  Well, forgive me for not wanting to stand outside with a flashlight trying to illuminate the genitalia of the local nocturnal wildlife.  It’s just not my thing.

[two common raccoons (Procyon lotor)]