By sheer luck I set an old Browning Platinum camera at a questionable cavity in a rotting black oak tree. I expected squirrels and deer mice, and that's what I got. But I also got a ringtail coming and going every week or so. I've gotten lots of clips of these little beauties, but all of short duration. This critter gave some glimpses of its habits and the reactions of western gray squirrels to its presence. The raccoon's "cavity fishing" was another treat. I have a couple of camera's there now (Browning Extremes) to see if my luck holds out.

Very cool video! I don't believe I've ever seen one of those before. It seems to have a weasel body with a tail of a raccoon.

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What a pleasant surprise to see an animal that we have seldom seen here before. Looking forward to seeing what other footage you get with the Extreme cams. Are they a nocturnal species, Chris?

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They are very slinky critters and definitely nocturnal. A late friend of mine caught a baby ringtail in the Huachuca Mountains of Arizona . It was shy but had free run of his house. They are fairly common here in the foothill canyons and the Sacramento Valley. In the valley's wildlife refuges they often take up residence on wood duck nest boxes.

Good catches Chris, it will be interesting to see shat else you get.

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Interesting creature, l looked further, Wikipedia: Ring-tailed cat.......mammal a member of the racoon family.
I too am looking forward to seeing what other footage you get. Now if this hollow was in a tree here (in Australia) then it would certainty be occupied by a parrot family or maybe a Kookaburra.

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I'd settle for parrots or kookaburra! Here the tree cavities are often commandeered by gray squirrels. I'm trying to figure out what mades a good owl cavity, or they they just have to fight off the squirrels. I've put up 5 different screech owl boxes on my place, and they are always taken over by squirrels. Two were taken down by bears who enjoyed a tasty meal of tender squirrel pups. On my friend's pet ringtail: my wife reminded me that his wife confided that the beloved "Chooki" almost broke up their marriage. I guess the scent marks in the living room were a bit on the gamey side. I have been told by wildlife biologists that they have a potent anal scent gland.

Very interesting Chris ...


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Talking about squirrels, we are thankful we don't have any for that exact reason there isn't enough nesting cavities as it is let alone if we had pesky squirrels. I have lots of various nest boxes spread out across our farm at various heights, from bat boxes to brushtail possum boxes to owl boxes.

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Well done Codger...wish we had a few around my area. Don't see hardly any skunks or civit cats any more, used to see them in the road after everyone runs them over. Can't seem to reason why anyone would go out of their way to run over any animal trying to cross the road.