Rabbits very rarely carry rabies. They die pretty quickly from the virus if they haven’t already died from the bite.
Don’t know about cottontails, but in domestic rabbits holding a scared rabbit on its back can cause tonic immobility.
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I’ve lived with raccoons in the attic. Used to scare the dickens out of elder daughter, who had a loft bed, putting the noise pretty much on top of her…
Convincing them to leave and stay out was an unamusing debacle, or not enough time has passed.
I currently cohabit with an unknown number of mice…
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a little stunt gecko! you caught him trying to film his new movie :>
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I’ve lived with bats and boas.
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personally he’s so chill, I wouldn’t mind having him as a roommate in my house.
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One time, after hearing a talk about forgiveness, the church basement was packed with people. And somebody pointed out live mouse in the back corner, right under someone’s chair.
Before I could decide whether to say anything, the mouse ran along the wall, under a giant display case, behind a decorative chest, and up the stairs. There was a kid there watching who chased it up the stairs. I followed more slowly.
The mouse ran down the hall, straight to the front door. One of the ushers, with great presence of mind, saw it coming and opened the door. The mouse ran out.
…I’m pretty sure that’s the only time a mouse was ever found in that church basement and made it out alive. The speaker was Kathryn Koob, a famous American diplomat, so it seemed appropriate. 
At another church, the church bats used to hide behind Sallman’s “Head of Christ”. I still reflexively look for little bat fingers sticking out whenever I see that painting. I wish I had a better photo, so I could make it into an observation, but it was years ago so my photos are not good
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This was on the screen porch, not inside the house, but we had a red-shouldered hawk visit one day!
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Shoot a hawk?? Is that really a porch rule?
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I didn’t even notice that was there! It’s my grandma’s house and “porch weekend” is when all of her high school friends come to visit, so I assumed it had something to do with card games or drinking haha
This little guy was quite happy to be gently led outside on the end of a broom!
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That’s good to hear! For a minute I was pretty worried about what happened to that hawk. 
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OMG I FOUND IT.
Don’t know if there’s enough here to identify it, but here is the church bat in its proper habitat, i.e. behind the “Head of Christ” that every church in the area displays somewhere.
One time there were three behind there somewhere.
…I so have to go make an observation now.
(Edit: The CV suggested “Vesper Bats”, so at least it’s not stuck in “Mammals”?)
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Okaaay… that’s a little disturbing. A tiny black hand reaching out from behind a painting.
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I don’t really have the visceral creeped-out response that some people get to bats, but yes, it is super creepy. I kind of love it.
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Adorable 
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Not just any painting… but Jesus Christ himself!
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"This project focuses on the life inside homes, libraries, schools and other buildings. Nothing outdoors, nor even anything on porches. The species we are interested in are the ones that sneak through windows or under doors. Also, the focus is on wild species and so no domestic animals. "
https://www.inaturalist.org/project/never-home-alone-the-wild-life-of-homes/terms
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Two of the four coral snakes I have removed from my house.
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/183296355
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/101841198
Sadly I do not have a photo of the one the cat found crawling in my bedroom. No one injured, including the snake, but I found that if you have a coral snake in your room and have a handy cardboard mailing tube around, the snake will willingly crawl into it to hide and you can relocate it safely outside!
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WOW. My sympathies on your plumbing situation at the time. Wow. I feel like you must have a lot of other good stories about that house!
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Thanks, but actually I decided a few days ago not to submit them, as my kitchen is open air thus they do not fit the criteria even though all are indeed wild.
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I have three real and a hypothetical edge cases:
- An unidentified spider built a web between the windowpane and the screen. I decided that’s outside.
- A pholcid above the previous spider was on the inside side of the window. I decided that’s inside.
- A lupine bug was between the pane and the screen of the outside front door. I decided that’s outside.
- If something’s on the outside of the inside front door, or the inside of the outside front door, is it inside or outside?
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