A large family, with the aim of making an even larger family, has moved into our house – with us still living here!
When Border Collies Toby and Tess went for them, they simply ganged up on them and chased them away.
Actually, they are welcome. Banded mongooses are the cutest creatures imaginable. They lived in our ‘basement’ for decades, but some years ago they stopped. I thought it was because of the Pooch Pack having got overlarge. However, a family of 20 -30 mongooses has moved in again, Pooch Pack or no Pooch Pack, and may be seen leaving early in the morning for wherever they spend their days. Due to their timing, I have missed seeing them – I am not an early bird.
I am informed by the earlier risers that when confronted by Tess, and later by Toby, the pictured group not only stood their ground but advanced threateningly. The dogs retreated.
The only downside is that they tend to be rather rowdy down there after they wake up. They were rolling something around and banging it against things this morning. If it was an egg, it was a very tough one. Also, their chittering can be a bit disturbing when one is still trying to sleep.
Anyway, I have closed off the side of the house where they have their entrance to keep the dogs from disturbing them, particularly when there may soon be very young ones.
© Colonialist November 2013 (WordPress)
Colonialist's Blog 
Ah, that is s-o-o cute.
Wait till they plant a banana tree 😉
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Whoa! They’re not only cute, but they sound hysterical, unique personalities.
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I will be mentioning some of these in a future post!
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If I didn’t know you were near the beach and you didn’t mention that they mongooses, I would have thought that they were meerkats! It’s good to know that I’m not the only one that would have made that mistake though.
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Yes, the meerkats we’ve had here were pets – it is not an area they are found in the wild. The mongooses, however, do occupy this area as the southernmost part of their distribution.
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How wonderful to have such charming and helpful tennants. Looking forward to some early morning photos. We have seen the odd mongoose at our holiday home but never a whole group at once.
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This is quite a gang of them, I hope they give an opportunity for a family portrait.
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You are most fortunate. What an absolute treat, Mister N.
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I do most definitely find it one!
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Congratulations on the additions to your family! They are adorable! I hear grandparenthood is a great place to be, emotionally 😉
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We were ‘parents’ to an orphaned one of these some years ago, and that was fun!
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There’s a whole new family for you now. And their kids will love you, I’m sure! 😀
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Just as our kids are sure to love their kids!
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I never knew what a mongoose even looked like. They really are quite cute….. but are they similar to vermin..I am probably wrong , so don’t shoot me down in flames…I am the uninitiated, without information
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They are not really regarded as vermin here, to my knowledge, as they are not really destructive and keep down reptile and insect populations. They are also very cute!
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That is so wonderful, wow! I will be adding this to the roundup if you don’t mind?
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Please do!
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How lucky can you get… now you might learn to be an early riser…
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I tried this morning – not early enough!
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Very cute creatures……..unlike the roaches we get here.
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We get big fat roaches – but the mongooses like dining on those!
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lucky you 😀 the aliens have landed
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Looks like it, doesn’t it?
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Oh how adorable… you lucky lucky things !!!! I’m speechless with envy… I’m so glad they’ve come to the right place where they have kindly tolerant neighbours !!!
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Not so much neighbours as landlords! As rental they reduce the numbers of reptiles and insects.
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Sweet little family of Mongai, Col. 🙂
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I wish I could capture (on camera) the whole group of them!
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They do seem to go around in herds. 🙂
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Very sociable animals!
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Fascinating lodgers. The only mongoose I’ve ever known was Riki Tikki Tavi in the Just So Stories. I hope they stay, and learn to let you sleep in quietly.
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They are indeed, and that character from the Just So Stories was always one of my favourites.
Even if they don’t, it is worth it.
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Beautiful.
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Agree!
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They look like they can take care of themselves. Such a happy occasion, having a new family nearby 🙂
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They know how to use safety in numbers!
I was happy to see them making use of our available accommodation again. Far better than having rodents or snakes down there!
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When I saw the picture I thought they were meerkats – not that I’ve ever actually seen a meerkat or a mongoose. I love that you are more than okay with them being in your basement and that you are protecting them as well. That is just very precious and, especially after my own post today, it reminds me of the many of us who nurture and care for life on this planet, and for the planet herself. Do wake up early, at least once or twice, to get good pictures for us though. Please.
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Meerkats are similar in many ways. They don’t live in our area, thoough – my avatar is a pet of Son-in-Law’s sister which came to visit us.
I must try and get better pictures, and also re-tell a most hilarious tale featuring myself, a horse, a mongoose, and a packet of cigarettes.
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Oh yes, you must,
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The better pictures are counted out … my camera has just gone wonky! *loud curses*
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OH NO! I would be in total crisis.
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I worked in a bike shop a few years ago and there was a bike brand, Mongoose, I always thought it was a made up name and then someone told me that they were an animal, I think, sorry, I can’t remember, but this is the first time I have really heard about them. They sound really interesting, almost like children too.
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Ah, the Mongoose is still one of the prime MB brands.
The animal versions are playful, inquisitive and really fun to watch.
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I hope you will do more photos, I would to see more. I am curious now, will have to go and google them.
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I didn’t realize that Mongoose stand up like Prairie Dogs, Meerkats, and Groundhogs.
Hope that they turn out to be terrific neighbors!
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They are all very similar.
As long as they quieten things down a bit in the early mornings!
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how fabulous this is,, in the forest when mother was alive we once had a nest of adders..;)
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The mongooses would have loved that – only they would have been the subtractors! 🙂
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Riki-Tiki-Bangers
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Yes – and that reminds me that the snake population is probably going to emigrate for a while after seeing our new population!
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Thanks for sharing -I’ve never seen a mongoose! They look like they’re sassy little critters!
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They are sassy indeed! We had the pleasure of an orphaned one as a house guest for a while – what a character!
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How blessed are you!!! When visiting a friend in ‘Toti we would leave an egg or two out on the veranda for a visiting gang. Enchanting.
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They are! I just hope they don’t emulate the monkeys, though, by coming into the kitchen to supplement their larder!
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Wow, and now I am so jealoooooooooooose!!!!
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You have loads of dassies not far away!
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