what do i do with a raccoon baby

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my neighbor just tried to give me a baby raccoon for onece i said no but would like to hear if anyone knows if it is even legal in missouri to keep an animal from the wild. i do remember when i was a kid my aunt and uncle raised one they had found but his hind legs quit working they were told that they should have given him ? vitamen as coons need alot of that or that will happen so i also need to know if my neighbor keeps the coon what kind of vitamen they need to give him. what i really have a problem with is he is always losing chickens to something so why would he want a coon as a pet? i guess with the animals i have i should not point at anyone. please help if you can thanks. gail

-- gail (gef123@hotmail.com), June 10, 2000

Answers

We raised an orphaned coon several years ago. His name was Clyde the coon. We kept him in a largish cage which was attached to the house and accessible through the window as well as outside. He liked table scraps and cat food. We kept him for about 7 months, till he started to get cranky, then released him in a no-hunting state park about thirty miles north of here. He was alot of fun while a baby and youngster. When we were taking him to the park he sat upright very nicely between the bucket seats in my VW truck. He was happy to be released though.

About 6 years after we had released him an adult coon showed up in the yard and appeared to be sick. He set up housekeeping in Clydes old pen and stayed there for several months until he died. We've wondered if Clyde returned for some tlc etc. because we were living on the Wisconsin River at the time and the park we released him in was also on the river but north of us. Who knows. Interesting to speculate about.

-- john leake (natlivent@pcpros.net), June 11, 2000.


The first question is about how old do you think this raccoon is? If he is so young as to possibly not have taken colostrum from his mother he may not make it. I had a pet raccoon for a bit over four years. I got him when he was about two months old and he was sooo neat! There is no particular vitamin that you need to give him, providing he has had colostrum, but there are some particular things about raccoons that may be helpful to know.

They are omnivorous and you can feed them table scraps and supplement with cat or dog food. They can get both canine and feline distemper and need rabies vaccines twice per year as they are very prone to that as well. You can keep them in the house as they litter box train easier than most cats I have had. If you do keep it inside you will HAVE to put those child safety thingees on ALL of your cupboards. They are as smart about latches as most people I know, maybe even smarter!

They make excellent guards! I knew a man that had a 45 pound boar coon and lived in a really bad area in Milwaukee and no one messed with him. If they intend to keep the raccoon, they should have it nuetered. I lost mine when it was breeding season. They go a bit insane and can seriously hurt you. I still have a scar from that time. Before panicking about raccoon attacks, don't forget that dogs can get crazy about mating and hurt you too!

-- Doreen (livinginskin@yahoo.com), June 11, 2000.


Around here, raccoons are bad to carry rabies, so you might want to be mindful of that. Also, I raised a baby wild rabbit two years ago with my other rabbits I raise and the Game Warden here made us turn it loose when it was big enough to go back into the wild....so I think I'd check before I "adopted" a raccoon (unless you have a really good hiding place!)

-- Suzy in 'Bama (slgt@yahoo.com), June 11, 2000.

IT IS UNETHICAL TO KEEP A WILD ANIMAL AS A PET. I know there are exceptions, but I don't think this case is one of them. The anecdoetes above, about raccoons biting as they mature, are very true. Not to mention that raccons today are one of the most disease & vermin-ridden wild animals out there. They carry a roundworm that can be fatal (deaths have been documented) to children and the elderly. They spread canine distemper to pet dogs, and, less frequently, rabies. They are so over-abundant that, at least here in Michigan, native bird and turtle populations are suffering due to the coons eating their eggs & babies. I hate to think of any animal being mistreated or suffering, and I have rehabbed orphaned raccoons in the past, but I will not do it again because of the impact these animals have on other species. My (very strong and heartfelt) opinion is that orphan coons should be taken to a vet or game warden for euthanasia. In fact, if your state is anything like MI, you couldn't get a vet to touch one! Or even a Nature Center. Call the DNR or animal control. Cute as they are, raccoons are very problematic these days.

-- Shannon (Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary) (gratacres@aol.com), June 12, 2000.

Sheesh Shannon, if keeping wild animals is unethical, we would never have developed any of the domesticated animals we have today...I guess we must be ancestrally unethical, huh? Another way of looking at it would be that you were taking one out of the gene pool as it were. Also, the euthanasia comment, it is better for the animal to simply be shot in the head than poisoned. Who are we comforting here?

-- Doreen (livinginskin@yahoo.com), June 13, 2000.


Agree with Doreen here! Folks always wanting all stock to go to the vet to be destroyed, stressed in a car ride, sitting in a cage uncared for while the vet makes time, then poisoned? It's fine to rescue wild animals, we give free goats milk to the local wildlife folks who raise out deer to be set loose eventually. I do think that this coons life should be saved, feed it well, and relocate it. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), June 13, 2000.

I would agree with relocation if, in our area, the coon wasn't a prime source of rabies. I would (and have) shot a coon that came into my "domestic space". Most coons found in domestic space here have been proved to have rabies, so I am cautious. As someone said on another thread, it is important not to put the problem on someone else. (In that other case it was a snake and would have gone to a state park, without incident....no chickens to bother it there!)

-- Anne (HT @HM.com), June 13, 2000.

Gail, I'm a Missourian too and we are fortunate to have an excellent system of volunteer wildlife rehabilitators who work with the Dept. of Conservation. Jeff City has the Runge Center, KC has Burr Oaks and there are several others. Let me know where you are and I'll see what I can do to help you find someone. I have a friend who works at the Whetstone Creek Wildlife Area (Callaway County)and I know she can get you the information you seek.

I don't recommend keeping it as a pet. All these wild babies are cute but when they grow up, they don't have the skills to fend for themselves plus they have usually lost their fear of humans. The rehab people use tecniques to help the critter overcome the problems of being raised artifically.

-- marilyn (rainbow@ktis.net), June 15, 2000.


Marilyn is right. The reason wild animals are not amongst the common domestic animals is because, however cute they may be as babies, for whatever reason the adults are not suited to domesticity. If they were, they would be (I hope that made sense!). Every animal that exists, just about, has been kept as a pet at some time or other by someone -- if they were well suited to it, everyone would have them, like cows, horses, dogs, cats, etc.

-- Kathleen Sanderson (stonycft@worldpath.net), June 16, 2000.

Not to be insensitive but young coon tastes mighty good. Parboil it for a few minutes and then bake slowly with lots of onions and any other vegetables that you prefer. This approach might just cause you to look at the murdering little bandits in a different way.

-- Don (hihilldon@yahoo.com), June 17, 2000.


Quick! get the gun & kill it befor it grows up & eats the Chickens!

-- Okie-Dokie (www.tommycflinstone@aol.com), June 18, 2000.

There are several things that I have to say on this! I personally have reaised three raccoons and I see no probolem in having them be a pet, UNTIL IT IS TIME TO RELEASE IT! Right now I am trying to get a fourth from 4 boys who shot the mother coon, and they are now trying to raise them on thier own. They is no way in hell thgat htye can do it. They know nothing about the raccoon lifestyles and their habitat! So I am trying to do a better thing for that baby coon, and I am getting no where on it. It will end up dying before the months out unless there is someone that steps in and takes it. Right now, they are still figuring out how to feed it properly! When they see thier foolish behavior reflected in the eyes of the coon. I think that in the end they will agree with me ion this! I'll update you later on this subject!!!!!!!!!

-- Fawna Ann Hammond (thepyschochickfromhell@yahoo.com), May 02, 2001.

The toughest part with a 'coon is between the ages of one and 2 when they reach sexual maturity. If you can live thru that (some can get quite nasty wanting what's natural), and you have the experience and know what to do, you'll have it made.

A baby 'coon wont thrive on junk from the table; they need a proper diet. I would suggest you call your ag extension service to see about the legalities of keeping the critter where you live. If you do decide to keep him, the extension service may be able to give you information on the care; if not, call your nearest wildlife center to learn about the proper care of a 'coon. The wildlife center here does a lot of rehab on wild critters.

Next, call your vet and if he doesn't see 'coons, have him recommend a vet who does. One of my vets is the vet at one of those drive-thru safari places, and he has quite a bit of experience with different exotics.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), May 03, 2001.


I have recently come in contact with a baby raccoon!! The mother had her babies in my garage and so my family and I had to evict them. We flushed her out with Amonia and then drug the box outside so she could collect the babies later. The mother took all the babies but one. It sat in the box she had it in for about a day. I took it inside wrapped up in an old rag that was in the garage so it wouldn't smell like me. I don't think the mother will come back for it and there is a fox around my house. I'm afraid that if i leave it outside overnight the fox will take interest before the mother does. I need to feed it but how??? Please help no one else will! :(

-- Katie (wigsley01@hotmail.com), May 08, 2001.

I would contact either a vet who is familar with raccoons or call Fish and Wildlife. If you want to take care of it yourself here is what I have been doing and it seems to work. Buy some baby soy milk formula and feed out of a bottle, as it gets older add some cereal and applesauce to wean. Some raccoons seem to be lactose intolerent so it is good to stick to soy milk.

-- Ariale Lewis (Arialeganesh@msn.com), May 27, 2001.


I don't have an answer, but I have a baby coon that eats the stray kitty food I feed my stray cat that comes to my porch. This baby coon also comes by, sometimes late at night to eat the food. I did learn that baby coons clean the cat food with the water, and leave the water very dirty. Is it healthy? I love your forum, because I learned a little bit about raccoons. I keep the raccoon outside, but I do feed it. I don't know what, besides cat food to feed it. I think it may be a baby, but it isn't a new baby. It may be a few months, perhaps even a year old. I can't tell. Should I feed other food when the raccoon comes to my porch? Please E-Mail me if anyone knows the answer. Thanks Chrystina

-- Chrystina (chrystigirl@hotmail.com), May 27, 2001.

I agree with Shannon. Wildlife should never be kept as pets. The best thing to do is to contact your states Division of Fish and Wildlife and ask for the nearest Wildlife Rehabilitator. They are experienced with raising orphaned animals while trying to keep the animal from getting imprinted to humans. Wild animals should remain wild. We as humans should not meddle in everything on this planet. I have taken some classes on wildlife rehabilitation and there is some kind of worm that racoons carry that they can pass to humans. They infect the brain and are fatal. Its these worm eggs that infect you. I think they are too small to see and the only way to destroy them is with fire. Contact a Wildlife rehabilitators association on the web and they may have more info.

-- Ed C (Hobotacoma@yahoo.com), June 04, 2001.

coons ain't nothing but trouble, always digging in the compost and trying to get in the coop. drown it in a bucket of water and be done with it.

-- April (atobias@yahoo.com), June 04, 2001.

Ive come here to update

I got the raccoon, and i raised it and released it

-- Fawna Ann Hammond (thefoxfire@hotmail.com), October 30, 2001.


I have a baby raccon. Its like 4 or 5 weeks old she is so cute. If you find a coon then just keep it and take care of it duh!

-- billy bob fred joe john (tombobfredjoejim@timmysinthewell.cum), April 26, 2002.

My husband brought home a baby raccoon that was aleast a week old. We managed and he/she is about ten weeks old now. "Sam" is now getting to the point of being comical and fun to be around. we had a bout of diarriah when we fed Sam cereal w/bananas. Sam does not like to be alone now that he/she is older. I hope to release Sam, but I think it would be hard to do. Don't get the raccoon unless you can be very committed to raising it, I had to take the baby to work with me, so it can be fed every few hours. I don't need to now, but it was a hassle.

-- shiendee (slp76@hotmail.com), May 04, 2002.

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