We've had a break in the cold weather and the small raccoon is looking for food. I normally don't feed them, but he looks so small. I gave it some cat food and apples.
2007-02-21 04:42:02 · 13 answers · asked by Anonymous in Science & Mathematics ➔ Zoology
Hi, I'm a softie too. When I lived outside (as in lower 48) ,here is what I did to help a raccoon that I know lost its mom but did not tame it or train it to come to my yard, but helped it tide itself over until spring finally provided enough for her to provide for herself ... I started with cat food mixed with softened dry corn close to her denning area, but away from our home..
two days later moved it out/away again. NEVER let them see you putting the food down, by the way. I always made a ton of noise and brought a dog with me just to make sure I scared her away.
Continue this until you have moved it far enough away from your house/ into its natural habitat... for me it was in the woods on the edge of my neighbor's corn field... pretty soon she was foraging for grubs and old corn cobs from last harvest on her own (I could see her with binoculars from my deck). When it was finally clear that food was abundant I decreased the feedings to once a day, then once every other day, and then diminishing down to never. She still checked the spot, never with any luck, but I felt it was a win-win for us. She never got accustomed to humans and still survived to the spring... Never saw her back up by our house as our pups kept them pretty much scared away from all the barking!
2007-02-21 05:30:11 · answer #1 · answered by dedum 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Here take some ideas from here if it helps you
Raccoons eat a varied diet of plants and animals. Plant foods include grains, acorns, wild berries and fruits. Animal and insect foods include frogs, clams, mice, rabbits, white grubs, earthworms and beetles, to name just a few. Raccoons also feed on the eggs of birds such as ducks and chickens. Raccoons are especially fond of sweet corn and vegetables.
You may want to consider is it a baby raccoon or a youngster thats orphaned? If the young raccoon was following you around and there is no sign of mom, if it is extremely thin, or covered in fleas, likely it needs help.� If you think mom is still around, it is worth trying to reunite, even if you have touched the animal, mom will take it back if she can help, she may come and then leave, but come back for it in a few hours. Place the baby exactly where found in a plastic carrier, with the door propped closed with a thick stick (so babies can not get out, but mom can get in). Monitor from inside. Leave outside overnight, as this is when mom would be active.� If by morning mom has not come, the raccoon then needs help. a single raccoon has little chance of a successful release.� Contact vets or local humane societies to try and find a buddy.� If this is impossible, handling of the raccoon should be minimal, give toys to stimulate, keep confined (i.e. in a cage), and do not treat as a pet. It is illegal to keep as a pet, plus it wouldn't make a good pet, as it's a wild animal. In some jurisdictions it is illegal to care for raccoons and you should consult your government wildlife agency.
2007-02-21 09:36:10 · answer #2 · answered by Mystic Magic 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You really shouldn't. If it dies from the cold or starvation, there will be more raccoons. But it's soooo cuuuute! Do a quick search on raccoon attacks and they're not so cute anymore. Feeding them messes with their natural instint to fear humans, if he bites a person because he thinks they might have food, there will be a rabies test done. Or if he comes up to someone else's house nosing around for food, it might be a pistol. If it can't take care of itself, I know it sounds heartless, but so be it.
2007-02-21 12:40:08 · answer #3 · answered by gimmenamenow 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Feeding wild animals is generally a very, very bad idea. In many areas, it's also illegal.
The critters who are fed tend to lose their fear of man, and come to associate humans with food, and end up becoming problem critters. Raccoons aren't as bad as say, bears or coyotes, but they are still carnivores, and can do considerable damage to human property, and adults can become quite aggressive, even injuring children as they 'mug' them for food.
These habituated critters are more likely to be hit by cars, get attacked by dogs, and/or live off of human garbage instead of natural foods - which is not a healthy lifestyle. They are also more likely to need to be put down by wildlife or pest control operators.
So please, as cute as he is, please don't feed the baby raccoon.
2007-02-21 05:03:17 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
They love catfood. i know because I used to keep food out for my cats who love to stay outside, but had to start feeding them inside due to the coons eating their food.
WR
2007-02-21 04:55:04 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would try to feed it stuff that is more of what they normally eat in the wild. Maybe try berries, nuts or vegies. Try not to feed it chicken nuggets or anything like that. If you do, it could become dependent on you.
2007-02-21 04:48:33 · answer #6 · answered by Zach A 2 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Poor little creature.
I would do what you're doing, feeding it fruit & animal food.
Good luck with that. Hopefully he doesn't get really big & aggressive.
2007-02-21 04:48:58 · answer #7 · answered by Samantha 2 · 1⤊ 2⤋
da best thing is a brain, a human BRAIN lol nah o.j, a bowl of bird seed wid a bit ov meat wid bannans
2007-02-21 04:56:39 · answer #8 · answered by tiggerbouncy69 2 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Feed him some lead.
2007-02-21 04:49:51 · answer #9 · answered by devil5557 3 · 0⤊ 2⤋
They like chicken nuggets, no dipping sauces though
2007-02-21 04:46:11 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋