I found a baby raccoon. It's very weak. I took it in. But now how do I help it? I need answers. Good ones too.

Question

So I found this baby raccoon. He looked so weak and hurt. My guess, he fell from a tree. So My family took him in. His left wrist is smolen and he has a gash on his head. The worst of i all is he is so limp, when you pick him up he feels so lifeless. my all of his legs and stuff work. He breathes slow. He can't walk, maybe he needs more time. We have been giving him fluids. Like water and petAlyt. We even gave him sofened cat food diped in jelly. That's his favorite. But I'm worried on what too do. Did I mention, my parents gave him a kitten formula. I don't think they should have done that. I'm worried it's going to make his body shut down. I need answers on what too do. I'm worried about him. He needs to live. So please tell me anything you know that may help. It is soo needed right now. He's in gods hands yes, but I want him to live more. I pray for him all the time. Weve had him for almost a week. Should he have more time also to get better? Just please leave information. Thanks.

So I found this baby raccoon. He looked so weak and hurt. My guess, he fell from a tree. So My family took him in. His left wrist is smolen and he has a gash on his head. The worst of i all is he is so limp, when you pick him up he feels so lifeless. my all of his legs and stuff work. He breathes slow. He can't walk, maybe he needs more time. We have been giving him fluids. Like water and petAlyt. We even gave him sofened cat food diped in jelly. That's his favorite. But I'm worried on what too do. Did I mention, my parents gave him a kitten formula. I don't think they should have done that. I'm worried it's going to make his body shut down. I need answers on what too do. I'm worried about him. He needs to live. So please tell me anything you know that may help. It is soo needed right now. He's in gods hands yes, but I want him to live more. I pray for him all the time. Weve had him for almost a week. And he is not diseased. So stop saying I'm in danger.

HE IS NOT DISEASED! SO STOP SAYING I'M IN DANGER. AND I'M NOT BEING ILLEGAL, I'M ONLY CARING FOR HIM UNTIL WE HAVE A VET TELL US WHAT TOO DO. geesh.

Answer 1

keeping raccoons and other wildlife is illegal. Contact the wildlife department immediately. Taking him in and withholding veterinary treatment possibly needed for a week can get you in a LOT of trouble. There are wildlife rehab people that will take him, get medical treatment and make sure he's raised ok.

Added - sorry you don't like the answer - but it *IS* illegal to keep wildlife including raccoons in a captive situation without official permission. And keeping an animal that is injured for a week without getting them to a vet can bring cruelty charges. I don't know of a state where it's legal to keep a coon without permission...you wanted an answer to help and were given one. You want to blow that off rather than LOOKING at the probability it's true in your state. You're describing an injured animal that sounds like he's fighting infection ("feels so lifeless") a week after injury.

Answer 2

He may have internal bleeding if he fell or was hit. I think the kitten formula was good though that is what I would have given him. Like cats and dogs he probably what they call depressed you know like if you get hurt real bad and you just want to be left alone. Don't stop caring for him give him more time. He may have a broken bone which will probably have to be set.
Hope your raccoon pulls thru. My husband had one as a pet when he was a kid but I think he has told me they just fed it human food and dog food. I think what you are doing is on the right track, don't give up. Sorry wish I could help more.

Answer 3

Leave them til wildlife gets there, they have very very sharp teeth. I don't know why the mother left if killed by another animal, HBC (hit by car) or possible rabies victim so it's safest for you to let wildlife rehab take care of it. Also they carry many intestinal parasites, ringworm, fleas ticks and lice. Give them a call back and see when they can help or have to better guide you. Best of luck to you and the coons and NO milk, it'll give them diarrhea if they are to old and cows milk isn't good for them at all.

Answer 4

First things first with any baby. Keep him nice and warm, don't let him catch a cold it's the worst at this stage. Next assesse the arm, if it's not broken you can let it heal on it's own, but if it is find a dowel or a piece of wood and make a splint for it so he doesn't cause further damage. THe lifelessness might be the shock he's feeling, raccoons and opossum have a defense mechanism where they 'play dead' if they feel that their in danger (Oppossums even secret scents that smell like their decayed), you baby might just be scared. Next you should look out for that gash, I find that Neosporin works wonders! Any cut any animal I bandage with Neosporin, my dog, flying squirrels, squirrels, chipmunks, cats everything. I know people will disagree with me but it's easier then to get any wild animal to hold still for an alchohol swab. After you bandage his head you can go about feeding him. Pedialyte is perfect you want to stop him from being dehydrate, this will help with that. Actually kitty formula is perfect for him, I recommend the brand Esbilac (for cats of dogs are fine) this being that Esbilac or any kittne or Puppy formula is made with goats milk rather then cows milk which provides all the necessary vitamins and minerals. You can follw the direction on the can or powder formula to mix it, But i recommend using Pedialyte to mix the formula for the first week and then you can go back to plain water. Next sleeping arangements are very easy. You will find that he will grow attached to you so you can either make up a doggy bed for him with a blanket or let him sleep with you. When I used to have a raccoon as a pet he just slept with me. Also try to determine his age to figure out how much formula to give him. You can feed him with a baby bottle if he's old enough or a syringe with a nipple.

Good luck rasing your baby. But make sure nto to get too attached if you plan on releasing him later on.

Answer 5

my sister found a baby racoon after the mother was hit by a car,she took him home a raised him for about 8 months. this baby wasn't hurt so when she got him home she fed him goats milk,pablum then eventually added fruit and veggies. they also like meat of all kinds.you should be able to give him a baby asperin every few hours to help his wrist. wash his wound good with soap and water and appy anti biotic cream. also give him honey and put in a little chopped garlic in his food,it is a natural healer.also you can apply thick white honey to his gash and it will act as a poltice to ward off infection.if his eyes are clear and he is not foaming or drooling at the mouth and is drinking ,that is a good sign.here in canada it is against the law also so the vets would do nothing for him. as he grew he became quite a handfull but a loving little mischeif pet. he would tear up the house, unlock his cage and as you ate your meals you would see a little black hand feeling accross the table to find some thing to eat.one day he stole my brother inlaws steak right off his plate and enjoyed every mouthfull. in the spring they took him into the woods about 15 miles away and left him to be with nature. it was very hard but it was nessary for his welfare and my sisters .best of luck and thanks for careing for the little guy.

Answer 6

DO NOT CALL A VET! - Vets are for pets, and most of them have no experience with wild animals! Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. You can find one here: http://www.tc.umn.edu/~devo0028/contact.htm

These people have the training and the resources to care for the orphaned raccoon without endangering their own health.

Do not try to care for the raccoon yourself. If you live in the US, it IS illegal to keep a raccoon, even for a short time, without the proper permits. It is also extremely dangerous.

If the raccoon is weak, it could very well be diseased and you could be placing yourself in danger by having the raccoon! Please listen! I used to help deliver raccoons and other mammals to a wildlife rehabilitator when I worked at the Avian rehabilitation center. I know what precautions she had to take to work with these animals.

"RACCOON DISEASES: They are a common carrier of rabies, a potentially fatal disease. They also carry canine distemper, which can kill your dog. Their feces may contain raccoon roundworm, the spores of which humans can breath in and become seriously infected by."
http://www.wildlife-removal.com/raccoon.htm

"The raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis) is a serious public health concern. This parasite is transmitted through the ingestion or inhalation of eggs passed in raccoon feces. Children should be prevented from playing in areas where raccoons have defecated. Raccoons are also hosts for the zoonotic (transmittable to humans) disease leptospirosis, but the incidence is so low as to be of concern only to people who routinely come into contact with these animals, such as wildlife rehabilitators or animal control officers." (And possibly you, if you keep the raccoon)
http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/a_closer_look_at_wildlife/raccoons.html

Answer 7

I understand you wanting to help all animals but please remember raccoons are wild animals and should not be kept as pets. I would take him/her to a vet just to make sure it is okay. Good luck on finding a vet who will take one though. I knew one lady who found a blind raccoon and only one vet in town would even think about looking at it. I would recommend taking him/her to a wildlife refuge for long term care.

Answer 8

You need to find a wildlife rehabilitation center.
The kitten formula was actually a good idea. what a wild baby needs though, it its mother's milk.
You and your family are only hurting this animal and decreasing its chances of survival every moment.
And you have exposed yourselves to a possibly carrier of rabies.
In the future, leave wild animals alone! Often, even if they are injured, the mother will come along and take care of it.

Answer 9

Man I love raccoons. I feed the ones outside my house. Have you though about taking him/her to a vet? Is it getting stronger at all? Anything you feed it would be fine because think about it, they live in the wild and they eat whatever they can. Something is probably wrong with it's legs. Take it to a vet and pay for it to get help because if you just drop it off, they might just cremate it since it's a wild animal.
Good luck.

Oh yea, and it's eating so that's a good sign.

Answer 10

The absolute best thing to do at this point is to hand him over to a wildlife humane society. They will take care of him and nurse him back to health. Then, if possible, they will release him back to the wild or find someone who cares for injured wildlife. Most local humane societies will have a section for injured widlife. Dropping them off is free and the best way to ensure their safety.