How to Raise Raccoons

Raccoons require a lot of attention, especially when they are babies. If a mother raccoon is separated from one of her young, the baby must fend for itself. If you find a baby raccoon, you can raise it yourself as long as you have lots of room and patience.

Things You'll Need

  • Pet nurser
  • Baby blankets
  • Steel cage
  • Litter box
  • Shredded newspaper
  • Variety of toys
  • Baby food and kitten milk
  • Fruits and cereal
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Instructions

    • 1

      Put baby blankets into a steel cage. Baby raccoons like to nestle in warm blankets, and although they might chew holes in them as they grow, the raccoons will still use them. It is best to keep the cage door open so the raccoon can roam around but go back in when it wants to sleep.

    • 2

      Feed the raccoon. Its age will determine what you feed it. For instance, a 1-month-old raccoon needs to be bottle fed with kitten milk you can buy at pet stores and some grocers. Use a pet nurser, a bottle with a round nipple. As it grows, add baby food to the bottle and then put some in a bowl. You can feed a raccoon solid food, like fruits and cereal, after three months. If a raccoon can walk and climb, it is probably old enough for solid food.

    • 3

      Offer it a lot of toys. Raccoons love to play with cat toys, dog toys, even baby toys. Leave the toys on the floor for the raccoons to play with and get exercise. If you leave a raccoon caged too often it will become overweight and even depressed.

    • 4

      Train the raccoon to use a litter box. Use shredded newspaper, not litter, because the dust from litter can hurt their lungs. Watch the raccoon throughout the day, and when it squats to relieve itself, move it to the box. This takes a lot of attention and patience.

    • 5

      Baby-proof your home. If you let the raccoon roam the house, make sure it knows how to use the litter box, and that you've locked every cabinet. Keep trash hidden and breakables out of the raccoon's reach.

    • 6

      Keep the raccoon vaccinated with annual shots to prevent feline diseases and rabies.