| Raccoon
(Procyon lotor)
Interview
with Janet Mercer
Positives
of Raccoons as pets?
Raccoons are very dedicated pets. They will give you hours of enjoyment
and amusement. They are very clean animals. Raccoons are easy to care
for. Diet is inexpensive. Most vets will take care of them. They get along
with most any kind of pet you may already have.
Negatives
of Raccoons as pets?
To me there are no negatives. But to some people they are a little more
trouble than a pet dog, cat or goldfish. There is no known rabies vaccine
as of yet that is made for a raccoon (on the market for public use). But
if you take care you shouldn't have to worry about your pet getting rabies.
Anecdotes/Stories
about your Raccoons?
To me all my raccoons are my babies as well as the other animals I have.
They all have as different personalities as a class full of Kindergartners.
And just as busy. I like raising them so that other people can have the
opportunity to enjoy the same wonderful experiences that I have been able
to have. Wild ones should stay in the wild if at all possible. Mine have
all come from 20 years of domestic breeding. The albinos and blacks seem
to have the most docile temperament of them all, but the reds have real
character.
Do they
have scent glands or an offensive smell?
To me raccoons have no more of a smell than dogs or cats. They do not
have a scent gland like a ferret or skunk.
What
is their average life span?
In the wild they will live about 6 to 8 years. In captivity they have
been known to live to be 12 to 15 years old.
Do they
enjoy interaction?
In the wild raccoons are not known to be social animals, but when raised
by humans they demand interaction, affection, and attention. They are
very loving animals. The do have a tendency to be protective of their
favorite person.
What
is their general personality, disposition, and attitude?
Raccoons live up to all the nicknames they have acquired over the years.
They are very curious. They do have a tendency to want things on their
terms. Their attitude is, if I can get away with it I will. They love
to explore every nook and corner they find. They give kisses freely and
love to be with you at all times. Some will snuggle up and lay with you,
loving belly rubs and getting their ears scratched, others like to run
and play more.
How destructive
are they for an average household?
They can be very destructive at times. It's not that they are malicious
they are just very curious. They love water, bath, toilet, kitchen sink,
you get the picture. This why I suggest a cage for them when you are not
home to supervise them. Raccoons are noisy busybodies and are always into
everything. But they can be taught manners, and do learn the work no.
Do they
climb or tear up furniture?
Raccoons are notorious for climbing. So yes they do climb furniture and
anything else that is climbable. They do not claw the furniture like cats
do, they don't really chew on things like dogs, they just always have
those busy little fingers investigating holes and crevices.
Are there
any problems associated with their claws?
A raccoon does have fairly sharp claws. You can keep them clipped if you
start out doing it when they are young. A very contradicting question
is can they be declawed? Yes they can and it doesn't seem to really stop
them from climbing or going about their everyday chores. It is nice not
to always be telling them NO! NO! don't climb. You will become their tree.
On your shoulder is where they most like to ride. BUT THEY CAN NEVER BE
RELEASED IF YOU DECLAW THEM. So I don't really suggest doing it.
How messy
are their droppings?
A raccoons droppings are about the same as a dog. Depends a lot on what
you feed them.
Can they
be litter box trained?
Yes and most of them will go to a litter box on their own. They have been
known to share a littler box with cats, if you have cats in the house.
Some choose to use their water bowl, that can easily be taken care of
by putting 2 water bowls in their cage.
Can they
be trained?
Raccoons are extremely intelligent and are very easy to train to do just
about anything that they are physically able to do. And some things you
wouldn't imagine. If you start them out early they can be leash trained.
How are
they with others pets, larger and smaller?
Some take to other pets very well. If they are raised with other pets
they really become best buddies. However they do get a little domineering.
They can get jealous of your affections for another pet.
What
size of cage do they need?
The bigger the better. No really, it depends on if they are going to always
be in the cage or are they going to be a house pet that has free run of
the house. For a house pet the cage needs big enough for a litter pan
feed and water bowl, a bed and room to play in if they have to stay in
it for an extended length of time. A good inside size would be 3ft by
3ft by 4 or 5 ft tall. Outside I have found that if the cage is big enough
for me to go into to play the raccoon is more content to play with me
instead of letting him out because then he is more interested in investigating
the surroundings.
What
do you feed them?
I have always fed mine a high protein dry dog food. With fruits and vegetables
as a side dish. There is a omnivore diet that is better for them, but
some people have trouble finding it. As babies I feed them canned goats
milk mixed with a fat free yogurt. Adding baby cereal and fruits as they
get older.
What
vaccinations/vet care do they require?
This is a trick question! Every vet and raccoon breeder says it a little
differently so I will tell what the Merck Veterinary Manual says. According
to them raccoons need the following shots - Canine distemper, Feline panleukopenia,
Canineadenovirus-2 and Leptospira bacterin-CI. They do need to wormed
on a regular basis just like a dog or cat.
At what
age would it be best to get one?
I like to get the babies at about 3 weeks old. To me they bond with you
better if you take over the moms role. Its a lot of work but is well worth
it. If they stay with mom any older they don't seem to become as people
oriented. Younger and it's not really healthy. They do need as much of
moms milk as they can get, but I have raised a many a baby from 3 weeks
old and they do just great.
What
kind of person should own these animals?
No one can ever really own any animal. We are only caretakers of these
creatures. Before getting a raccoon you should do as much research as
you can. Talk to many people about them. After hearing all the pros and
cons from people who have now or have had raccoons as pets you can then
make a sound decision if you are the type of person to have a raccoon.
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