Raccoon mothers will gladly take back their young if given a chance.
"Raccoons are wild animals and should never be kept as pets," asserts David Hitzig, Executive Director of Busch Wildlife Sanctuary in South Florida. "Raccoons, unlike cats or dogs that are domesticated, will never be domesticated, will always be wild and need to be kept wild." But even Hitzig knows there are times when a baby raccoon has found its way into your heart by virtue of a dog bringing it home, a nest being found, or a baby raccoon being left by a mother who has been killed or injured herself. And when that happens, well, there's nothing else to do but raise the little critter.
Instructions
Caring for an Injured or Orphaned Baby Raccoon
1. Baby raccoons are called "kits".
Warm the baby as soon as possible. This is important because if the baby's body temperature has dropped below a certain point, the baby's chances of survival drop with it. Baby raccoons are unable to maintain body heat once they leave the heat source. In the nest, this would be the mother's body. To warm the baby, wrap it tightly in a cloth. Don't be put off by the struggle and fuss the baby makes, it will be fine once it realizes it is safe with you. But be careful, as baby raccoons do have little beginnings of teeth at about four weeks old. Use your body heat to warm the baby, or hold it between your palms to warm it up. In extreme cases you may need to use a heating pad set on very low, or a hot water bottle filled with warm tap water.
2. Inspect the kit's body for injury. Look for obvious signs of injury such as broken limbs by gently moving the kit's fore and back legs in its normal range of motion. Check its face for any blood, dried or fresh, and use a clean, white washcloth dipped in warm water to clear away any blood or dirt from the face. Pay special attention to the nose and mouth area to insure there are no breathing obstructions. Using the warm cloth, gently wipe the baby down on its entire body, mimicking the mother's tongue. This will calm the baby as well. Remove any fleas, ticks, fly eggs or other parasites.
3. De-worm the babies as soon as possible. You can obtain a de-worming medication from your veterinarian or wildlife rehabilitation facility. Keep the kits away from your household pets and strange animals as they are susceptible to a number of canine and feline diseases. Raccoons are also a rabies vector species, which means they can carry the rabies virus so do use extreme care when handling your orphaned raccoon. You will know if the raccoon has rabies, however, as it will act sick or weak and will most likely die within a few days anyway. Be aware that if the animal does bite or scratch anyone it can be legally confiscated by authorities.
Raising Baby Raccoons
4. Raise more than one raccoon at the same time if at all possible; doing so is much easier than raising a single raccoon. The babies will bond to one another and keep each other warm and provide companionship. If you are attempting to raise a single raccoon, try to find another orphaned raccoon of the same size and age.
5. Feed the baby raccoons with a bottle and nipples using a kitten milk replacement formula as long as necessary. Once the babies are able to eat on their own, you may switch to solid foods. If the babies are very young, starving, or dehydrated at first, offer Pedialyte mixed with warm water. That is about all their little digestive systems can handle. Once they are eating on their own, you can purchase a good quality puppy chow and moisten it with a milk replacement product. When you are confident they are eating well and thriving, you can switch to puppy chow kibble.
6. Teach baby raccoons to fear people, dogs and cats while in your care. Resist the urge to cuddle with them, introduce them to resident pets and children and become part of the family. When they are living in the wild again, their lives will depend upon their natural fear of humans and predators and you don't want to do anything to interrupt that balance. Keep your baby raccoons confined in an unused room or a pen where they won't be disturbed. Keep their living area clean and prepare them for release when they are about 16 weeks old by moving them to an outdoor enclosure on your property.
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