Raccoons!

[Coaltminer]

I have a family of 4, living in my garage. Started as mama, she had 3 cubs, all began because I was feeding my male cats on the porch. Now they're waiting for me if I get up before dawn. Darn things are cute. One baby rolled on his back and was tuggingy shoelace, like a kitten. They love the water bowl I put out for them! Gawd, they're adorable. I hope they'll always be around, they bring me peace. Sometimes they grunt like little pigs and squabble near my feet. The cats ain't happy about it, tho

 

[finesse_r]

Coons are not domestic animals. I highly suggest you evict them back into the wild.

 

[Smokin' Iron]

Coons are not domestic animals. I highly suggest you evict them back into the wild.

I agree. Those cute little cubs will get real contrary when they reach breeding maturity.

Plus you are teaching them to have no fear of humans. In the future when they want something like food, it might get real interesting on your part.

 

[Tcoburn]

I live in the country, mama will tolerate you until she feels threatened or feels you are threatening her 3 little ones. They are wild animals you need to treat them as such. If need be conservation department will assist. It gets scarier if you have children around the place. Don't be fooled if wrong place at wrong time that can cut somebody to pieces.

 

[Jessie]

Yep, cute as buttons when young, cantankerous and sometimes mean when grown. Beware

 

[carpriver]

I agree, have animal control remove them. They can not be tamed; my cousin tried to tame a raccoon it didn't end well. He had to have a finger reattached and under go rabies treatment.

 

[mkk41]

Coons like to get into fights with skunks , possums and more domestic critters like cats & dogs. And they have a high penchant for rabies.

 

[shouldazagged]

Yes, they can be dangerous when they reach puberty. Another thing to remember is that if they get accustomed to being fed, they can open just about anything with those little hands and will do whatever it takes to get to food.

 

[kwselke]

Do not feed the bears or try to keep raccoons as pets. Since you like them Hav-a-heart traps baited with pet food work well. You can then relocate them. They will bite the muzzle of a .22 if you stick one between the wires of the trap. Do not ask how I know.

 

[Mule Packer]

Coaltminer, you've gotten some real good advice here.

Unfortunately, this is one of the many misconceptions the Disney corporation has foisted on an unsuspecting public. We've seen it in their movies depicting cute, roley poly bear cubs, mischievous raccoon babies, and inquisitive mountain lion cubs.

Having lived in an area that is abundant with raccoons, skunks, foxes, bears, and cougars, I've learned that you need to give them a wide berth...and I mean a wide berth. The are wild. No matter how many pictures you've seen of raccoon babies being fed from a bottle, they cannot be domesticated successfully.

They seem nice to you now because you feed them, but you need to put anthropomorphic feelings aside and call the Fish and Game to relocate them.

 

[Gunslinger808]

True story, I had one steal my beer at a party.
Set my solo cup down, and the little bugger made off with it.

 

[woodsltc]

Lot's of good advice given.

If you decide to let them stay around ..... I have no doubt they "will" cause problems for you down the road.

Don

 

[Rintimtin]

They are cute, but can be really dangerous. To protect you and your family and pets, you should really relocate them. I know it sucks but its nature and they will never be domesticated. It might take a while but one day they will attack you a family member or a pet.

Where I used to work we had a dumpster and a family of raccoons lived in a tree near by. Sometimes we would find the baby raccons in the dumpster with no way out. We would put a board in the dumpster for them to climb out. One day a new hire saw one in there went into my bosses office and grabbed the pellet gun and killed it. That new hire almost lost his job over that. We had a live and let live policy. We didn't feed them and we tolerated them because they were still afraid of humans, they just got trapped inside the dumpster sometimes.

Also when I was young we camped alot. One time when we were camping two fat raccoons came into camp and stole a family size bag of Ruffles potato chips, We watched it happen one of them knocked the bag off the table and the other grabbed it carried it up a tree sat on a limb and ate them. It was amazing the coon held the bag in one hand and pulled chips out with the other and ate them one by one. Every time I watch the Great Outdoors with John Candy the part with the raccoons getting into the trash reminds me and I laugh out loud.

 

[gdnagle]

They are cute like a baby skunk. Both can carry Rabies. I have seen both kept as pets. The coon was kept for years on a chain and outside in a dog house. I think it died of old age. Like someone said they can carry rabies. They can get mean, they can attack you, your family, or your other pets. They will tear your trash apart. They are wild and if you tame it some it can go wild whenever if feels like leaving.

I have one around here, a little one that keeps getting in with the chickens. I haven't been able to keep him out of the enclosed pen, as it knows there is food there, so far it hasn't bothered the chickens or eggs but I won't take the chance as I have other animals and grandkids that could be harmed by it. I will either have to kill it or probably trap it and take it down the road. The skunk is going also as it keeps marking it's territory and has sprayed on dog here already.

Do yourself a favor, I know they are cute when young but don't get too attached to it and move it on. It would be terrible for it to give your other pets rabies or even you or someone else. Make sure if you live trap it that you take it several miles down the road. Live traps are cheap or call animal control. Coons are easy to trap just make sure you get babies and momma.

 

[Mike McLellan]

Wow. That doesn't happen very often. Every poster was in agreement. Too bad. I love raccoons (and skunks). Wish they were more prone to domestication.

 

[Malpasowildlifer]

I've seen some cats eat with fed raccoons, but I'd make sure the cats are in at night.

 

[Just another 22 shooter]

Get rid of them. some way; any way. In the spring when pregnant mommas are looking for nesting places I've seen them tear holes in a very well shingled roof, tear boards off porch floors, dig under garages, etc. They are a varmint of the first degree.

 

[Mule Packer]

Okay, let's forget about them being wild animals. Here's something we shouldn't minimize however. Sure, raccoons are occasionally carriers of rabies, but just as serious, they are also more common carriers of leptospirosis and baylisascaris. Dogs are especially susceptible to baylisascaris, but it can nail humans, too...and it can be deadly. Just a thought for what it's worth.

 

[Muley Gil]

I found one in my garage back in May. It was not a bit afraid of me and didn't try to run. Most likely rabid.

A .22 rifle works nicely.

 

[Coaltminer]

Gimme a break people. I want them to be wild, as mother nature intended, I don't pet them, I respect them for what they are, I was raised in the country and wouldn't treat them as tame, have no desire to make pets out of them. Our cats seem to treat them with respect, from a distance, it just happened as circumstance. I'll let them be as they are. I appreciate the dire warnings and all and understand the creatures, but close observation for several months has taught me much about a common animal that I never knew. The little ones mew when mom gets into a fight with intruding members of another family. So human-like. I know about rabies inclanation of the species, have been bitten and undergone the treatment at the ER. Don't tell me stuff I already know. They are God's, not mine, but aren't we all?