Raccoon Identification
With their bushy, dark-ringed tails and mask-like facial markings, raccoons are typically easy to identify. They often have a plump appearance and inquisitive nature that helps them adapt to nearly any environment.
- Family: Raccoons belong to the Procyonidae family and the species Procyon lotor. They share a close relation to pandas.
- Size: Raccoons are the biggest species of the Procyonidae family. In addition to looking plump, they can grow as long as 26 to 38 inches long. Their tails average 10 inches long, and they weigh an average of 12 to 35 pounds.
- Color: You might be most familiar with raccoons with gray-brown and brown fur. They also may look reddish-brown in appearance. All share black markings around the eyes that look like a mask and dark stripes on their tails.
- Legs: Raccoons have four legs and forepaws that are slim with an appearance that looks similar to human hands. They also have significant dexterity, which allows them to climb and forage with relative ease.
Types of Raccoons
North American Raccoon
Signs of Raccoons
Raccoons are nocturnal for the most part, so they typically are more active at night, often when humans are sleeping. They do leave signs behind, including footprints and scratches around tree bases. Other signs you might have raccoons include the following.
Noise
Raccoons can make scurrying and scampering noises. However, you might hear them vocalizing, too. They often whistle, hiss, and growl while feeding and scream if they are attacked. Additionally, young raccoon kits often sound similar to birds.
Droppings
Raccoon droppings are tube-shaped and dark-colored. The ends are usually blunt, and upon closer inspection, you might see evidence of undigested food like nuts and seeds.
Property Damage
Raccoons have been known to tear into roofing materials, riffle through garbage, and rip through insulation and attic materials as they seek food and shelter. They also commonly leave smudges on walls, marks on gutters, and can create holes in siding and insulation materials.
Pets Behaving Strangely
Your pets may notice raccoons on the premises before you do. If you notice your dog or cat looking intently at the wall, ceiling, or floor, it could be a sign of a wildlife intruder.
How Do I Get Rid of Raccoons?
Once you identify that you have a raccoon problem, what can you do about it? For starters, eliminate their access to food. Avoid feeding them by securing garbage in tightly lidded receptacles and bringing bird feeders in at night.
Other steps you can take include the following:
- Try raccoon deterrents and repellents. The Humane Society recommends installing motion-activated sprinklers and lights to scare them away.
- Block their access to your property. Seal entry points using wire mesh, sheet metal, or hardware cloth. Also, trim overhanging shrubs and tree branches to keep these avid climbers from accessing rooftops and other areas.
- Promptly call a pest control professional for help. Choose a pro with the training and expertise needed to safely and humanely eliminate the problem.
Raccoon Facts
Lifespan
Raccoons’ lifespan varies dramatically. In the wild, they typically live an average of up to three years. However, when kept in captivity, raccoons can live 20 years or longer.
Food Sources
Raccoons are known as opportunistic eaters. They eat a diverse diet that mainly consists of nuts, seeds, fruits, berries, insects, and small animals. They also have a habit of getting into garbage and pet food as they scavenge for sustenance.
Reproduction
Once young females reach about one year in age, they often start having babies. Raccoon mating season can occur anytime from January through June, but it typically peaks in January and February. The gestational period lasts 65 days, and females often birth anywhere from two to five kits. Those young raccoons stay with their mothers until maturing to 13 to 14 months in age.
Risk of Disease
Raccoons can transmit germs associated with several diseases, most commonly rabies, which can damage the central nervous system and cause death if untreated. Rabies inflames the human brain, causes fever, violent movements, and confusion and can be fatal. If you are bitten by a raccoon, it’s important to seek immediate medical attention to ensure your health and safety.
Additionally, contact with raccoon droppings may distribute diseases and parasites.
Where are Raccoons Found?
Raccoons are native to the United States. They live in various ecosystems, including forests, swamps, rural areas, suburban areas, and even cities. They readily adapt to their surroundings, finding areas to den such as trees and logs, brush piles, sewers, and manmade structures.
When are Raccoons Active?
Raccoons are more active at night, but you might still see them during the day. In spring and summer, raccoons often forage for food to feed their young during daylight hours. Seeing a raccoon in daytime isn’t a sign that the animal is rabid.
More Information About Raccoons
How to Get Rid of Raccoons Permanently
Humane Wildlife Control: Ethical Ways to Deal with Nuisance Animals
Frequently Asked Questions
What does a raccoon eat?
Raccoons eat just about anything they can get their paws on, including fish, rodents, insects, frogs, plants, and human garbage.
What does a raccoon sound like?
Raccoons make various noises, including screaming, chittering, purring, growling, and whimpering.
What do raccoon droppings look like?
Raccoon droppings are dark with blunt ends and a tube-like shape.
What diseases do raccoons carry?
Raccoons can carry rabies. They can also transmit other pests, including parasites, mites, and ticks, along with other diseases like Baylisascaris procyonis, leptospirosis, salmonella, e. coli, and giardiasis.
How can you tell if a raccoon has rabies?
If a raccoon looks lost or confused, foams at the mouth, or seems to have trouble walking, it may have rabies.
What do raccoon tracks look like?
Raccoon tracks look a lot like tiny human footprints. Each paw print averages approximately four inches.
Can a raccoon jump?
Yes, they can. Raccoons can jump about 4 feet high and up to 10 feet horizontally.