After raccoon babies have been born, they remain in the nest
as their mom goes out to forage for food. She needs enough food to produce milk
for her young. After 12 weeks, the baby raccoons are old enough to roam from their
mother. However, they will be completely independent at 8 to 12 months.
What do baby raccoons eat?
For the first six weeks of their lives, raccoons will only
drink their mother’s milk as a source of nutrition. As they get older and begin
following their mother, they will learn how and where to look for food. They
will be introduced to nuts, berries,
fish, frogs, and insects.
What to do when you find an injured baby raccoon
In case you bump into an injured baby raccoon in your
property without its mother, the first thing you need to do is access its
condition.
Check if:
- The baby is cold or lethargic
- If the head is tilted
- Is the raccoon coat matted
or patchy? - Does it have any abrasions?
- Is the baby raccoon
injured or have any broken limbs?
What to do when you find an injured baby raccoon
First, secure the baby raccoon. Put the raccoon in a
cardboard box, and place a soft towel or t-shirt for warmth. Remember. Even on
a hot day, baby raccoons could still get cold. Ensure the baby raccoon is in a
warm, dark and quiet location. Avoid feeding or giving water to the baby
raccoon. Contact your local wildlife rehabilitation service immediately.
How to reunite mother and baby raccoon
Place the box with the baby raccoon back to the location
where it was found. Be patient and leave
the box out for an entire night for the mother to find. Raccoons are nocturnal
animals, and will likely come back looking for the baby raccoon at night.
Ensure the box remains warm throughout the night.
If you left the baby raccoon out for a full night with no sign of its mother, it is probably orphaned. Mother raccoons never leave their young, and something might have happened to the mom preventing her from getting back. At this point ensure the baby remains contained and has a source of heat. Don’t feed it, and contact your local wildlife rehabilitation service for advice.
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