Raccoons, with their masked faces and nimble paws, often capture our hearts as fascinating wild creatures. As someone who has spent years rehabilitating orphaned raccoons at Wild Heart Ranch Wildlife Rescue, I understand the allure. Each year, we care for hundreds of kits, and invariably, some visitors express a desire to bring one of these adorable animals home as a pet. However, before you get swept away by the charm of a baby raccoon, it’s crucial to understand the realities of raccoon ownership. This isn’t about How To Get A Raccoon As A Pet in the traditional sense, but rather, why you should strongly reconsider that idea and perhaps admire them from afar.
The Enchanting Baby Raccoon Phase (0-3 Months): A Honeymoon Period
Let’s be honest, baby raccoons are undeniably captivating. For the first few months of their lives, they are incredibly endearing. Imagine a tiny, furry bundle that behaves much like a human infant, yet resembles a playful bear cub. During this initial stage, you’ll likely be completely smitten. They will shower you with affection, nuzzle you, and seem to adore you above all else. Feeding time becomes a cherished ritual as you bottle-feed a soft, purring creature, burping them gently over your shoulder, and cradling them through the night. You might find yourself bringing your little raccoon ‘baby’ everywhere, envisioning elaborate raccoon playgrounds in your living room, and capturing countless photos and videos. The commitment feels absolute, and the bond seems unbreakable.
The Turning Point: 4-7 Months – When Cuteness Turns Chaotic
Around the four to five-month mark, the dynamic starts to shift, and the reality of raccoon ownership begins to dawn. Those cute little scratches? They are becoming more frequent and deeper, and you’re likely getting used to seeing them heal. Weaning them off the bottle might feel like a victory, but it also marks the beginning of a more independent and, frankly, destructive phase. That laceration inside your lip from a playful nip? It might just get infected (yes, it happens). You might notice unusual odors emanating from your mattress, and everyday items like your computer mouse might mysteriously vanish. The dream of a jungle gym is replaced by the urgent need for a robust cage – a very robust cage.
Suddenly, your finances take a hit as you find yourself replacing damaged or destroyed belongings. Remember that visit from your mother? Her missing purse contents might reappear in the most unexpected places, like the garbage disposal or your shoe – along with a trail of opened lipstick. Mysterious holes in your carpet become commonplace, prompting furniture rearrangements to hide the damage. Garage sales become your new shopping destination as you desperately seek affordable replacements for chewed-up chairs.
8 Months and Beyond: Marshmallows and Mayhem
By eight months old, the once-adoring baby raccoon may seem to actively dislike you, unless, of course, you are holding a marshmallow. Marshmallows become your entry ticket into your own home. Your raccoon might start waiting for you on the doorstep daily, a blatant demand for treats. Forget to bring marshmallows? You’re now strategizing chimney entries to avoid confronting a 30-pound force of nature who views your home as their personal playground – and you as an obstacle. This is the stage where the “pet” raccoon transforms into a nightly source of torment, testing your patience and your home’s structural integrity at every turn.
The Inevitable Phone Call: Regret and Reality
It’s often around this eight-month mark that my phone rings. It’s someone who excitedly called months prior, eager for “precious baby” feeding instructions, who then dismissed my warnings about raccoon ownership and refused to bring the animal to our rescue center because we don’t encourage keeping wildlife as pets. Now, they call back, filled with regret, finally understanding the challenges they initially ignored. They lament not heeding the advice to leave raccoons to the experts.
So, before you search for “how to get a raccoon as a pet,” please, take this advice to heart: Leave the raccoons in the wild. Opt for a domestic animal that is truly suited to life as a pet, like a cat. You will thank yourself later.
The Unseen Dangers: Raccoon Roundworm and Zoonotic Diseases
And if the behavioral challenges weren’t enough to deter you, consider this: Raccoons carry a significant health risk, most notably raccoon roundworm (Baylisascaris procyonis). This parasite can be transmitted to humans and cause severe neurological damage, blindness, or even death. This is not a scare tactic; it’s a serious zoonotic disease risk associated with raccoon ownership that should not be taken lightly. Beyond roundworm, raccoons can carry other diseases like rabies and leptospirosis, further emphasizing the health risks involved in keeping them as pets.
Choosing to bring a raccoon into your home is not just about cute baby photos and fleeting moments of cuddles. It’s about years of potential destruction, behavioral challenges, and significant health risks. Admire raccoons in their natural habitat, appreciate their intelligence and playfulness from a distance, and leave their care to wildlife professionals. For companionship, choose a domesticated pet that is adapted to living alongside humans – for everyone’s sake.
