Raccoons – The Masked Thief in Your Home Raccoons, they are so cute to watch from the inside of any home. While humans may come into contact with them in the wild, they are not an animal one wants for a pet. They are mammals and are known to be nocturnal and are, for the most part, omnivores. Now, even though they are omnivores, they are scavengers as well. So they will find a way into your backyard and patio. If a raccoon finds dog or cat food on a backyard patio, it will not hesitate to eat it. Once a raccoon knows where to get a free meal, it will come back for more. In fact, a single raccoon with bring its family with it to enjoy a free meal. The raccoon is most likely to eat nuts such as walnuts and acorns in its own natural habitat. If, on the other hand, a raccoon wanders into a suburban setting, like the backyard of a home, it will eat whatever is on the ground or in a garbage can. The raccoon is known for getting into, and overturning, garbage cans to search for uneaten food for their next meal. Raccoons were first spotted in Cincinnati in the 1920’s and then were seen in such cities as San Francisco, Chicago and Toronto in the 1950’s. The raccoon is mainly found in North American states and territories such as Panama, Bahamas, Cuba and Jamaica. Raccoons have a good memory and have been studied by various scientists past and present. With their memory and intelligence, it is no wonder they will recall where they found their last meal and will return to that same area. When a raccoon knows where to return for a meal, it will, more likely than not, try to get into the home it is taking food from. If a raccoon is smart enough to know where to return for a meal, with family in tow, it will find a way to enter a home and search out a food source. When a raccoon is found in the backyard, or inside a home, it is not wise to try and catch it. The best a homeowner can do is shoo the raccoon, or its family, away and call the animal control in your city. As cute and furry as raccoons look, they are not to be touched or picked up. A raccoon is a wild animal and will do whatever it takes to protect itself and its family. It is also important to know that raccoons carry diseases. A raccoon carries rabies and will pass it them to a pet or human upon being bitten. The rabies disease is in the raccoon’s saliva. As the raccoon becomes “comfortable” visiting the outside of a home, it will get inside if it sees a way in through a back door or attic window. As stated above, raccoons are smart and great natural climbers. They will have no problem climbing up the side of a home, look for an open window into an attic and climb in.
If a raccoon has its “kits� in tow, they will all find their way into the attic and make not only a lot of noise, but will do their best to get into the home to search for their next meal. Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of topics, but is now concerned with distemper in raccoons. If you want to know more, please visit our website at Distemper Vaccines