racoons are so tame its scary, you have to read this

[NoelTate]

It is not uncommon for a racoon to become tame when fed by humans. My sister has two that come to her house begging for food every night. She buys cat food for them. They scramble across her feet, and one will eat out of her hand. There are also racoons available on the pet market.

 

[akcountrygrrl]

When I was growing up in Michigan, we had neighbors that "took in" a baby raccoon every spring, "rehabilitated it", and then released it back into the wild in late fall. These coons would frequently show up at our farm. We had one that would sit on a ledge and watch me milk goats. I would give it a small dish of milk and some whole corn. After it ate, it would crawl into my lap for some petting and cuddling. After a bit, it would lumber off to wherever it was sleeping (probably our hayloft). Unfortunately, these coons weren't able to fend for themselves since they had been raised by humans. They were released in late fall/early winter without any foraging skills or any idea on where to find protective cover. They became easy prey for hunters (human and animal), trappers, and the elements. Quite sad really. I always wondered where they "found" these baby coons as they seemed to have one every year.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

We raised a baby raccoon once. They are so cute! If they weren't so darn destructive I would love to raise another one. I don't have any friendly raccoons around my place, but I do have a flying squirrel that sits in a tree by my chicken coop every night. He waits for me to bring him his pecan when I put the chickens away.

 

[dsqard]

Am I the only one that sees a potential problem here? Feeding wild raccoons and keeping chickens? Sounds like trouble in the future. I would make sure your coop and runs are totally raccoon proof.

 

[CMV]

Quote:
No, you're not, but the OP didn't actually feed the raccoon that wandered into her house. These additional stories are making me cringe, though. Raccoons carry some pretty nasty diseases that are transmittable to humans. The thought of people actually encouraging them to hang around and cuddle is just disgusting.

 

[drumstick diva]

No, the op didn't feed the raccoon but her fathers does. Maybe he isn't too thrilled with the chickens. I wouldn't want to bring a predator home to dinner. I for one wouldn't want to be scratched or nipped (even playfully) by any wild animal, and sooner or later this will happen. Just because it isn't showing symptoms of rabies now, doesn't mean it isn't incubating the disease. Leave wild things where they belong - in the wild. Rabies shots are not something on anyone Xmas list.

 

[BlackBrookPoultry]

Just because raccoons can be rabies carriers does not mean every one of them has it, or will have it. I know there are a lot of dogs out there that are not current on rabies vaccinations and there's no reason to fear them. I don't think they are petting this coon or hand feeding it. He probably just puts food out on the deck and watches him eat. As long as it's just a little treat and the raccoon's survival doesn't depend on it, I don't see the harm. The point about it being dangerous to the chickens in the future is a good one though.

 

[wildorchid053]

not rabid just used to people i would guess. i had a raccoon come inside my kitchen and was eating the dry kitty food . it stood up when it heard me come down the stairs into the kitchen.. it was huge!!!!! i threw a toy at it hopeing it would go back out the broken screen but it just stood up on its hind legs then went bac k to eating...apparently it was a she becase later that night i saw her with her kits on my roof.. no rabies just fine.. just really used to people . she stayed around for about a week then i never saw her again..the DEC said most raccoons die from distemeper not rabies and the vets told me to wash all the things it licked with bleach and water just in case

 

[iluvsedward]

Quote:
it comes on our deck about 4 times a week, and we throw scraps out for it, its not scared of us and wandered in, we do NOT pet it, and it is full grown so it fends for itself fine but comes by for a snack, our chick coop is totaly P-proof, and just now my brother said the racoon is on our deck!

it dosn't have rabies, just smarter than other coons by trusting us (cuz we wont hurt it)

 

[iluvsedward]

and btw with the wildlife we have here, and our coop wasn't preditor proof, we wouldn't have any chickens