Be prepared to invest a lot of time and money in caring for the raccoon. These active and mischievous animals need constant monitoring and lots of toys and other enrichments to entertain them. You`ll also need to determine if there`s a veterinarian nearby who can treat raccoons and who could monitor your pet if you left the city or couldn`t take care of it. We also recommend calling your home insurer to see if they cover damage caused by a pet raccoon. Raccoons are not ordinary pets for a reason. In a way, they look a lot like a big ferret or puppy. They can be loving and playful with their favorite people. However, most raccoons still seem to be full of mischief. They are extremely demanding in terms of maintenance and quite unpredictable, which is why most animal experts advise against keeping them as pets.

Many will damage your home and belongings as part of their daily antics. They are difficult to really tame and are notorious biters when something bothers them. In addition, raccoons have nutritional needs and health problems that can be difficult to manage. And as active animals, they need a lot of space to walk around. But if you have the knowledge and time to care for a raccoon, they can be fascinating and fun companions. Rabies: In Virginia, raccoons are a high-risk species of rabies. There is not a single indication that an animal may have rabies; Since it is a neurological disease, rabies can manifest itself in several ways. While the stereotypical “form of anger” (aggressive behavior, foam on the mouth) is a manifestation of rabies, infected animals are more likely to show the paralytic form of rabies, which manifests as lethargy, loss of balance, loss of fear of humans or other animals, and general depression. However, the same depressive signs may also indicate distemper (more common than rabies) or head trauma due to injury. It is also important to note that a mammal may have rabies and not yet have symptoms.

Never treat a raccoon of any age without wearing gloves. It is common for the mother raccoon to change location during the nesting season, so it is unlikely that raccoons will be present throughout the time it takes them to grow (about five months). If you can`t wait a few weeks for the raccoons to leave, you can encourage the raccoon mother to make the move earlier by adding visual and fragrant deterrents to the chimney. Cut off the chimney after the raccoons are gone to avoid future departures. Raccoons connect with their humans, especially when bred in captivity from an early age. And many sometimes become quite cuddly or playful. However, they also usually bite quickly – even their favorite people – when something annoys or scares them. In addition, they can attack other pets in your home, especially small animals, as they are predators in the wild. This is the best way to keep them alone.

Behavioral problems are not the only potential problems in the raccoon`s property. As wild animals, raccoons can have diseases such as rabies. Parasites are a possibility in raccoons. Some of these diseases can be transmitted to animals and humans – a great danger. If you have a raccoon as a pet, you should immediately take it to a veterinarian to look for diseases. Because raccoons are such rare pets, it can be difficult for you to find a veterinarian who is willing to look at yours. However, their attractive features make people start to see these animals as potential pets. Does that make them more than wild animals? However, they are rare. It was only in a few states, including California, New York, New Jersey, Hawaii, and Illinois, that they created a law banning the use of animals for entertainment in circuses. Although in most states, domesticated raccoons are illegal (especially wild raccoons you`re trying to domesticate), that doesn`t mean you can`t and shouldn`t own a raccoon. A complete exclusion is the only permanent long-term solution to keep raccoons out of certain unwanted areas, visual, acoustic and scented/gustatory deterrents can be useful short-term solutions to encourage raccoons to leave an area. This has been done by many, but people who breed their raccoons know how to do it in the most responsible way.

They understand their nutritional needs, dangers, disease potential and malignancy. Laundromats are illegal in most states, not only because of the unethical nature of owning an exotic animal, but also because of the welfare of the public. It all depends on the owner of the raccoon. It is not impossible to own a raccoon – exotic animals are kept as pets all the time. Raccoons need an outdoor pen where they can play and where they can be included if you can`t supervise them. The enclosure must have a safe roof. Check national and local laws for additional enclosure requirements. Nesting in the attic: raccoons can use undisturbed attics as cave locations; If you have a raccoon in your attic, somewhere from April to September, it is best to first determine if there are babies in it. Find the opening that the raccoon uses; This can be a hole as small as 2-1/2″ x 4″. Place a single layer of newspaper on the opening at night when the raccoon is out of the attic. If the raccoon makes its way through the paper back to the attic, there may be babies.

Disturbing ponds: Raccoons love to eat fish and can try looting small garden ponds that contain fish. Make sure there is enough hiding space for fish to remove from raccoons (and other predators). A terracotta pipe can be a great hiding place. Shallower ponds are easier to loot; Fish in ponds more than two and a half feet deep usually have a better chance of dodging predators. Place different climbing frames – raccoons love to climb and it is important that you surround him with confidants to activate his instinct. In states where possession of a raccoon is legal, those looking for a raccoon should apply for additional regulations to own a raccoon. For example, in North Carolina, a veterinarian must approve the animal before it is taken to the state. In Arkansas, a person cannot own more than five at a time.

Keep in mind that it is important to check national and local laws before buying an exotic pet. To protect raccoons from annoying turf, spray a 1:1 mixture of children`s shampoo and ammonia on site and staple the lawn with landscape needles. Captive raccoons can be susceptible to obesity if they don`t have enough space to move around. Ideally, they should move freely around your living room and be equipped with branches, shelves, and other items to climb for exercise. Some also like to play with toys such as balls. However, despite all the risks and safety protocols, 14 states still allow raccoons to be kept as pets, provided that: Again, it`s different. Some raccoons are friendly, while others take every chance of escaping. In addition, you need to realize that raccoons are one of the biggest spreaders of diseases, most often rabies. A good breeder will be able to show you how to treat and interact with all his young raccoons to tame the animals and bite their desire. The breeder should also give you detailed information about the origin and health history of the animal. Some red flags are a raccoon that is underweight and whose ribs appear, as well as a very lethargic animal or one that is not interested in food.