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Have you domesticated a raccoon?

post #1 of 14
2/9/10 at 9:09am
Thread Starter 
Back when I used to live in Washington I can remember they were always tipping over the garbage cans and taking what they wanted/needed. I have heard that some, like skunks, can be domesticated and can actually get along with cats already living in this house. Have you or somebody you known kept a raccoon as a pet?
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post #2 of 14
2/9/10 at 9:26am
Not reccomended.
They are too smart for their own good, their paws are as dextrous as our hands and it's illegal.
The rehabber I worked under had one that could not be returned to the wild as she was an amputee.
Even with three legs her cage had to be padlocked to keep her in and she could not be loose at all without supervision every second she was out.
Skunks have been farm bred like ferrets and mink for a very long time now, so I don't understand taking them from the wild either as you can purchase one that truly is domesticated.
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post #3 of 14
2/9/10 at 9:30am
No, but I have a funny story. I came home from work one night and saw a raccoon at the park across the street. He was so cute, he went and hid in the storm drain and I could see his eyes peaking out at me. I went inside and told my husband and he said "Don't PET IT!!" So funny. I wasn't going to, but it was probably a good idea for him to tell me that. He knows me pretty well.
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post #4 of 14
2/9/10 at 10:40am
When I lived in an apartment in Manitou Springs Colorado, the raccoons would come and peak in my living room window at night and I would throw grapes outside for them. They are really neat watching them eat grapes off the stems. They are tricksters and very smart. They tried to open my door!!!
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post #5 of 14
2/9/10 at 2:12pm
Yes and no - never actually had one for a pet but would LOVE to have one. I did get to bottle feed 3 week old coon kits (my cousin was working in wildlife rehab). They were SOOO cute and adorable. I just held one and gave him a bottle and he wrapped his little front hands around the bottle and purred - just like a kitten.

I never knew raccoons could purr. I have pictures of them. Would have LOVED to have taken one of them home.
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post #6 of 14
2/9/10 at 3:09pm
My uncle has 2 raccoons that live IN his house with him and his wife and his two COON DOGS. LOL. They are just like cats they have no idea they are though! They eat their cat food and they are never in the trash, regardless of their wild life hair they may have. The only thing they get into is the clothes hamper to sleep. They are PRECIOUS!
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post #7 of 14
2/9/10 at 3:20pm
Never a coon, but there was a possum used to eat out of my hand.
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post #8 of 14
2/10/10 at 6:28am
I know someoen who rescued a baby racoon once. Kept it in the house fed it cat food and took it everywhere with him. As far as I know he still has it with his golden retriever. Its probably not legal but the racoon has been with him since it was about 2-3 weeks old and doesnt know any other life and I dont think he could release and trust it to survive on its own.
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post #9 of 14
2/10/10 at 8:08pm
My cousin a rescued 4 week old raccoon a few years ago. He works for a company that clears brush and they accidently killed the mother but found 4 babies.

I held it a few days after he found it. However I smelled like cat and got hissed at by it They must have that instinct to be wary of that smell (for cougars etc) when they are young.

Ringo did eventually leave to go live on his own (they let him out when he wanted and he one day just left) when he was about 1 year old. Occasionally he will be around the farm yet and will go to my cousins house to get held/fed on occasion.
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post #10 of 14
2/12/10 at 3:22pm
My friend has a raccoon, but I do not recommend keeping one in the house. They can get into everything and do a lot of damage. They have an outdoor enclosure for their raccoon and she is free to come and go. She goes out at night and comes back home to be fed and sleep in her enclosure and bed
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post #11 of 14
2/13/10 at 5:44am
My cousin (above earlier post) had one adult male that would keep coming back to the house. She came home one day to find all the pans in the kitchen on the floor, cupboard doors open (above and below the countertop). She caught him and put him back outside.

Watched the little trickster and he simply went to the door handle and opened it just as you would and came back into the house. By watching my cousin do it, he learned how to do it himself. After that she had to put a double lock on the door!
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post #12 of 14
2/17/10 at 8:08am
nope, but my dads might as well be. They will eat out of your hand and know when they are going to get fed. But they are also becoming a problem because they can open the door and the other night one came in the house through the dog door and was sitting in the kitchen eating the dogs food. Well until the dog saw, then it was all over...
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post #13 of 14
2/17/10 at 9:34am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Luvmy10 View Post
My uncle has 2 raccoons that live IN his house with him and his wife and his two COON DOGS. LOL. They are just like cats they have no idea they are though! They eat their cat food and they are never in the trash, regardless of their wild life hair they may have. The only thing they get into is the clothes hamper to sleep. They are PRECIOUS!
I bet of lot of TCS members would enjoy seeing some photos of your uncle's raccoons. I know I sure would.
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post #14 of 14
2/27/10 at 2:11pm
Many years ago my grandmother could hear crying under her house, after a day she sent my uncle under to find out what it was (they thought one of their cats had given birth there)

Well it was a tiny baby raccoon. She rushed it to a wildlife vet, after a rabies vaccine he was good to go. He had to be bottle fed so Nana got certified to keep him and Johnathan lived to be almost 15 years old. He eventually got to big for the house and my grandfather built a huge pen for him in their yard. (South Florida)

He had a swing, and a pool. Spoiled. He had a very angry attitude towards me, but he was OLD when I got to meet him.
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