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Raccoon by way of eating. The raccoon is a striped bully. Reproduction and education of offspring

Are you planning to have a pet raccoon at home? These cute animals have long ceased to be exotic and have become popular pets.

How to feed them so as not to care about the pet's health more than your own? We study the features of proper feeding of such fluffy minke whales as raccoons.

In total, there are 4 types of raccoons in the world:

  • raccoon,
  • raccoon,
  • Guadalupe raccoon
  • Cozumel raccoon.

Stripes are most common in Belarus and the North Caucasus. By the way, they are nicknamed so for an unusual habit - to wash food before eating in water, that is, to “rinse” it.

What does a raccoon eat in the wild?

This is an omnivore. In nutrition, the raccoon is illegible. He scours in search of prey within a radius of 1.5-2 km. Depending on the season, his diet may include:

  • eggs of birds, which are obtained from nests,
  • fish, crayfish and other river animals,
  • reptiles, including frogs,
  • insects such as ants, termites, bumblebees (raccoons are not afraid of their bites due to their thick coat),
  • small rodents that raccoons catch, including muskrats, squirrels,
  • amphibians, even turtles,
  • nuts and acorns,
  • vegetables - potatoes, pumpkins, zucchini,
  • berries and fruits.

If a wild raccoon lives close to human habitats, he can easily rummage through the garbage and choose something from the garbage for lunch. In rare cases, they climb into private / country houses in search of food. Usually raccoons provide themselves with food in advance, making fat reserves.

What do raccoons eat at home?

How to feed a raccoon-poloskuna, its owner decides. The diet of a domestic raccoon should be complete and varied, rich in proteins, not oversaturated with fats and carbohydrates.

Raccoon nutrition at home should include:

  • lean meat, including veal, rabbit, poultry, offal (stomachs, liver, hearts),
  • fish, with the exception of red,
  • raw eggs,
  • fiber (fruits and vegetables)
  • cereals, mainly rice and buckwheat,
  • various nuts - almonds, pistachios, hazelnuts,
  • dairy and lactic acid products, such as kefir, cottage cheese, etc.

Domestic raccoons must eat according to the regimen. They are fed 3 times a day - in the morning, afternoon and evening, sometimes another, fourth feeding is introduced.

Attention! Be sure to ensure constant access to drinking water - put a bowl of water in the corner and constantly replenish it. A raccoon may not even drink from it - but he simply needs to rinse his food in it: this is how the animal instinctively protects itself from unnecessary diseases.

Dried fruits can be an excellent delicacy for a raccoon at home.- dried apricots, figs, prunes, raisins. Sometimes you can give a drop of honey.

It is preferable to feed the raccoon products that have undergone minimal heat treatment. In the same time raw fish and meat can become a source of disease, carriers of infections and bacteria, so their introduction into the diet is undesirable. Low-calorie food supplies are best given in the morning, while evening feeding is the main one.

Food should be seasonal: in the autumn, it is better to give preference to vegetable components, in winter - meat and cereals. Domestic raccoons do not hibernate, becoming a little less mobile and active.

The condition of his coat will testify to the good nutrition of a raccoon. If it became dull and began to fall out, you can be sure: the raccoon lacks vitamins. Vitamin complexes and biological supplements Beaphar - what you need in conditions of beriberi.


How to feed raccoon puppies at home?

Little raccoons aged 1-1.5 months still cannot eat on their own. They have not yet grown strong and have not adapted to the environment. But it is this age that is considered the most suitable for relocation to a new owner.

A raccoon puppy needs to be fed on its own, using nipples and bottles, in extreme cases, a large-volume medical syringe without a nozzle needle. What can be used for feeding:

  • milk mixes,
  • cow or goat milk
  • sweetened mixture of milk and water,
  • diluted condensed milk.

After 1.5-2 months, the raccoon can already eat puree-like food and begin to slowly switch to solid food. At this age, you can enter into the diet:

  • cottage cheese, starting with a minimum percentage of fat content,
  • eggs, better quail - they are more nutritious compared to chicken,
  • grated bananas.

From 2.5 months, you can refuse such activities as feeding a raccoon in your arms. He is already able to eat on his own from a bowl or saucer. Put a little food in the feeder - start with 1-2 tablespoons. And it is better to make a mixture of ingredients, rather than putting them separately.

When the raccoon reaches 6 months, it is required to start dosing food - it is at this age that raccoons develop a tendency to become obese. Metabolic disorders due to malnutrition should not be allowed by any zealous owner. At the same time, limiting doses by underfeeding the raccoon should also not be: hungry animals will begin to look for their own prey and ruin their diet. The task of the owner is to strictly observe the usefulness of the nutritious food and give portions sufficient for the raccoon to eat.

Contraindications in food

A raccoon, like any other pet, is contraindicated:

  • everything sweet except honey,
  • flour, especially freshly baked,
  • acute,
  • smoked,
  • everything is salty
  • any condiments.

With a restriction, raccoons should be offered:

  • butter (it is better to use vegetable),
  • corn and semolina porridge - they are poorly absorbed and can adversely affect the gastrointestinal system,
  • millet and barley porridge - can weaken the animal,
  • homemade cookies (if given, then hard types),
  • granulated food for dogs and cats - it is convenient to use and affordable, but it is not the best option for raccoons.

 Homemade cookies, think is it really necessary?

It is contraindicated to feed raccoons with food from the home table. All fried and fatty should be categorically excluded from his diet. An adult raccoon, like a baby, should have its own food and its own dishes. You can cook porridge in meat / chicken broth and add buckwheat or oatmeal to it, as well as grated vegetables, pre-boiled. Such "farshekash" should become the main dish of the raccoon.

Raccoon food should not be rotten or moldy. You should not leave the state of health of the animal to chance by feeding it with food from products with an expired shelf life. No need to leave food in the feeder so that the raccoon comes up and eats everything that is left later: the food will soon spoil and there will be little use from it.

Raccoon treats should be chosen with great care. Do not be led by your pet: he may have his own taste preferences. Someone loves such useful things as grapes or carrots, and someone will be crazy about dry cat food, someone will like children's toffee at all.

With proper nutrition, a raccoon can live up to 15 years. Give your pet a heavenly life, with proper nutrition, and you won't have to worry about his health! Unpretentious animals, smart and agile, will delight you with their presence and attractive appearance. And you will be proud to show them to your guests and friends!

The raccoon is the most recognizable member of the raccoon family. All raccoons come from America, but the only species that has taken root in Eurasia is the raccoon raccoon, known for its manner of thoroughly rinsing food in water before a meal.

Raccoons are like cats in size, but due to the thick chic fur they look a little larger. Adult individuals grow up to 45 - 60 cm excluding the tail and weigh no more than 5 - 9 kg. The fluffy striped tail of a raccoon is about 25 cm long. The most amazing feature of the animal is its strongly developed prehensile fingers, so the raccoon's footprint is very similar to a human palm print.

Raccoons are predators, but they are easily tamed and do not let their owners get bored, so they are often kept as pets. Before you start a beast, you should take an interest in his way of life, find out what the raccoon eats in nature and, having drawn the appropriate conclusions, go to the nursery.

What does a raccoon eat in nature

Old mixed forests with ponds and swamps are the favorite biotopes of raccoons. In such places there are many hollow trees, where the raccoon rests during the day and goes hunting at night. These animals have well-developed night vision, they are also helped to navigate in the dark by sensitive vibrissae that grow almost throughout the body: on the head, on the chest and abdomen, on the inner surface of the legs and near the very claws.

Raccoons are omnivores, but their diet is highly dependent on the time of year, and here's why. They are the only representatives of the family that fall into hibernation, gathering in a large hollow of several individuals. After hibernation, in February - March, the mating season begins for raccoons and animals need protein food, therefore, in spring and summer, their diet consists exclusively of animal feed.

Raccoons catch large insects and frogs, prey on small rodents, deftly climb trees and ruin bird nests. To a lesser extent, they eat snakes, lizards and various aquatic animals - crabs, crayfish and fish. And of course, they wash their prey thoroughly before eating it.

By autumn, raccoons completely switch to a plant-based diet, which includes berries, nuts, acorns, and fruits of cultivated plants. In some areas, raccoons become a real misfortune, raiding melons and fruit plantations.

The anthropogenic factor, which endangered the lives of many animals, did not harm the raccoons. These animals perfectly adapt to life next to humans and get food by digging in garbage cans. However, this does not mean that everyone can feed a raccoon.


How to feed a raccoon at home

Domestic raccoons, as well as raccoons from warm regions, do not hibernate, but reduce their usual activity. There is no need to adhere to a seasonal diet, pet food should be natural and balanced all year round, including the following products:

  • lean meat (chicken, turkey, beef, rabbit);
  • any seafood, except for fatty varieties;
  • vegetables (green peas, carrots, zucchini, corn);
  • fruits (any, except citrus);
  • cereals (buckwheat and oatmeal);
  • eggs and cottage cheese.

Overfeeding a pet is not recommended, especially in winter. Three meals a day in small (cat) portions with alternating animal and vegetable food is enough. Raccoons are smart and cunning animals, with their tenacious hands they often steal food, so you shouldn’t leave food on the tables, something can be detrimental to your pet’s health.

What not to feed a raccoon

Some owners give raccoons food for cats and dogs. Such a diet should not be practiced in the system, only in extreme cases, when it is not possible to provide the pet with three natural meals a day.


The smell of smoked meats, salted fish, chips and cookies will surely attract a raccoon, but neither he nor the owners need an upset stomach in a pet. Raccoons should not be given any flour and confectionery products, fried meat, and even more so semi-finished products. A balanced diet will ensure a healthy and happy life for your pet, and raccoons live for about 20 years.

Despite the fact that the raccoon is a predatory mammal, he was able to adapt and live in a home environment. In our article, we will tell you how and what to feed pets at home and what they eat in nature.

Features of the nutrition of the animal

Animals living in the house should eat three times a day:

  • in the morning;
  • in the evening - after 18:00;
  • at night - until 00:00.

Important! Nuts and oatmeal cookies are recommended to be given only as a reward, no more than 2 times a week, since with frequent use of these products, a raccoon may experience digestive problems.

It is very important to provide the animal with constant access to water. Deep bowls should be placed in several places - in them the animal will be able to rinse the food before eating it. Wash the bowls daily and fill them with fresh water.

Care must be taken to ensure that the raccoon does not eat too much. In nature, due to the need to independently obtain food for themselves, the animals spend a lot of energy on this, while domestic raccoons do not have such a need, so they often suffer from overeating and obesity. The amount of food needed by the male should be 15% more than the amount of food for the female.

Usually the animals eat absolutely the entire amount of food that you give him. However, if you notice that there is food lying around the bowl, this means that the portion was too large. In the case when the animal does not want to eat the usual food, it can be assumed that there are not enough proteins or vitamins in its menu and it is worth diversifying its menu.

In winter, when it's cold, raccoons usually hibernate. However, this most often applies to those animals that live in natural habitats. Pets can take a nap only if it is very cold, and then only a couple of weeks. As soon as they feel hungry, they will immediately wake up.

Depending on the season, animals prefer to eat different foods:

  • in autumn and early winter, the animals have an increase in appetite. They will eat any food that you give them, thereby building up their subcutaneous fat;
  • in winter, in animals that have not hibernated, there is a decrease in appetite. During this period, it is worth reducing portions by 2 times, otherwise the raccoon will get fat;
  • in the spring, the animals' metabolism is activated, they begin to behave actively, but there is no improvement in appetite, and they lose their weight;
  • in the summer, the appetite of animals is moderate, but they eat food with pleasure, sometimes they can find fault with the food offered.

What do adult raccoons eat?

Consider what kind of food adult animals prefer depending on their place of residence (in the wild or at home).

In nature

Animals can quickly adapt to a new place, because they are almost omnivorous. In nature, plant and animal foods are present in the diet of raccoons:

  • various insects;
  • lizards;
  • bird eggs;
  • toads;
  • rodents;
  • snakes, snakes;
  • a fish;
  • crabs and crayfish;
  • aquatic life;
  • chicks;
  • acorns;
  • forest nuts;
  • wild berries and fruits.

Animals can search for food within 2 km from the dwelling. The place of residence is the hollows of trees, cracks, sometimes they settle in old non-residential buildings or burrows of other animals. Raccoons are inherently nocturnal. Despite the fact that they weigh very little, raccoons can nimbly climb trees and destroy bird nests, while eating eggs and chicks. If the animal senses danger, it can reach speeds of up to 30 km/h. Raccoons are good swimmers.

Did you know? The raccoon got its name because of the habit of washing everything. Even if the food was caught by an animal in a pond, it will definitely rinse it in it again before starting to eat.

Raccoons that live near human settlements have a more interesting menu. Animals can find food in the trash, where you can find the remains of pizza, chips, bread, sweet water. Often rural residents complain that animals can get into the house and steal flour products, beer.

At home

A raccoon is a predator, so even when living at home, its diet should include a sufficient amount of:

  • meat (beef, lean pork);
  • birds (chickens, turkeys, quails);
  • any fish, with the exception of red;
  • seafood;
  • milk, cottage cheese, kefir;

 A moderate amount of plant foods should also be present:
  • fruits: apples, apricots, pears, plums, bananas;
  • berries: grapes, strawberries, mulberries, gooseberries;
  • nuts: walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, pistachios;
  • vegetables: zucchini, pumpkin, gourds;
  • cereals: hercules, rice, buckwheat, corn;
  • honey (in small quantities).
During the winter months, raccoons will happily eat dried apricots, prunes, figs, dates, and raisins.

What to feed little raccoons?

Caring for small animals is a rather difficult task. That is why it is better to take 1.5-month-old raccoons - by this time they will already be able to eat solid food.

Up to 1.5 months

Important! If you see mucous secretions, blood or an unpleasant smell in the raccoon's stool, you should immediately go to the veterinary clinic.

Feeding is carried out every 3-4 hours using a baby bottle with a nipple, a pipette or a disposable syringe. Sometimes small animals can lap milk from a saucer. After eating, the baby needs to sleep for 3-4 hours. Awakening before the expiration of this time indicates that the animal does not eat up. If he sleeps more than 4 hours - you feed him.

After eating and between meals, it is recommended to massage the raccoon's stomach. The fact is that at such a small age, animals cannot manage their own needs. If, after the raccoon ate and you gave him a massage, he never went to the toilet, you need to carry out massage procedures every 40 minutes until the animal relieves.

Up to 3 months

When the age of the animal is 1.5 months, it is allowed to add 70 g of curd mass, one quail egg and a banana to its diet. In this case, complementary foods should be started with small portions. For example, banana feeding should be 1 ring in 1 cm - it should be mashed and added to the main mixture.

At 2 months, finely detailed chicken fillet, lean meat are added to the menu. At 2.5 months, you need to start teaching your pet to eat from a bowl on his own - he will decide for himself how much he needs to eat this or that product. By the age of 3 months, the animal can safely consume any food that will be given to it.

Contraindicated foods: what not to feed raccoons

  • sweet foods;
  • flour products;
  • smoked meats;
  • spicy, fried and salty foods.

Did you know? The footprint of a fluffy animal is similar in outline to a human handprint.

Raccoons are beautiful and interesting animals. If you decide to have such a pet at home, you should take its nutrition and maintenance with great seriousness. Competently compiling a menu for the animal, you can save him from various ailments and provide him with good health.

Video: how to keep a raccoon at home

If you want to get such an exotic animal of the raccoon family for personal use, many are wondering what do raccoons eat?

These animals touch with their unusual appearance and have recently become very popular as pets. Everyone remembers the funny lines from the children's song "the raccoon ate the blackberry with his mouth wide open", whether this is actually the case, we will consider further.

Nutrition principles

These animals are nocturnal and in nature go hunting after dusk. Therefore, the raccoon at home must be fed according to this regimen. Veterinarians recommend feeding 3 times a day, following the following scheme:

  • in the morning before the animal goes to bed;
  • in the evening between 18 and 19 hours;
  • at night, the last feeding occurs at 22 - 23 hours.

Overfeeding should be carefully monitored. Under natural conditions, these animals lead an active lifestyle, and the metabolism is working at full capacity. In the case of keeping a raccoon at home, excess weight gain is possible, which will negatively affect the health of the pet.

A special appetite for the animal may appear during the rut and before hibernation. Of course, pets do not sleep all winter, but they provide themselves with a supply of fat for a couple of weeks. Animals wake up from hunger and the main thing here is to provide the pet with the right set of products for easy digestion.

seasonal feeding

Due to natural hibernation, even domestic raccoons prefer the following diet depending on the season:

  • in autumn, the animals accumulate weight and constantly require food. Thus, they quickly become overgrown with fat and increase the total mass;
  • in winter, if the pet does not sleep, food intake should be reduced to half the portion. This is due to the low activity of the animal in the winter;
  • in the spring, raccoons come to life, the metabolism is activated, and if the animal does not use up its reserves during the winter, then it will eat little;
  • summer is the best time for raccoons. At this time, they can afford a varied menu, so whims may appear at home.

Eating raccoons in nature

It should immediately make a reservation, raccoons are omnivores. Due to the choice of living near water bodies and in mixed forests, these animals, despite their predatory nature, do not disdain plant food. The following types of products may be present on the raccoon menu:

  • protein food. Lizards, frogs, small rodents, mice, insects, bird eggs, fish, crayfish and anything smaller than the raccoon itself;
  • plant food. Nuts, acorns, berries, fruits, as well as sweet roots of young trees.

If a raccoon chose his home near a settlement, then there is no doubt that he will soon be in a landfill or, because of his irrepressible curiosity, will begin to look into people's homes.

What to feed the young

At home and at 2 months of age, gargles can still depend on their mother, but more often such puppies already find a new home. This is due to the relative ease of domestication of the animal, but is associated with more thorough care.

So the choice of food for a puppy depends on the physical condition of the individual. It happens that in appearance an adult puppy is poorly oriented in space and does not hold well on its paws. Accordingly, the internal organs of such an individual have not yet returned to normal, therefore, the baby needs to be fed from a bottle.

Milk from a cow, goat or mare is not suitable for a baby, you should look for substitutes for dairy products and consult a veterinarian.

Already at the age of six months, raccoons can be offered bananas, cherries, grapes, and gradually introduce grated meat into the diet.

Already after 1 year of life, the raccoon is considered an adult, by this time the animal can eat any food. What does a raccoon eat and what is his favorite product? To answer these questions, you just need to watch the pets.

Many individuals at home prefer to show off in order to end up with a special treat. A domestic raccoon eats pancakes, pizza, fish, meat, olives, apples, nuts, cookies, in general, all the food that the owners prefer.

At the slightest appearance of unpleasant surprises from the health of the animal, you need to contact the veterinarian, this step will help you avoid feeling unwell, improve digestion and return activity to the pet.

Do not feed your pet too fatty foods to avoid indigestion. But remembering the love of gargles for liquid, it is necessary to put a lot of dishes with water in which any food will be rinsed.

It is necessary to change the water in such conditions often, this will prevent the growth of bacteria and protect the animal from diseases.

The original, native habitat of the raccoon is North and Central America. After the acquaintance of Europeans with this animal, he settled in the Old World. The raccoon began to “penetrate” into the territory of Russia in the form of skins, which our ancestors called “genet furs”, similar to the genet fur that was found in Southern Europe, the Middle East and North Africa and was well known to them through southern merchants. The change in the name of the furs (instead of "genet furs" - "raccoon furs") and gave the raccoon its name. In the natural environment, it is rarely found in our country, since it has adapted only in areas adjacent to Belarus and in the North Caucasus, although attempts to expand its habitat continue.

The raccoon gained considerable popularity as a pet. There are even whole clubs of lovers of these animals. In this connection, many beginner "raccoon breeders" have a question: what do raccoons eat? To figure out how to feed a captive animal, let's first find out what it eats in the wild.

Raccoons in the natural environment

It is interesting that raccoons eat both plant and animal food in nature, and the seasonal change in diet is clearly visible. For example, in spring and early summer, they prefer to eat the following foods:

  • frogs;
  • snakes;
  • fish;
  • bird eggs;
  • other animal food.

And in the second half of the warm season and in autumn they switch almost exclusively to fruits, nuts, acorns and berries. Before eating, they rinse their food in water, hence the name of the most common species - "raccoon-garlic". In temperate regions, raccoons hibernate in winter; in more southern regions, they are awake all year round.

Raccoons easily adapt to the neighborhood with a person: for example, they often dig in landfills in search of food. Immune to many diseases that are detrimental to other mammals. Many researchers note such qualities of a raccoon as curiosity and cunning. He boldly defends himself from predators, and if it is impossible to escape, he pretends to be dead.

Raccoon at home

Naturally, the diet of a raccoon in captivity will be significantly different from the usual. And with its maintenance, it is necessary both to take into account natural preferences, and to form new ones that will make it easier to care for it. Those who have been keeping them for a long time claim that raccoons eat meat at home, preferring chicken or any other bird, including raw. In addition, they can be given fish, eggs (not necessarily chicken), seafood. In order for the raccoon to get used to the owner, it is recommended to gradually teach him to take food from his hands, but we must not forget that this is still a predator that can bite a person by the finger.

Little raccoons can even be fed with baby food, and adults can be taught to be content with dry food for dogs or cats, but always high quality. As a reward for obedience, it is permissible to feed the animal with fruits or cookies - this is a treat for him! Experienced raccoon owners advise you to use this trick: hide some tasty things in your clothes and do not interfere when the pet starts to search your pockets in search of food. This, like hand feeding, promotes a good relationship with the raccoon.

But in any case, no matter how tame the raccoon may seem and no matter what homemade food he eats, we must not forget that this is a wild predator. If our beloved fluffy cats often prefer to “walk on their own”, then there’s nothing to say about raccoons: they will never become as tame as dogs or parrots. It is necessary to leave the animal a fraction of personal mental space and never cross its border - and you will get a calm, dexterous and sweet pet.