Lorraine - 2007-06-19 I enjoyed reading about racoons. I have two, in fact, as I write this Rocky and Rosie are outside having dinner, LOL! I am in Nova Scotia and do live in a rural area. I do not want to tame them per say... I had them as pets when I was a kid growing up in New Brunswick. I do know, once tamed, they can keep you up all night running around on the roof...LOL! I just enjoy them being around. Both racoons are adults and very healthy. I believe they are the pups that were here last year. There were 3 but the 3rd one is not around anymore. I do know they live in the big barn up the road as I have seen them in the rafters a few times. As I said, it has been a long while since I have been in close contact with them and appreciate the info I got. Thanks. Love those bandits, Lorraine B., Nova Scotia
Allison - 2007-06-17 I do not encourage having a pet Racoon, I have seen many Racoons SUFFER in cages! (And have let many back yard caged Racoons lose to their road to freedom) These are wild animals and 99% of the people who get them wish they never have. Wild animals belong in the wild. To anyone thinking of getting a baby Racoon..think again and get a Bunny. Leave the Racoons that are injured or orphaned to the licenced wildlife Rehabilitators. It is cruel and inhumane keeping a Racoon in a cage Period!
t.chamberlain - 2007-06-16 You should remove the information you have posted on keeping a pet raccoon. RACCOONS are wild animals and NOT easily kept as pets. They can be very distructive and their bites can be vicious and painful. Please leave the wild animals to the rehabbers and people that have expertise.
April Molinari - 2007-06-11 I have had pet raccoons for over 16 years now. They are by far the greatest animal that lives!!! They have stolen my heart! In my experiences if you are going to keep them as pets you really need to spay or nueter them in order to keep them nice. It really makes a difference! I am lucky enough to share my life with 15 of them. All different colors also. They are such beautiful and graceful creatures. I wish I could have a hundred of them. All of mine are altered to prevent breeding. They are very loving and amazing animals. Some day I would love to have my own rescue group just for them. I am truly in love with this animal! I wish they were better understood and they were all over the place. You never get tired of watching them. They are very creative and smarter than most people I know! They can have mood swings like any other pet, but they always know who raised them and stay loyal! They are a lot of work, but they make great companions, and friends! They love the smell of money. I have had so many of my friends wallets and pocket books broken into for money and lighters. They absolutely can live in groups and none of mine would even think about killing another animal, unless it's a chicken. I have pictures of them with my rabbits, rats, dogs, cats, and horses. Yes they ride the horses with me. I guess it all depends on how they grow up. From what I see, they are a pack animal, with me as top leader, thank goodness! But they all have a certain place among the group. When one protects you, they all do! Mine would never eat my pet parrots. They do break them out and hang with them though. It's quite funny! There's never a dull moment when you share your life with them. On my worst days I come home to them and they make all my problems and trouble seem so trivial! I thank god for them being in my life every day! I feel honored I am a big part of them as well as they are to me. They are very loyal friends. In my world they can do no wrong! I put up with their bi-polar temperment, because most of the time they are so very sweet. They even groom my cuts for me. They have never-ending love to give to you as long as you give it back, and when they trust you, you have their hearts. Mine let me do what ever needs to be done. Sometimes they complain about it and put up a fight, but in the end I always win.
Diana.rabago - 2007-05-23 I also have a baby raccoon and I love her. I feel lucky to have her. My husband found her a day before mother's day, she has been the best mother's day present. She is eating just fine and she just open her eyes. I don't think she will ever know she is a racoon, she will be my baby. i just hope things will be O.k when she grows up. I really think that with love she will make it. I'm so glad there are people like you that love animals as much as I do. God Bless You.
Aletheia Robinson-Wilson - 2007-05-19 If you are looking for a pet raccoon, or looking to find a new home for one... Read this: Polly and Friends is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping raccoons world wide. We are based in Florida (United States). Polly and Friends are centered around both raccoons living in the wild as well in captivity. We educate people of all ages about raccoons and our environment in general. Peaches is our one year old disabled non-release-able raccoon with brain damage. Peaches does education at schools and events along side her adoptive mother our director Aletheia Robinson-Wilson. All healthy raccoons that are capable of surviving in the wild return to their natural habitat. This is best for them as well as us. Raccoons are not designed to live in captivity. They are all wild animals. One project that's important to all of us with Polly and Friends is us reaching out to network with others who also love raccoons. We specialize in getting captive raccoons that need long term placement with people and organizations willing to make a commitment to them. We meet all legal requirement and have all necessary permits. If you would like to adopt a raccoon or if you have a raccoon that needs long term placement we would like to help you. If you have found a raccoon, would be interested in volunteering, making a donation, just have a question or would like to contact us for any reason at all we look forward to hearing for you. please call us at (850) 385-7971 anytime day or night and e-mail us at pollyandfriends@gmail.com and send a Carbon Copy to pollyandfriendsdirectorraccoons@yahoo.com. If this is an urgent issue and we do not return your call within a couple hours please also call Florida Wildlife Care's 24 hour hot line at (352)371-4400.
Phillip S. - 2007-05-16 The wife and I are on our 3rd adventure with these amazing creatures. We have shared countless memories that can not compare to any other pet that we have had. Our current one has been with us for over a year. Her name is Brat. And oh does she live up to her name. She will get into thing she knows are not allowed just to get our attention. She like a lot of others loves to scavenge just about anything in our house. Her favorites though are change and lighters. I never knew a lighter had that many pieces or could be taken apart that much. (chuckle) She is very loving to our son (6) and wants to be with him more than either of us. She adores kids in general. They can do way more with her than we can. One thing that I have found is even though they love to play a lot, do not play rough with them. Its nice and fine while they are young but once they get older they try to play the same way but they are stronger and their bites are not as weak. I have countless scars to prove this, but I still would not trade her for the world. They also have mood swings just like we do, and they can tell when you are depressed or happy like most animals. All in all the ones that I have had are the best pets I have ever had. They all have taken a piece of my heart for their own and will always be cherished.
Belinda - 2007-04-18 Raccoons are the most glorious animals on earth! As you can tell, I absolutely love them. I have rehabbed babies for release and have kept one as part of our family.
She has been the grandest blessing since our children. Yes, she does occasionally bite and she does scratch, but we knew what to expect and besides, a little spilled blood is nothing compared to the joy she has brought into our lives. BUT, it takes a special kind of person or family to truely care for a raccoon as a pet.
She was raised as one would raise a house cat. She goes to the bathroom in her "water" box, which is just a litter box filled with a couple inches of water. We tried litter first, then sand and dirt, but a couple inches of water did the trick. It is also easy to clean, just flush down the toilet and rinse out the box and refill with water. She can and does reach anywhere she so desires, so our entire house is "raccoon" proofed. Still, broken trinkets and some minor destruction are all just part of the game. She is not spayed, but shows no interest in being outside. When she does go out, she will sniff around and play awhile, but she wants to go back inside before very long. Her heat cycles can be "interesting" at times, but she has yet to become mean or restless when in heat.
We do have to be careful of friends or family while visiting. We must contain her in one room while company is about, as she does not take kindly to visitors in HER house. I have seen more than one rather large manly man, who(on their first visit)insisted that there was no need to secure the raccoon, scream like a little girl and hop on top of my furniture trying to get away from my snarling snorting furball. Second visit, they stay outside until they are sure the coon is safetly locked away.
All in all, I would not trade my raccoon for any other pet in the world.
catherine - 2007-04-09 I too have recently become a raccoon mommy and so far so good! I love him.. he is only 5/6 weeks old (exact age undetermined) but he is so wonderful! I have been bottle feeding him for about 3 weeks now. I have heard many urban legend horror stories about raccoons killing cats ( i have three) and dogs. I may be proved wrong in the future but right now everybody seems to be getting along fine. I enjoy this website because it allows me to hear the positive side of being a raccoon owner. I contacted the Dept of wildlife resources to apply for his permit and of course they want to seize him and rehabilitate him into the wild... wrong! I can't imagine the thought of him not being part of my life and I look forward to many years of raccoon/kittycat playtime!!!
Here is a raccoon up past his bedtime! This younster couldn't keep still, climbed all over everybody and was constantly "checking things out"!
Don't forget to check out our new web site: pollyandfriends.4t.com.
Polly and Friends believes all wildlife including raccoons should be returned to the wild if they can be self sufficient.
I enjoyed reading about racoons. I have two, in fact, as I write this Rocky and Rosie are outside having dinner, LOL! I am in Nova Scotia and do live in a rural area. I do not want to tame them per say... I had them as pets when I was a kid growing up in New Brunswick. I do know, once tamed, they can keep you up all night running around on the roof...LOL! I just enjoy them being around. Both racoons are adults and very healthy. I believe they are the pups that were here last year. There were 3 but the 3rd one is not around anymore. I do know they live in the big barn up the road as I have seen them in the rafters a few times. As I said, it has been a long while since I have been in close contact with them and appreciate the info I got. Thanks. Love those bandits, Lorraine B., Nova Scotia
I do not encourage having a pet Racoon, I have seen many Racoons SUFFER in cages! (And have let many back yard caged Racoons lose to their road to freedom) These are wild animals and 99% of the people who get them wish they never have. Wild animals belong in the wild. To anyone thinking of getting a baby Racoon..think again and get a Bunny. Leave the Racoons that are injured or orphaned to the licenced wildlife Rehabilitators. It is cruel and inhumane keeping a Racoon in a cage Period!
You should remove the information you have posted on keeping a pet
raccoon. RACCOONS are wild animals and NOT easily kept as pets. They
can be very distructive and their bites can be vicious and painful.
Please leave the wild animals to the rehabbers and people that have
expertise.
Your info is extremely misleading.
I have had pet raccoons for over 16 years now. They are by far the greatest animal that lives!!! They have stolen my heart! In my experiences if you are going to keep them as pets you really need to spay or nueter them in order to keep them nice. It really makes a difference! I am lucky enough to share my life with 15 of them. All different colors also. They are such beautiful and graceful creatures. I wish I could have a hundred of them. All of mine are altered to prevent breeding. They are very loving and amazing animals. Some day I would love to have my own rescue group just for them. I am truly in love with this animal! I wish they were better understood and they were all over the place. You never get tired of watching them. They are very creative and smarter than most people I know! They can have mood swings like any other pet, but they always know who raised them and stay loyal! They are a lot of work, but they make great companions, and friends! They love the smell of money. I have had so many of my friends wallets and pocket books broken into for money and lighters. They absolutely can live in groups and none of mine would even think about killing another animal, unless it's a chicken. I have pictures of them with my rabbits, rats, dogs, cats, and horses. Yes they ride the horses with me. I guess it all depends on how they grow up. From what I see, they are a pack animal, with me as top leader, thank goodness! But they all have a certain place among the group. When one protects you, they all do! Mine would never eat my pet parrots. They do break them out and hang with them though. It's quite funny! There's never a dull moment when you share your life with them. On my worst days I come home to them and they make all my problems and trouble seem so trivial! I thank god for them being in my life every day! I feel honored I am a big part of them as well as they are to me. They are very loyal friends. In my world they can do no wrong! I put up with their bi-polar temperment, because most of the time they are so very sweet. They even groom my cuts for me. They have never-ending love to give to you as long as you give it back, and when they trust you, you have their hearts. Mine let me do what ever needs to be done. Sometimes they complain about it and put up a fight, but in the end I always win.
I also have a baby raccoon and I love her. I feel lucky to have her. My husband found her a day before mother's day, she has been the best mother's day present. She is eating just fine and she just open her eyes. I don't think she will ever know she is a racoon, she will be my baby. i just hope things will be O.k when she grows up. I really think that with love she will make it. I'm so glad there are people like you that love animals as much as I do. God Bless You.
If you are looking for a pet raccoon, or looking to find a new home for one... Read this: Polly and Friends is a non-profit organization dedicated to helping raccoons world wide. We are based in Florida (United States). Polly and Friends are centered around both raccoons living in the wild as well in captivity. We educate people of all ages about raccoons and our environment in general. Peaches is our one year old disabled non-release-able raccoon with brain damage. Peaches does education at schools and events along side her adoptive mother our director Aletheia Robinson-Wilson. All healthy raccoons that are capable of surviving in the wild return to their natural habitat. This is best for them as well as us. Raccoons are not designed to live in captivity. They are all wild animals. One project that's important to all of us with Polly and Friends is us reaching out to network with others who also love raccoons. We specialize in getting captive raccoons that need long term placement with people and organizations willing to make a commitment to them. We meet all legal requirement and have all necessary permits. If you would like to adopt a raccoon or if you have a raccoon that needs long term placement we would like to help you.
If you have found a raccoon, would be interested in volunteering, making a donation, just have a question or would like to contact us for any reason at all we look forward to hearing for you. please call us at (850) 385-7971 anytime day or night and e-mail us at pollyandfriends@gmail.com and send a Carbon Copy to pollyandfriendsdirectorraccoons@yahoo.com. If this is an urgent issue and we do not return your call within a couple hours please also call Florida Wildlife Care's 24 hour hot line at (352)371-4400.
The wife and I are on our 3rd adventure with these amazing creatures. We have shared countless memories that can not compare to any other pet that we have had. Our current one has been with us for over a year. Her name is Brat. And oh does she live up to her name. She will get into thing she knows are not allowed just to get our attention. She like a lot of others loves to scavenge just about anything in our house. Her favorites though are change and lighters. I never knew a lighter had that many pieces or could be taken apart that much. (chuckle) She is very loving to our son (6) and wants to be with him more than either of us. She adores kids in general. They can do way more with her than we can. One thing that I have found is even though they love to play a lot, do not play rough with them. Its nice and fine while they are young but once they get older they try to play the same way but they are stronger and their bites are not as weak. I have countless scars to prove this, but I still would not trade her for the world. They also have mood swings just like we do, and they can tell when you are depressed or happy like most animals. All in all the ones that I have had are the best pets I have ever had. They all have taken a piece of my heart for their own and will always be cherished.
Raccoons are the most glorious animals on earth! As you can tell, I absolutely love them. I have rehabbed babies for release and have kept one as part of our family.
She has been the grandest blessing since our children. Yes, she does occasionally bite and she does scratch, but we knew what to expect and besides, a little spilled blood is nothing compared to the joy she has brought into our lives. BUT, it takes a special kind of person or family to truely care for a raccoon as a pet.
She was raised as one would raise a house cat. She goes to the bathroom in her "water" box, which is just a litter box filled with a couple inches of water. We tried litter first, then sand and dirt, but a couple inches of water did the trick. It is also easy to clean, just flush down the toilet and rinse out the box and refill with water. She can and does reach anywhere she so desires, so our entire house is "raccoon" proofed. Still, broken trinkets and some minor destruction are all just part of the game. She is not spayed, but shows no interest in being outside. When she does go out, she will sniff around and play awhile, but she wants to go back inside before very long. Her heat cycles can be "interesting" at times, but she has yet to become mean or restless when in heat.
We do have to be careful of friends or family while visiting. We must contain her in one room while company is about, as she does not take kindly to visitors in HER house. I have seen more than one rather large manly man, who(on their first visit)insisted that there was no need to secure the raccoon, scream like a little girl and hop on top of my furniture trying to get away from my snarling snorting furball. Second visit, they stay outside until they are sure the coon is safetly locked away.
All in all, I would not trade my raccoon for any other pet in the world.
I too have recently become a raccoon mommy and so far so good! I love him.. he is only 5/6 weeks old (exact age undetermined) but he is so wonderful! I have been bottle feeding him for about 3 weeks now. I have heard many urban legend horror stories about raccoons killing cats ( i have three) and dogs. I may be proved wrong in the future but right now everybody seems to be getting along fine. I enjoy this website because it allows me to hear the positive side of being a raccoon owner. I contacted the Dept of wildlife resources to apply for his permit and of course they want to seize him and rehabilitate him into the wild... wrong! I can't imagine the thought of him not being part of my life and I look forward to many years of raccoon/kittycat playtime!!!