My son found a baby racoon at his friends house that lives near woods they have a lot of cyotes there. The baby was crying all day under a tree, the mother did not return. My son took him in and has been bottle feeding him.
He seems very healthy. We gave him a flea and tick treatment and wormer.
My daughter works for a vet and the vet said if he had rabies or anything else we would have seen the signs by now. Also we have heard that at such a young age he has not had a chance to get infected, still I worry.
I am also worried about when he gets bigger I want to release him when he's bigger but I'm afraid he will not make it in the wild. There is a place I found that takes on animals like this and I will prob take him there eventually. Any one with any exsperience with this??

It is a wild animal, and it belongs in the wild.

The longer it is kept in human control, the less the chance it can survive in the wild.

I recommend you getting it to a legitimate wild animal care center as soon as possible.

Prog. Is right. I am from/raised the country and have seen many people try to keep them as pets. I have not known of one case that worked out. A soon as this agency will take him, please let them have him.
It was very nice of your son to save him.

It is a wild animal, and it belongs in the wild.

The longer it is kept in human control, the less the chance it can survive in the wild.

I recommend you getting it to a legitimate wild animal care center as soon as possible.
So you think he should have left it to die? We are aware that it is a wild animal,
But he was a abandoned baby wild animal. I was asking for info that I was not already aware of.

I believe that nature has a plan for all her creatures, great and small.

Perhaps, nature intended for your son to find the baby and save it.

None of us can really answer that question can we.

Perhaps the mother had too many, and naturally, she abandoned one, much like a mother bird will push her young out of the nest if she has too many to feed, in order to guarantee the strongest of the young can survive.

Perhaps all the attention being paid to the baby by humans, prevented the mother from coming back to get it. They do not like us at all, and will avoid us, if at all possible you know.

Sometimes I believe that the compassion in us, causes us to interfere with nature at times when we should let nature take its course.

I found a baby bird, shoved out of the nest, when I was very young.

I took it home, tried to "save" it, and of course it died, almost right away.

After that, I learned to just allow nature to take it's course.

Sometimes the human thing to do, is in direct opposition, to what nature has intended.

It was a very compassionate thing for your son to do.

I never leave anything to die. I have been saving animals most of my life. I go to great lenghts to save them. It is what I do and I feel like one of thre reasons I was put on this earth.
Call me nuts but I have driven 100's of miles for animals and over the years I have spent 1000's of dollars. Not to mention the various groups that have helped me save , squirrels, birds, dogs, cats, mice... etc I have also met some wonderful caring people along the way.
I feel if I see them and pick them up well they crossed my path for a reason.

So in my opinion never feel bad if you give help and the animal doesn't make it. I have lost quite a few, and sobbing say maybe I am not going to do it again , until the next time...

There should be almost no human contact if possible, the animal should be as Soon as possible eating natual foods and allowed to find food around in the cage area.

But since the anaimal will not have been taught where to look for food, how to tell when there is danger, the chance of the animal making it back into the wild after being saved is almost none. Unless it it is sent though a shelter where it will be mixed with other animals and taught some of the needed traits.

But the parent may have also only been gone all day hunting and would have returned that night. ( and my not have either)
Normally it is better to allow wild animals stay in the wild.

The neighbors of where my son found the raccoon said that they heard coyotes fighting over something in the middle of the night and then there were a couple dead raccoons behind their house. We will prob give him to a nearby wild animal rescue called paws critter crossing. We feel we are doing the right thing by saving it.
Almost pos mother and one sibling got caught by cyote. Also it has been a special exsperience. The little guy is growing rapidly it has been 3 weeks now and he is prob about 9 - 12 weeks old. We are starting to feed it solids.

I never leave anything to die. I have been saving animals most of my life. I go to great lenghts to save them. It is what I do and I feel like one of thre reasons I was put on this earth.
Call me nuts but I have driven 100's of miles for animals and over the years I have spent 1000's of dollars. Not to mention the various groups that have helped me save , squirrels, birds, dogs, cats, mice...etc I have also met some wonderful caring people along the way.
I feel if I see them and pick them up well they crossed my path for a reason.

So in my opinion never feel bad if you give help and the animal doesn't make it. I have lost quite a few, and sobbing say maybe I am not going to do it again , until the next time.......
I tried to rate to comment but it said I have to spread rep firstm but yes I feel the same. My Son is 16 and I have seen such gental sweet side from him that I have not seen in awhile. This has been a memory that he will hold for a life time. He takes him out and walks him to the near by woods and tries to teach him to climb, and look for bugs.
The little thing follows right behind.

The best thing for this baby is to get it to a trained wild life rehabilitation center. They have the training and ability to make sure this raccoon will succeed in the wild.

Having a raccoon takes up to a year to be able to release and in that year it should have the least amount of human contact as possible. It needs to be taught how to hunt for food and have the ability to be a wild animal instead of domestic.

Not including, I don't know about your state, but in mine it is against the law to have a raccoon if you do not have the appropriate license.

This is in response to the nice little "jab" from you linnealand.

You couldn't even point out what you felt was "wrong" with my answer, yet you smack me with a "reddie"?

Religion has nothing to do with humans interfering with nature, it is the natural course of things for animals to be eaten and die.

Do you think the baby raccoon has more right to life than the coyote that may have eaten it for dinner?

Sorry, I don't think so, and neither does nature.

This is in response to the nice little "jab" from you linnealand.

You couldn't even point out what you felt was "wrong" with my answer, yet you smack me with a "reddie"?

Religion has nothing to do with humans interfering with nature, it is the natural course of things for animals to be eaten and die.

Do you think the baby raccoon has more right to life than the coyote that may have eaten it for dinner?

Sorry, I don't think so, and neither does nature.

If you watch "Big Cat Diary", one of the researchers talks about that a lot. As he puts it, you get emotionally attached to the animals that you are studying (a lion pride, cheetahs, and a jaguar female and her offspring), and yet you know that you can't interfere with anything that happens. And you know going into the job that most of the cubs that you follow aren't going to make it. (Cheetahs especially have miserable cub mortality rates... up to 90%.) Listening to the researcher agonize when the cubs are in danger brings home how attached we get to animals, and how we start to think that yes, the lion cub has more right to live than the zebra foal does.

If you're in DuPage County, there's Willowbrook Wildlife Center • 525 S. Park Boulevard • Glen Ellyn, (630) 942-6200. Otherwise, the one you mentioned is a good one.

A woman in Wyoming was handed an orphaned baby coyote and has a nifty blog about raising him during the past year. Her book about Charlie the Coyote and Eli the Cat will be out in November.

The Daily Coyote (http://dailycoyote.blogspot.com/)

I think that it's great that you son rescued this little guy. Everything happens for a reason, it was meant to be that your son would cross paths with this raccoon.

I do agree that you can't keep him as a pet, he would reek chaos in your home once he grew up. I also don't think that he'll be able to be released in the wild, at least not without allot of professional help.

I don't know what you should do, I don't know the laws where you live, but I think that what you are doing is a wonderful thing.

If I didn't rescue animals, both wild and domesticated, the world would be minus one Border collie, and three rabbits, because they were all on death watch when I adopted them. So yes, there are times when someone needs to step in and assist mother nature. :)

Sorry, progunr. But the things you said in this post, as well as to the woman whose pet rabbit had only one baby, displayed strong signs of a person who is using darwinian theory to make his point -- and using it incorrectly.

Froggy is right in what he/she wrote. But that's critical for researchers - they are in daily contact with wild lands, and if they were to interfere with the animals on a daily basis they would be changing the ecosystem. But this doesn't apply to the pet rabbit (see post) or, in my opinion, to this particular baby raccoon whose mother had just been eaten.

Do you have a problem with wildlife rescues? Because this fits that bill. It's nothing personal, but I couldn't let something like that go, especially because it's not the first time you wrote it. No hard feelings.

By the way, I would also recommend getting this raccoon to a rescue organization. Still, I will tell you that a friend of ours raised a raccoon from birth as a pet, and they spent a very long and happy life together. I don't know the details of the situation because this was before I knew her, but I think she brought it over to europe from mexico (she lived there). It was trained in the same way you would train a cat or dog. I'm not saying I advocate this, but I'm telling you it has happened.

I'm pretty sure it is actually against the law to possess a wild animal. You should call the wildlife control officer or the fish and game commission. Remember the people who have gotten in trouble for even having feathers from a protected bird... A raccoon is nocturnal and would see better at night and could become confused and lost in daylight. If it's eyes are open and it is big enough it could probably get along on it's own. If it's not big enough then it has an immature immune system and you caring for it could cause it more harm than good. "Fools rush in where angels fear to tread"

sorry, progunr. but the things you said in this post, as well as to the woman whose pet rabbit had only one baby, displayed strong signs of a person who is using darwinian theory to make his point -- and using it incorrectly.

froggy is right in what he/she wrote. but that's critical for researchers - they are in daily contact with wild lands, and if they were to interfere with the animals on a daily basis they would be changing the ecosystem. but this doesn't apply to the pet rabbit (see post) or, in my opinion, to this particular baby raccoon whose mother had just been eaten.

do you have a problem with wildlife rescues? because this fits that bill. it's nothing personal, but i couldn't let something like that go, especially because it's not the first time you wrote it. no hard feelings.

Thanks for your rather lame explanation, but I don't think this community needs you to protect them from or explain to them where you think my answers come from.

Oh, and by the way, I didn't even answer the question about one baby rabbit, have you been smoking something?

Believe me, they have nothing to do with Darwinism, in fact, I have not a clue what "theory" you are even speaking of?

I have no problem with professional wildlife rescues, they are sometimes necessary and serve a useful purpose.

My disagreement is with compassionate humans, interfering with nature, when we really have no business doing so.

Every creature on this earth, has the same right to life, as any other.

Just because we feel "sorry" for an animal, does not give us the right, or the duty to remove it from it's natural place in the world.

Some other animal, may be just as hungry, as the baby animal it eats.

It is simply nature, taking it's course.

Prog, I see where you are coming from, but rescuing one baby racoon is not going to starve an entire pack of coyotes, it really isn't.

I believe in helping nature when I can. If I see a bird with a broken wing and have a chance to rescue it, I will, there are other animals that predators can eat, one bird being helped by me, isn't going to make a huge difference to anyone other than that bird, and me.

I really think that things are put in our path for a reason, and this baby raccoon, was placed in the OP's care for a reason.

Let's get back on track guys. The OP did not want to know whether it was okay for her to rescue this animal, so let's stick to the topic at hand please. I know, I'm guilty too, but let's stop before it gets out of hand. Okay?

Prog... I was was raised in the country, really I do see the point that you are making... it just that I am a softy.

Lol if any thing we are fatting him up and the cyote will have a bigger meal.
Chill out all you leave the Wild animals alone people, we are letting it get big enough to fend for himself and as said in the original post will either let him go or give him to the near by wild animal rescue.

The laws of nature should apply here. Survival of the fittest

Going to sound really man hearted, but they are a little greasy, but do make a fairly good BBQ when served with greens.

Okay, progunr, let's keep things calm. :) I'm actually going to reach out and extend my apologies to you because, in fact, I did get it wrong with the "one baby rabbit" post. I could have sworn I remembered the argument there as being started by you, but I was clearly mistaken.

This was the part of it that I thought you wrote: "Just leave her alone with the one she has, she will do the best she can. If it is not meant to live, it wont. That is survival of the fitest, so just get used to that idea. We can't change that urge." so putting that together with your posts in this thread, I responded with what I thought was fair.

Just so everything is clear, I really like your posts! So I guess that I really like you, too! I especially enjoyed your obvious pride in your wife. I followed the link, and she's awfully pretty. She seems like the wife of a good guy (meaning you). So I hope we can be friends.

Just one note, however, about the "rate this comment" thing. I've been going with the rules posted by the site. Here's what's in the FAQ section:

"How do I rate an answer?"
"Yes. In most topics, users are encouraged to rate the answer given by our members. Simply click the button that appears under members' answers. This gives you the opportunity to say whether you found the answer helpful or not - and include a comment as to why. Your rating, along with your comment, will then appear with that member's answer."

When you click on "rate this answer," the page that comes up gives you the option to agree or disagree. So I used it. I give a lot of greens. But it seems like the two times in my membership here that I posted why I "disagree," phantoms and fires arose from beneath the earth. I don't think it should be seen as a pox, or a disease, or the end of life as we know it. :) you were right in not having posted the bunny thing, but I still thought was you said was pretty harsh, and I disagreed. I don't think the reddie will go on your permanent record or have you put away in a place full of rats. But I'll promise to give you a green on one of the many posts you've shared that I have most certainly enjoyed. Okay? Peace then! :)

Shame on you Fr Chuck

shame on you Fr Chuck

What happened to survival of the fittest? ;);):)

In the animal kingdom. Man would always win over a little forest creature. Not a fair fight.

But racoons have claws, Fr_Chuck only has hands. It might be a fair fight, depends on the forest creature, doesn't it? ;):)

Okay, now I'm getting off topic again. Really bad Alty. Let's stick to the topic at hand. :)

Fr Chuck has guns, actually we do "coon" hunts down here in GA when we get too bored from hunting bambie and thumper.

Bambie, thumper, you didn't say that Chuck, no you didn't. I actually have a pet rabbit named Thumper, he's a rescue, had a tough life, you wouldn't eat him, you couldn't, not once you looked in to his big brown bunny eyes.

And once again we're off topic, and I am going right along. Bad Alty.

As for the OP's baby racoon. I think it's best to bring him to a wildlife centre. Releasing him after he's had so much contact with humans is a bad idea. The wildlife centre might be able to help him adapt to living in the wild. Good luck with him, and keep us posted. :)

Raccoon's supposed to be one of the worst eating, kind of like groundhog. Throw survival of the fittest in the trash. God certainly led that mother raccoon to take her baby someplace where you found it. Although I'm one of the hands off responders you are not doing anything I wouldn't have done myself. Just be careful, you know, posting a blog etc. about your experience could get you in trouble. Have to remember animals in the wild live maybe 5 or 6 years if they are lucky. They are no smarter than a 6 year old child would be at that age. They are all tiny babies that need help in some way. But pick up the paper and see how much trouble it is to raise our own children sometimes. This is going to be a big 24--7 job all for the sake of one little creature who will be gone in a few years. But your conscience will lead you to what is right.

I had also a raccoon two years ago, was a baby maybe 2 or 3 weeks old when I founded with his dead brother in the middle of the highway. I pulled over and picked it up, the animal was hissing and scratching like a cat I had to use a towel to grab it.
Took it home and my kids feed him for a couple of months with cat milk, it was a wonderful pet, monkey like and very sweet for maybe a year.
After that when they reach the sexual maturity they got mean, aggressive, I had to put it outside in my yard, he gradually adapted to the natural living, I live in a wooden area and back in the woods live wild coons so my raccoon stayed in my yard for a few months coming down the tree when I called him with food. After a few weeks living outside he started to bring friends at night for dinner, the other raccoons didn't like humans but I could see'em trough the windows, eventually he left probably to mate but he still around, sometimes he and his kids come in the yard at night looking for food.

Carl.-

I had also a raccoon two years ago, was a baby maybe 2 or 3 weeks old when I founded with his dead brother in the middle of the highway. I pulled over and picked it up, the animal was hissing and scratching like a cat I had to use a towel to grab it.
Took it home and my kids feed him for a couple of months with cat milk, it was a wonderful pet, monkey like and very sweet for maybe a year.
After that when they reach the sexual maturity they got mean, aggressive, I had to put it outside in my yard, he gradually adapted to the natural living, I live in a wooden area and back in the woods live wild coons so my raccoon stayed in my yard for a few months coming down the tree when I called him with food. After a few weeks living outside he started to bring friends at night for dinner, the other raccoons didn't like humans but I could see'em trough the windows, eventually he left probably to mate but he still around, sometimes he and his kids come in the yard at night looking for food.

Carl.- Thanks for sharing your exsperience. I read that the females reach sexual maturity at around 1 yr and males 2 yrs. We have researched online and have heard many the same exsperience as yours.
We have enjoyed him He is growing so fast! We leave him out side with the cage that he sleeps in open at all times now, he crys at the door a lot until we go out or let the dog out
Then he's happy. He and the bull dog are the best of friends. We also give him the kitten formula. How long did you bottle feed? He eats solid food now but still loves the bottle and you can tell when he wants one he makes a noise and sucks at your arm, lol..

Well, mine got really bad after 18 months, When he bited my 5 years old even though was in self-defense and he didn't bite as hard as he could I decided to let him go, they are not pets once they grow up you have to treate them with respect.

About the survival after captivity thing... not a problem, they are scavengers, can eat almost anything, the only possible problem that I can think of would be if they get too close to humans and somebody shot them but they seems to have an instinc for that too.

He took the bottle for about month and a half. Keep always a big container with water by the food but away from the little box they love to wash their hands after eating.

Carl.-

Ya we keep a baby pool outside for him. We are not keeping him caged so he is free to leave when ever he wants to. If he won't leave on his own we are going to take him to a place for rescued wild animals. Can you tell me what the one you had liked to eat?
This one seems very picky, I have tried a lot of things and so far he will only eat hot dogs
And banana and grapes. We have a garden with a lot of veg and luckily he don't bother with it.