Baby Raccoon

[jeff1980]

My girlfriend and I were on a bicycle ride when I saw a baby raccoon at the outside edge of a park. We stopped to check it out, keeping our distance. After a few minutes we were going to leave when the little guy came chasing after me. To be clear, we did not do ANYTHING at all to coax it to us. it just came up to me and sniffed my shoes. It started climbing my girlfriends bike trying to get closer to us.

At any rate, it's a very freindly little thing. I'm not sure it can really fend for itself yet or I'd just take it someplace safe and drop it off. It's about 14-15 inches from nose to tail and roughly the size of a 6 week old cat.

I just don't have the heart to turn it loose when I doubt very much that it'll be safe.

Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[bcannon]

I've had 2 as pets - they're pretty awnry and play rough but really fun - there are rescue centers - I'm not sure of name but there is 1 in Tippecanoe county - check your county there should be one close

 

[williamnewman1]

theres a wildlife rescue down by here too , raised a few myself, goofy little boogers with those darn thumbs (can open cabinets , doors etc ) , one of ours as a kid would sit on its butt like a person and watch TV

 

[gungirl65]

If you need some advice you can call Animal Care Alliance here in Richmond. They rescue a lot of baby coons. Their phone number is 765-488-1342. Ask for Joyce or Melody. I'm not sure if anyone will be in again until Monday but someone may be there tomorrow that may be able to at least tell you what they eat. I know they like cat food and junk food.

 

[jeff1980]

Yeah, I can't find one in Johnson county. I'm more than willing to drive to one. I just need to know where one is located.

 

[strahd71]

do they really get mean when they get older? i've always heard that wouldnt know tho

jake

 

[trophy hunter]

do they really get mean when they get older? i've always heard that wouldnt know tho

jake

yep a buddy had one for a couple years he got real mean...

 

[strahd71]

yep a buddy had one for a couple years he got real mean...

thanks

jake

 

[.45 Dave]

I can tell you they do draw flies for some reason. My next door neighbor does animal rescue and she usually has a few Raccoons. (She also has a pet groundhog and a cross-eyed opossom that lives in her house. It's kinda strange looking out the window and seeing the groundhog laying in the window like a cat) She's had a fox, birds, even a few baby skunks at one time. She rehabilitates them then they are released at certain DNR sites.

 

[Tactical Dave]

After the sorry about the guy who confronted one in his garage I'd never get that close to one..... Maybe it was an apossum... Same difference...

I'd call one of the rescues.

 

[findingZzero]

I took one to a woman in Indianapolis who rescues animals years ago.
Try this
Wildlife Rehabilitators & Rescue Groups < Indiana >

nothing for Johnson cty tho.

 

[Cpt Caveman]

Here's a news flash for the OP. The little critters mom was anxiously waiting for her little baby to return to her near where you abducted it. She's plum crazy with worry about her young-un.

Unless you SAW her mama get hit on the road I'd bet you all the money in your wallet she was right there looking for that baby coon when you left with it.
Some folks let their sentiment cloud their good judgement. You've done that in this instance.
Shoulda left it be.

 

[Annie Oakley]

There is a rescue in Bloomington called WildCare. Don't have the number off the top of my head and am feeling lazy but you should be able to Google them.

 

[jeff1980]

Here's a news flash for the OP. The little critters mom was anxiously waiting for her little baby to return to her near where you abducted it. She's plum crazy with worry about her young-un.

Unless you SAW her mama get hit on the road I'd bet you all the money in your wallet she was right there looking for that baby coon when you left with it.
Some folks let their sentiment cloud their good judgement. You've done that in this instance.
Shoulda left it be.

That was exactly what we tried to do but it kept following us. We weren't close to any woods or really cover of any kind. I looked around and couldn't see any sign of a mamma or other babies. The thing was at the edge of the parking lot near a busy road. The last thing we wanted to do was create an orphan. It just seemed like it needed help. Maybe I made a poor decision but it just didn't feel like leaving it there was right.

 

[jeremy]

As a Farm kid I have a different opinion of Racoons...

 

[shibumiseeker]

As a Farm kid I have a different opinion of Racoons...

I used to like raccoons. I never understood why my grandfather hated them.

Now I raise livestock and I understand completely.

I have a different feeling about animals that are threatened or endangered, but raccoons are fourth up there on the list of animals that will most likely flourish after a global thermonuclear war.

 

[jeremy]

I used to like raccoons. I never understood why my grandfather hated them.

Now I raise livestock and I understand completely.

I have a different feeling about animals that are threatened or endangered, but raccoons are fourth up there on the list of animals that will most likely flourish after a global thermonuclear war.

Amazing how ones perspective shifts sometimes...

 

[Suprtek]

Coons are definitely one of those animals that are cute and hard to resist at first. If you have deal with them much, your opinion is very likely to change as others have suggested. My family and I were trying to have a nice picnic lunch in a park once when the kids were still little. The little buggers were bold enough to climb right up on the table and start grabbing our food! Momma coon was right there with about 5 or 6 young ones. Like I said, very cute at first but since there were several and the momma was there it became dangerous real quick. I must have chased those things 40 or 50 yards away at least 5 or 6 times but they just kept walking right back up. If I had a .22 with me it would have been hard to resist. If your in an area with coons, trying to secure a campsite at night from them can be a real challenge. I've had them come right into the tent with us even though the zipper was closed. Still, if you haven't had those kinds of experiences, I can understand your reaction to finding a seemingly helpless young one that looks to be alone. I can respect these animals for their resourcefulness, but I have a hard time seeing them as much more than a nuisance.

 

[jeff1980]

I agree completely with the above statements. I know the things are a nuisance but the thing was just so helpless it felt cruel not to do something.

Thanks to everyone who gave suggestions on what to do. I contacted WildCare and they put me in touch with their "Coon Expert" I drove down to B-ton and turned the little "girl" over to her.

She assured me that I did not take it from it's mother. She said that there was NO WAY that thing would've been alone if something had not gone wrong regarding momma.

I'll be raised untill it's ready to be released. They have some large area of land on which to release the animals they rescue.

 

[snapping turtle]

The males don't get mean untill about 6 months old the females a little longer. We use to raise them as kids. Darn things would still come to the house after we took them down to the creek to let them go. They are territorial little critters, will back a 300 pound man back into the truck and come out of a garage like a little bear.

The will climb on window screens, drain pipes, gutters, across the finish of new cars, steal lures out of tackle boxes, chase birds, dogs (little ones) and cats around. They do not make good pets.