Reptile & Amphibian Forums

I found an orphaned baby racoon 2 days ago. I am guessing it is about 2 weeks old. It's eyes aren't opened yet. I have rehabilitated several squirrels and a few oppossums but never a raccoon. I am syringe feed it Esbilac puppy formula (5 mls) about every 3-4 hours. I am also stimulating it to urinate. I tried to stimulate it enough to have a BM but it would not go. I am keeping it in a large cardboard box with a heating pad and a few blankets. It scoots around and sometimes sucks on the blanket right after I have fed it. When I first found it, it made a lot of noises but now it does not make much noise. The only time it does make noise is when I wake it up to feed it. I live in a very rural area and the rehabilitation center I usually work with is completely filled and cannot take on any more orphans. Does anyone have any advise on what I need to do??? I am aware of all of the dieseases that the raccoon can pass on and I have been immunized against rabies (because of my work with the squirrels and oppossums). Is there any immunizations I need to give the raccoon (or have it wormed)? At what age? Thank you for any and all advise.

I just finished rehabbing a baby raccoon. Here's what I learned... KMR Kitten Milk Replacer is a better choice because raccoons are closer related to cats. Also, at about 8-12 weeks you should begin putting a dog food or cat food in with the milk- to make a sort of soup. Raccoons are also lactose intolerant, so no yogurt milk cheese any of that stuff. They do need a rabies vaccine from a vet that will handle raccoons. You should begin restraint techniques now so you know how, most people don't know how to effectively restrain them because all four paws work as hands! They have a bit of a sweet tooth, so at 3-4 months they will eat veggies like zucchini and like eggs, grapes, scraps from cooking etc. I have a garden that Carlita (the raccoon) would steal all of my tomatoes. She didn't like to eat them, just harvast the bugs in them. They love grubs etc. At an early age they should be taken out side and put in trees to allow them to figure out how to climb and hide in trees. They should also be allowed to maintain a nocturnal schedule. Once older your little menance will try to steal anything shiney, mark territory by rubbing the butt on whatever surface, get "grabby" hands and want to touch everything!!! Oh and be careful because IL has declared that raccoons may not be held as pets. Anyone holding and maintaining care for a raccoon may be fined and will not be allowed to recieve a wildlife rehabbers permit in the future. DNR will come to your home and collect the animal, if a complaint call is made mind you. Be careful about imprinting this little thing, lol. Limit contact with people aside from yourself and once solid foods are being eaten try to limit the time you spend with it as well. If this is a "true" rescue, get in touch with a forest preserve and ask if you can take "her" there a few hours and gradually build up the time until you leave her there overnight. Of course ask if they have any guidelines and if you can release it there. Usually you can- just say that your license is pending if you don't have it yet (but please get one soon if you want to keep doing this- its $50 I think) sometimes they will tell you the best spot that isn't over populated. They breed in January so make sure that the little guy can start finding food and territory. People say don't feed an unweened baby on their back- it may reduce burps or something, but the main reason is because if they stand or sit for the bottle they will be less likely to be tamed. I strongly suggest a dog cage with a litter box!! They do like to sleep on their backs and have many weird positions and they burrow so a blanket or towel is a good idea! Raccoons also make their own latrines- usually under a tree and they return to it. If you have house plants the leaves will be stripped and piled to make a latrine. I am pre-vet and have specailized in exotics. According to several vets rabies is the number one recommended vaccine, but add to the list feline distemper, puppy parvo, feline luekemia, and flea stuff. They are also prone to a roundworm (ascarius procyonis I think) that can get to dogs, cats, and people (making this disease zoonotic) attacking the old, weak and young. I think 95% of raccoons are born with it as it is in the mother and gets to the babies through the milk. Most raccoons have this without symptoms, but a dewormer shouldn't be applied until the raccoon reaches the weight on the package directions. Most vets use the stuff for roundworms in cats. Remember that if you do deworm you need to clean up all feces immediately as they have eggs and worms. The shedding of the parasites will last for about a week. I think that is all I can remember, but if you have any other questions or concerns Flint Creek Wildlife is the best wildlife center in the Chicago area, but be careful again because they will want to either take it or they will want to know you are licensed. You can also do a search on Procyon- which is the scientific name for raccoon. Hope all of this helps! GOOD LUCK!

Oh and I forgot- you will have to stimulate the urine and BMs until about 3 months. BM stimulation will take A LOT longer, 10-15 minutes. Also the BM will not come everyday for a week or two (about the time the eyes open they will need to eliminate fecal matter everyday, sometimes twice a day but it will be easier to stimulate). And it should look yellow-ish. When they start eating solids it will be the normal brown. But do not let it go for more than three days, constipation is very hard on baby raccoons. The lack of noises is a good thing, it was probably calling for mom, and now just calls for food. Raccoons also get depressed easily, so it might not be vocal for a while. But it will be soon!!!