Random Lesser-Known Facts About Raccoons (12 items)

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  (#7) Baby Raccoons Usually Have An Aggressive Mother Nearby

  Seeing a baby raccoon in the wild can be in incredibly cute experience, but it's best to stay away from it if you think a mother raccoon is anywhere nearby. Mother raccoons are very protective of their young, as they have the duty of protecting them all by themselves.

  While the babies are in the nest, the mother raccoon will frequently be on patrol around the area looking for potential predators. If she sees you as a predator, she's going to become very aggressive and treat you like one, which could leave you in a nasty situation.
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  (#8) Raccoons Terrorize Small Livestock

  Wild raccoons will terrorize small livestock, especially chickens or hens, that have been left out in a coop. Raccoons are not attacking these animals to eat them, instead they're trying to steal their eggs or any food left for them in their coops. 

  If they get in, they'll tear chickens to shreds just to eat their eggs. While they typically won't eat the chickens, they'll leave them as a bloody mess and occasionally eat at the breast and entrails before nabbing their eggs. What's even scarier is raccoons will typically carry out these chicken assaults in the night while the chickens are asleep. 
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  (#6) Raccoons Have Two Sets Of 10 Dangerous Claws

  Raccoons come fully equipped with five fingers on each hand, and every finger comes with a very sharp, non-retractable claw. While these claws make them very good at climbing, raccoons are also easily threatened. If they feel like they've been backed into a corner, you get too close to their babies, they won't hesitate use them with full force.
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  (#9) Raccoons Can Not Be Domesticated

  Taking a raccoon out of the wild and making it your personal pet is not only illegal in some states, it's also incredibly ill-advised. While raccoons can be taught tricks, they are not social creatures and can not be domesticated, even through multiple generations of breeding. Keeping a raccoon as a pet can end up in a vicious attack if the animal feels stressed, which can leave the owner severely messed up.

  They're also just general nuisances. If they don't mess up their owner's face, they most definitely will mess up their house. Raccoons are known to be destructive animals, and will rip apart furniture, bedding, and even walls. 
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  (#1) Raccoons Are One Of The Primary Carriers Of Rabies

  Raccoons are one of the primary - if not the largest - carriers of rabies in the United States. They are also the most frequently reported rabid animal, according to the Center for Disease Control, accounting for 28.6% of all animal rabies reports in 2017.

  While these reports are found heavily on the east coast, it's typically in your best interest to avoid a raccoon no matter where you see it. How do you tell if a raccoon is rabid? Usually if any animal has rabies, they begin acting erratic, have wet and matted hair around their face, and seem oblivious to sounds. And if you get bit by a rabid raccoon - or any rabid animal - you're going to have a bad time. Rabies cause muscle weakness, fever, hallucinations, and sometimes death. 
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  (#4) Raccoons Have A Reputation For Mauling People

  All across the Internet you can find accounts of people being viciously attacked by raccoons, either alone or in packs. From posts on forum to news reports, there are countless recollections from people who have been brutally scratched, bitten, and mauled by angry raccoons in various situations.

  While there are no hard numbers on how many raccoons attack people each year, there is plenty of anecdotal evidence. Experts say raccoons are naturally very bold and curious, which means it will put itself in close proximity to humans. It's not common for regular raccoons to attack unless they feel threatened, and even then it's more common for them to freeze. But if a raccoon is rabid, it will attack and viciously so. 

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