What Do Raccoons Eat: An In-Depth Guide for Homeowners

Among the wild animals that are easily recognize in the United States is the raccoon. People were always fascinated with their bandit-like disguises and enterprising methods, but they have also never gotten the best, as homeowners had to run into them around their homes. Raccoons are also flexible creatures, as compared to other wild animals, which consume limited food; this animal can consume a variety of foods. This food flexibility is what makes a raccoon a successful survivor in forests and also in city neighborhoods.

If you have ever seen one of these masked food scavengers plunging into a trash can in the middle of the night and questioned yourself, What Do Raccoons Eat? then this guide has your answer. By understanding what they feed on (nature and particularly in human environments), you can then be better placed in a position to better guard your property and know the most effective and time-saving ways in which you can safely and effectively dispose of the raccoons.

What Do Raccoons Eat in the Wild?

Being in their natural habitats, raccoons are really opportunists. They eat both plants and animals, and are thus omnivores. Their food varies with seasons in accordance with what is in season. Most raccoons are more likely to be found at locations where there is plenty of edible food, such as streams, lakes, and wooded regions.

Here is what the most popular items in their wild diet look like:

• Fruits and nuts: Fruits and nuts can consumed at different time periods by the raccoons, especially when they are in season during spring and summer. These are sources of natural sugars and energy.
• Insects: Grubs, beetles, and grasshoppers are just a few insects that they have in their diets in warmer seasons.
• Small Animals: They can capture frogs, fish, small rodents, and bird eggs. Their fine paws and long razor-like talons enable them to hunt their prey easily or dig in nests.
• Vegetation: Corn, seeds, and leaves are other things that they often add to their diet when animal protein is in short supply.
• Aquatic Food: Raccoons are quite proficient in water; hence, they tend to seek crayfish, clams, and even snails along the banks of the streams.

The flexibility of raccoons is that they’ll never starve, regardless of what is in the environment. Their omnivorous nature is what has allowed them to survive in the wild, as well as an explanation for why they live so easily with humans. That is why the answer to the question What Do Raccoons Eat in the Wild is simple: they eat nearly anything found to their disposal.

What Do Baby Raccoons Eat?

As a baby, raccoons, also called a kit, have special food requirements as opposed to adults. When arriving in this world, kits are entirely dependent on the milk of their mother. This is normally a period that takes the first two months of life.

By growing, the mother instructs them on certain important things, such as climbing, food searching, and cleaning food before consuming it. At about 8 to 10 weeks, they start with a taste of solids such as fruits or mushy insects. With time, they eat what adult raccoons eat: fruits, nuts, small animals, and whatever the environment gives them.

The fast learning skill among the young raccoons is also spectacular since they imitate their mothers. Raccoons have a kit that does not know inherently what do raccoons eat but as they observe and learn with time, they perfect the skill of foraging. Such behavior qualifies them as fast learners and well prepared to live on their own in the wild and also in population centers.

Why Raccoons Turn to Human Food Sources

Due to shortages of natural food supplies or when in urban areas, raccoons tend to search for human food. Garbage cans, compost, pet food bowls, and even vegetable gardens are readily available sources of meals rich in calories. Homeowners can experience the problem of raccoons in raising lids and digging in trash and littering at night.

With raccoons, it is strictly self-preservation- they are merely benefiting by using whatever means they can access the easiest type of food. However, to homeowners, this is a major discomfort and a cause of serious concern regarding how to get rid of raccoons safely.

How to Get Rid of Raccoons

And now that you know What Do Raccoons Eat in the Wild, it makes sense why they drawn to residential areas. The same instincts that lead them to go in search of berries and fish also incline them to rummage in trash cans and bird feeders. Luckily, their presence can be discouraged:

1. Properly covered trash cans: Use covered containers with bungee cords or animal-proof lids. Raccoons are intelligent, but not being able to open the bin easily lowers their interest.
2. Do not leave food sources: Do not leave food out overnight. Harvest fruits on the tree and the pet bird feeder quickly to ensure that they do not get attack by the raccoons.
3. Seal Entry Points: Raccoons may be entering a house through attics, chimneys, or sheds; accordingly, seal up the areas with wire mesh of heavy gauge.
4. Seal up Entry Points: Repellents: Motion-activated sprinklers/lights are effective in driving raccoons out. Natural scent repellents can also work, such as ammonia or vinegar
5. Hiring a Professional: There are times when the most correct answer is to call an accredited nuisance wildlife removal company that understands the most effective ways to exterminate raccoons without harming the animal.

Although raccoons are adaptable, consistency is the most effective method in the long run when it comes to getting rid of ready food and shelter.

Conclusion

The Question is, What Do Raccoons Eat? The answer is very simple, but mesmerizing, almost anything that they can locate. In nature, they can eat animals and plants. Baby raccoons are also dependent on their mothers until they are fit enough to go out hunting. However, the climatic conditions are highly favorable to the raccoons, which tend to live near people due to their adaptability to an urban environment, as they are scavengers and could build nests in our homes.

To homeowners, this means being proactive. Learning what raccoons typically eat in the wild and the reasons why they are in people’s houses helps you to know how to avoid the issues before they begin. Like locking garbage bins or contacting professionals who will be aware of raccoon removal methods, a step ahead is imperative.

All in all, raccoons should given their due. At the end of the day, their versatility in adapting to different environments is quite impressive; however, that does not mean they belong in your attic or trash cans. To get more tips on pest control and professional advice, visit saynopest, your local pest control solution provider across the United States.