The raccoon as a pet

Author: Peter Berry
Date Of Creation: 20 February 2021
Update Date: 6 November 2024
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Watch This Before You Get A Pet Raccoon
Video: Watch This Before You Get A Pet Raccoon

Content

O raccoon is a wild animal that belongs to the Procyonidae family. It is an omnivorous mammal, small, perhaps slightly larger than a cat, with sharp claws and a thick, ringed tail.

If you want to know if you are allowed or not raccoon as a pet, know that they are wild and undomesticated animals. Therefore, your behavior will not be like that of a cat, a dog or a rabbit. In this article by PeritoAnimal we will explain what Brazilian legislation says about the pet raccoon, in addition to detailing some curiosities with photos of this beautiful and curious animal of our nature. Good reading!


Is it possible to have a raccoon as a pet?

The raccoon is a wild animal and must not be domesticated and treated like a pet. Typically found on the American continent, including Brazil, it has been the target of illegal trafficking to different countries where many people have considered having it at home.

It is worth noting that the possession of exotic animals has a direct impact on the conservation of species that inhabit our ecosystems. According to an estimate by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the introduction of exotic species may have caused the extinction of 39% of the planet's native species, being the second biggest cause of biodiversity loss in the world. [1]

In this other PeritoAnimal article we show you which are the best pets for children.


Can I adopt a raccoon?

As we've talked about, having the raccoon as a pet is not recommended. According to Law No. 9,605/98, is prohibited kill, chase, hunt, catch and use wildlife specimens without authorization or license. It is also a crime, under Brazilian law, to sell, export, buy, store, keep in captivity or transport eggs, larvae or specimens of Brazilian fauna without authorization. The penalties for those who commit these crimes range from a fine to a prison for up to five years.

Permission to have a wild animal must be requested from the Brazilian Institute for the Environment and Renewable Natural Resources (IBAMA), which is the responsible agencyl.


In apprehensions carried out jointly with the Federal Police or other bodies, Ibama sends the animals to the Wild Animal Screening Centers (Cetas), which exist in all states of the country. These centers also receive wild animals by voluntary delivery or rescue, then forwarding them to nature or to duly authorized fauna ventures, breeding or also called animal refuges.

So, if you want to help an animal that was apprehended and that for some reason cannot be reinserted into the wild, you need to request this authorization from Ibama to have a pet raccoon.

Raccoon Care

Obviously, the raccoon cannot live inside an apartment. Remember that you have to follow several rules about its food, the size of the space and to offer guarantees that it will be well taken care of.

In addition to wide spaces, the animal needs to have the greatest possible contact with nature, with trees to climb it is a tank or fountain where you can wash your food. They like the water when they live in nature and usually wash fruits and crabs in the rivers before eating them.

It is an omnivorous animal and feeds on birds, rats, insects, small fish, slugs, freshwater shrimp, eggs, nuts, cereals and fruits.

Raccoons are hygienic animals and like to bathe, and they change their fur once a year.

behavior and education

The raccoon is a curious and playful mammal. The baby raccoon is docile, but in its adult stage of life can become aggressive especially towards humans and dogs. Remember that far from the friendly appearance and docile look it has, the raccoon also has teeth as well as claws and won't hesitate to use them if it feels threatened. Check out other characteristics of one of the raccoon species in Brazil:

Raccoon Characteristics (Procyon cancrivorus)

  • Its body measures between 40 and 100 cm, the length of the tail varies between 20 and 42 cm,
  • It weighs between 3 and 7 kg.
  • Males are bigger than females
  • It has a large head, small, pointed ears, in addition to a reduced snout
  • Its hind legs are more developed than its front legs
  • Geographical Distribution: Lives in Brazil, also found in eastern Costa Rica, Paraguay, Uruguay and northern Argentina, having as habitat: Amazon, Pantanal, Cerrado, Caatinga, Atlantic Forest and Campos Sulinos.
  • Reproduction: Gestation from 60 to 73 days, with an average of 3 puppies being born.
  • Has solitary and nocturnal habits
  • Can live up to 15 years in captivity
  • knows how to swim very well
  • Emit a wide variety of high-pitched and harsh vocalizations
  • Curiosity: they always wash what they are going to eat before eating the food

Common Raccoon Diseases

It is important that you know what are the main diseases that affect raccoons so that you can prevent them and that they can even affect a baby raccoon.

  • It is necessary to be especially careful with a parasite called "Baylisascaris procyonis", which is characteristic of the species.
  • Remember that it is an animal that can get rabies
  • Another of the most frequent problems that raccoons usually suffer from is obesity.
  • It may also suffer from hip dysplasia

Finally, we would like to point out that the raccoon must not be a pet, although at times we may see well looked after and friendly raccoons with their host family.

If you want to read more articles similar to The raccoon as a pet, we recommend that you enter our What You Need to Know section.