Random Lesser-Known Facts About Raccoons (12 items)

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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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  (#2) They Will Seriously Mess Up Your Pets Over Food

  If you're not careful about where you leave your cat or dog's food, raccoons might just smell it out and eat it themselves. And when a raccoon comes looking for food, the presence of another dog or cat won't deter it. Even though it's uncommon for cats and raccoons to end up scrapping, dogs will typically be more curious and go sniffing it out. If the raccoon ends up cornered and they do happen to end up getting into a fight, it's very easy for a raccoon to seriously mess up a pet or, even worse, kill it.

  Raccoons will first go for the dog's eyes, blinding it before it starts jabbing at the chest. This causes a dog's lungs to collapse. Raccoon nails are sharp, and have been known to penetrate a dog's abdomen and into their organs. 
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  (#3) Fatal Diseases And Parasites Hang Around In Their Poop

  The droppings of raccoons carry a serious amount of diseases. And if it happens to come in contact with children or pets, it can be deadly. If a raccoon decides to settle down in or around your yard, you could possibly end up with a variety of nasty illnesses. Their fecal matter and urine can carry leptospirosis, salmonella, and raccoon roundworm.

  Where leptospirosis and salmonella are contracted from coming in direct contact with the raccoon's waste, you can catch raccoon roundworm by simply being close enough to inhale the roundworm's eggs, making their fecal matter in any form extremely dangerous.
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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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  (#5) Raccoon Teeth Are Made For Shredding Things

  Although raccoons are omnivores, their canine teeth are made for shredding. While their bottom canine teeth are curved, the top teeth are the ones that will seriously do some damage. Instead of being a curved tooth, their upper canines are straight and come to a complete point, much like a knife. In comparison, you can see how much raccoon teeth look like cutlery, and let your imagination do the rest.
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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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  (#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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  (#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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  (#10) Raccoons Eat Car Wires And Destroy Interiors

  Raccoons will sometimes use the insides of cars as nesting sites. That's because cars are often dry and warm, and when it's off and left alone it's a perfect invite to any animal looking for a new place to settle down. If a raccoon decides to make a car into a den, it can cause thousands of dollars worth of damage by chewing up the car's internal wiring and destroying whatever else it decides to rummage around with on the inside.
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  (#11) Raccoons Raid Campsites For Not Only Food, But Pots And Pans Too

  If there is food at a campsite that hasn't been stored properly, bears aren't the only type of forest wildlife attracted to the site. Raccoons who feel exceptionally daring will completely raid a campsite for food, even during the middle of the day. They'll go through whatever has been left out for food and shiny materials like aluminum cans, pots and pans, and even keys, so if you're not careful, you could be left without food and whatever vehicle you drove in to get there. 
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  (#12) Raccoon Burglar Masks Don't Lie - They're Actually Thieves

  Those cute bandit masks aren't just for show, they're actually dirty thieves. If there are raccoons in your area, it's best that you don't leave anything remotely small or grabbable outside, because they're bound to snatch them at one point or another. Raccoons aren't only attracted to food, they're also attracted to shiny objects and won't hesitate to steal anything that's just sitting out and waiting to be taken, especially if it's shimmering.

  In one of the more extreme cases of raccoon theft, a raccoon named Stanley living around Bellarmine University in Kentucky took a student's phone right out of his hand. The encounter was caught on video (and is actually pretty hilarious). 

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