If you have a pet dog, then feeding proper nutritious food to him is necessary. And for that, several special formulated dog foods are available in the market. These dog foods are specially designed according to the health need of dogs. However, several other animals can also eat dog food and can cause the attraction of other animals to your property. But what about raccoons? Do raccoons eat dog food? Let’s explore it.
As raccoons are omnivores and can eat whatever they get, that’s why eating dog food would not be an exception for them. However, not only raccoons can eat dog food, but they would like to eat it whenever they get it.
Moreover, they can struggle to achieve dog food. However, raccoons find dog food tasty and healthy. As dog food offers them several nutrients.
However, if you want to know about raccoons eating dog food habits, then navigate this article. Then, as in this article, I’ll explore it.
Do Raccoons Eat Dog Food?
Raccoons are famous due to their unique look and eating habits. Because they have black circles around their eyes with a long striped tail. And their color ranges from whitish gray to dark charcoal gray. However, the other fact about raccoons is their eating habits.
As they are omnivores animals and can eat both plant and animal base matter. And because of their omnivores nature, they can eat vegetables, fruits, nuts, meat, eggs, etc.
But along with omnivores, raccoons are also famous as opportunistic feeders. Because, they can eat food from the trash as well. Not only this, raccoons always look for a free meal or a meal which they can get with a little effort.
And for that, they can raid your garden and yard if there are any food and water sources available. Moreover, if there is any dog food available to them at your place, then they would surely like to get it. Not only this, but raccoons can travel far to have a meal on dog food as raccoons would like to eat dog food.
However, dog food can offer several nutrients to raccoons and thus can fulfill their health need as well. But as we know that, dog food is specially made for dogs according to their health needs. That’s why eating too much dog food could be harmful to a raccoon.
Because, dog food cannot fulfill all the health needs of raccoons as this food is not raccoon-centered. Moreover, as raccoons would like to eat a free meal so they start to come at your place once they find a dog food there.
However, raccoons are a complete nuisance due to their habits of creating a mess at a place. And if they find any food source at your place, they will surely come back aging and again to get a portion of free food.
That’s why try not to have any food source for raccoons at your site, including dog food. However, not only dog food but raccoons can also eat the food of other pets. So let’s have a detailed look at it.
Read also: Can Chickens Eat Pig Feed?
Do Raccoons Eat Pet Food?
Raccoons are able to eat a variety of foods due to their opportunistic nature. As they always want to have a free meal or a meal which they can get with little effort. And that’s why they can eat pet food without any hesitation.
However, they can eat food with the help of their hands as they have hands similar to humans. And that’s why they can hold food like us rather than hold it with their mouth like dogs and cats.
Birds Food:
To get some free meals, raccoons can raid bird feeders as well. As they are omnivores and can eat both plant and animal base matter, including seeds and nuts. And both seeds and nuts make a primary part of a bird’s food.
And raccoons can eat both seeds and nuts without any issue, not only this, and they would like to get such food frequently. However, raccoons don’t have to eat nuts too much as they can give them too many fats, which is not suitable for raccoons.
Cat Food:
Raccoons can also eat cat food as dog food. Not only they can eat, but they would like to eat it and raid your property again and again. However, you can also offer them cat food like dog food as an additional supplement with other foods, like vegetables, fruits, insects, meat, etc.
How To Keep Raccoons Away from Your Dog Food?
To keep raccoons away from your dog food as well as from your yard, there are several ways that you can adapt.
Firstly, try to feed your pets in the daytime. As raccoons are nocturnal animals and come out to forage food in night hours.
Secondly, use raccoons proof fences around your house or yard to keep raccoons away from your place. As a raccoon-proof fence help you to save your yard from raccoons.
Thirdly, you can use several commercially available raccoon deters to keep them away from your place.
Why Shouldn’t You Feed Wild Raccoons?
However, not only raccoons, but you have to avoid feeding wild animals because of specific reasons. For example,
Entitlement:
When you try to feed wild raccoons, then they start depending on you for food. As they are opportunistic animals and like to have a free meal without any effort. Not only do raccoons begin to rely on you, but they will expect a free meal from other humans as well.
And this can make them to bed from humans or become aggressive towards those who don’t feed them. However, this act will affect their ability to get food by their selves.
Spreading Diseases:
Being wild animal’s raccoons carry several diseases that they can transfer to humans in different ways. For example, with their feces, urine, and saliva, etc.
Not only to humans, but raccoons can transfer diseases to your pet animals as well if they are interacting with them.
A Final Thought:
If you have a pet dog and raccoons in your area, then you might wonder you can raccoons eat dog food? However, a precise answer to this question is that yes, raccoons would like to sneak on dog food. Not only dog food, but raccoons would like to eat other pet foods as well.
However, if you want to keep raccoons away from your place, you can use a raccoon-proof fence, or different commercially available raccoons deter.