Raccoons are wild animals and native to North America. However, raccoons have sharp teeth, claws, bushy tails, small ears, and furry bodies. They belong to the family of Procyonidae and are omnivorous. Therefore, they can eat almost everything in plants and meat.
Not only this, but they can eat dead animals. In addition, raccoons are scavengers also. Therefore, they can scavenge food from trash also. As we know that raccoons can eat almost everything, but what can raccoons not eat?
However, if you want to know that raccoons are in your area or not, then focus on the sounds like growling, snarling, and screeching. Such sounds in the night are indications of the presence of raccoons. As raccoons are nocturnal animals, they are more active at night and sleep during the day.
So, let’s have a look at the fact that what not to feed raccoons? So if you are interested to know all these interesting facts about the food of raccoons, navigate this article. As this article will serve you all the essential detail about the food of raccoons.
Raccoons can eat fruits, barriers, nuts, seeds, fish, reptiles, rodents, dead meat, eggs, and many more other things. Not only this, but they can eat from your trash bin. But that doesn’t mean raccoons can eat all things. Still, there are many foods which they cannot eat.
And also, if we want to feed raccoons, we don’t have to offer these foods. However, these foods are chocolates, caffeine, alcohol, avocado, onions, garlic, processed sugars, cocoa, etc.
As feeding these foods to raccoons will be dangerous for them. Because these foods can cause hyperactivity, increasing heartbeat, seizures, and death.
What Can Raccoons Not Eat?
Raccoons are wild omnivorous animals—their food containing a variety of ingredients which I already mentioned above. As being omnivorous animals, they can eat a variety of things.
But still, there are many things that raccoons cannot eat, and we don’t have to offer them. So let’s see what not to feed raccoons.
Chocolates:
However, chocolates are delicious human snakes that each and everyone likes to eat. But these favorite snakes are not healthy for raccoons.
Even chocolates can be fatal for them. Because, chocolates have theobromine, a chemical that is toxic for raccoons. And if raccoons eat chocolate, then it will cause hyperactivity in them.
Moreover, it causes high heartbeat, seizures, and even death of raccoons. Not only raccoons but chocolates are fatal to other animals like cats, dogs, squirrels, etc. So we have to avoid offering chocolate bars to raccoons. As it is not safe for them.
Read also: Do Raccoon Eat Rabbits
However, chocolates are the processed product of cocoa seeds. But cocoa seeds are not harmful to animals. Because chocolates are the processed form of these seeds.
Coffee:
Like chocolates, coffee also contains the theobromine substance in it. As we humans like coffee too much because it is a healthy energy booster and a tasty drink. And also available in different textures across the words.
However, for us, coffee is healthy for our heart, but at the same time, it increases the heartbeat of raccoons. Not only this, but it has the same effect on raccoons are like chocolates. Therefore, coffee is also fatal for raccoons, and we have to avoid giving it to them.
Onion, Garlic, and Other Spices:
However, onion, garlic, and other spices which we can eat without any hesitation and even they are healthy to us but not for raccoons.
Because the onion, garlic, and spices contain sulfoxides and disulfides. And these elements can cause ulcers in raccoons. Not only this, but these spices can damage their red blood cells and cause anemia in raccoons.
In addition to this, onions, garlic, and other spices which are okay for humans are not safe for animals. So, raccoons and all other animals’ onion, garlic, and spicy foods can make them severely ill.
Avocados:
As avocado is a healthy fruit for us and we indeed have to eat it. But this healthy fruit for humans is not fit for raccoons. The reason is that avocado’s leave produces the persin chemical to keep predators away from it.
But this chemical is toxic to raccoons. Not only for raccoons but also for all other animals. And this persin substance can cause diarrhea, vomiting, and other heart issues in raccoons as well as in other animals.
Candies And Chips:
However, candies and chips are human’s favorite foods. But they are not favorable for raccoons. The reason is that candies contain processed sugars and sometimes xylitol. And they both can cause serious illness to raccoons, as vomiting, liver failure, etc.
Moreover, chips also contain complex processed sugars and also artificial preservation material. Furthermore, chips have all types of spices, garlic and onion powder, etc. Which is also very unhealthy for raccoons as well as for other animals.
What Raccoons Have to Eat?
However, like any other living body, raccoons have to eat healthy and nutritional food. A portion of food which can give them all the essential minerals and nutrients that are compulsory for surviving. So keeping this in mind, raccoons have to eat fruits but have to avoid peaches, avocados etc. Because they contain persin, which is toxic for them.
Moreover, they have to eat fresh vegetables to get essential minerals and vitamins. In addition to this, they have to eat meat, including fish, slugs, squirrels, etc.
However, some foods are favorites to raccoons like corns, bananas, and apples. Therefore, these are the foods that attract raccoons the most. And that’s why many people use them in traps to get rid of raccoons.
Is It Good to Have Raccoons Around You?
Raccoons are sharp and curious creatures. But, moreover, being a wild animal, still they are not too much into fighting. Instead of it, they are calm animals and don’t want to fight until it is necessary. But still, it is not safe to have raccoons around you.
Read also: What Time Do Raccoons Come Out?
However, the reason is that raccoons are the host of many diseases. And they can transmit these diseases to humans. So let’s have a detailed look at the diseases that a raccoon carries and transmit to humans.
Rabies:
This disease can spread via the saliva of raccoons and also transmit if raccoons give you any scratches. However, this disease has neurological effects on the affected person. In which a person has uncontrolled movement.
However, the symptoms of rabies in humans include fever, vomiting, violent movements, fear of water, etc.
Raccoon Roundworm:
Raccoons gut is the host of these roundworms, and their feces contain several numbers of their eggs. However, these parasites can affect animals and humans, but to humans is a rare case.
However, its symptoms are blindness, enlargement of the liver, involuntary movements, etc.
Salmonellosis:
Raccoons are also the host of salmonellosis bacteria and also can forward it to humans. However, these bacteria cause diarrhea in humans, as well as vomiting, abdominal cramps, etc.
As raccoons can transmit such disease to you, your family, and even to your pets. So that’s why you have to avoid keeping raccoons around you. Also, make sure that you are not interacting with raccoons too much.
Is It Good to Feed Wild Raccoons?
However, many animals’ advisor’s advice not to feed raccoons. There are specific reasons behind it. For example, feeding wild raccoons make them dependent on your food. And they keep seeking free food. As a result, their food hunting abilities were affected.
Secondly, nature has a specific amount of food for everyone in the ecosystem. So if we start feeding raccoons, the result will be an increment in the raccoon’s population. And in return, this is not healthy for us because raccoons are the host of several harmful diseases.
How We Can Keep Raccoons Away:
As raccoons carry several diseases, so we have to keep them away from our place. And we can do this in several ways.
Firstly, if raccoons find any food source in your place, then they keep coming. Not only this, but raccoons have the remarkable ability to open lids of trash bins. So keep in mind to cover trash bins adequately.
And try to dispose of gross food where raccoons cannot approach it if they live in your area. Because, if they find any food source in your place, then they keep coming for food.
However, the same goes for water sources. If you want to keep raccoons away, then try to keep cover water sources.
Rather than food, the main reason for raccoons to come to your place is to find any living place. So keep in mind, and don’t let your yard be a living pace for raccoons.
Moreover, you can use different repellent sprays available online to keep raccoons away from your place.
Wrap Up:
Raccoons are omnivores and can eat a variety of food. As they can scavenge food from the trash. But still, there are several things that raccoons don’t have to eat. So, in the list of what can raccoons not eat, are chocolates, onions, garlic, spices, avocados, etc. And the same will goes for what not to feed raccoons? As many people want to feed raccoons, but they also avoid giving these foods to raccoons.
However, raccoons are a host of several diseases, so you have to avoid them. But if you want to feed raccoons, then do it in a way that they have to forge for it.