Want a Pet Raccoon? Consider This First.

My friend’s father loves to tell stories about how his family had pet raccoons when he was growing up. It wasn’t until he produced photographic evidence that I actually believed him. Images of my friend’s grandmother snuggling with Brother, her dad playing with Beber. And while they made it seem au natural, it’s safe to say that “pet raccoons” never really caught on.

Today, however, it seems there may be a renewed interest in keeping these creatures as pets. Or perhaps it’s just the rise of social media that puts this idea in the spotlight. Adorable and intelligent, these little critters can be seen across the internet in images and videos sharing cute and touching moments with their owners. But what is it really like to own a raccoon as a pet, is it legal, and most importantly, is it ethical for the animal?

Before we talk about pet ownership, let’s take a look at raccoons’ natural behavior in the wild. Raccoons live all over North America. You can find them in forests, but they’ve adapted well to city life. They are nocturnal, and only come out at night to hunt. Strong and agile, they are good climbers, swimmers, and fast runners. Raccoons are also opportunistic feeders. They are equally happy feeding on nuts, berries, and small animals as they are raiding your trash can.

Their home range is usually about one mile. They will wander through their home area to find food each night. However, they can roam for miles searching for food if it’s scarce in their area. In the forest, they may live in hollow trees or burrows. In the city, they often look for warm and dry places, which could be your attic.

Can You Keep a Raccoon as a Pet?

Raccoons are considered exotic pets and many states have laws against keeping exotic pets. In fact, currently, only 16 states allow raccoons to be kept as pets, and you’re required to have special permits or licenses to keep them.

Even if you’ve checked your local laws and found that it is legal to keep a raccoon in your area, you next need to consider how you will find veterinary care. Raccoons need special care, and many veterinarians will not accept exotic animals. You’ll need to check around and see if any vets in your area are willing to take on a raccoon as a patient.

Raccoons Will Never Be Domesticated

So you live in a state where it’s legal to keep raccoons, and you’ve found a vet that will care for them. The next step is to consider what it’s like to live with a wild animal. Even if you keep a pet raccoon from the time it is a baby, it may grow to be tame and tolerant of people, but it will always be a wild animal.

The difference between a domesticated animal and a tame one is that the temperament of a wild animal can be unpredictable. They may bite when threatened. They need lots of space to roam and climb, and they can easily destroy your household. As any homeowner who has tried to keep raccoons out of their outdoor trashcans knows, these wily creatures can get into just about anything.

Raccoons Won’t Stay Cute Babies Forever

One wildlife rehabilitator explains that you may easily fall in love with a cuddly baby raccoon. But, as they grow, they’re going to get into increasingly more trouble. She describes a scene that includes scratches, tattered furniture, and holes in your carpet.

When you consider how a raccoon lives in the wild, you can see how difficult it may be to replicate that in your household. For one thing, raccoons are nocturnal, meaning they will be active at night. If you leave your pet raccoon to roam around your house while you sleep, you could easily wake up to total destruction.

Furthermore, raccoons in the wild are highly active creatures. It would be hard to set up a home environment where they could get the exercise they are accustomed to in the wild. You can crate them for short periods of time, but they will need lots of time outside of their crates with places to climb and explore. These are intelligent creatures, and they need a variety of activities to satisfy their curiosity.

They Can’t Be Trained Like a Dog

You can’t take a raccoon to an obedience class like you can a dog. Some people say they have trained their raccoon to use a litter box, but you will never be able to train your raccoon to follow directions like dogs do.

What About Those Adorable Pet Raccoons You See Online?

You may wonder if keeping a pet raccoon is such a bad idea, why does it seem like so much fun online? Raccoon behavior can be unpredictable. It could be the social media influencers you see have been lucky and ended up with a relatively calm raccoon. Or, more likely, you’re seeing what they want you to see. The cute videos and images show the fun, adorable side, and they aren’t recording when things get rough.

In short, can you keep a raccoon as a pet? Possibly. But should you? That answer requires thoughtful pondering and consideration for both human and animal.