Baby Raccoons But Where's Mom?

Baby raccoons, or kits, are often found without their mom. Since they're so cute, many people want to bring them home and "rescue" them. At Critter Capture, we're no different than most people. Those little kits are adorable and we're often tempted to bring them home, too. However, as tempting as it is, and as hard as it is to leave the kits alone, we have to keep wildlife wild.

Key Points

1. Mother raccoons abandon their babies for a number of different reasons. Sometimes the mom raccoon didn't actually abandon them and will return.

2. Baby raccoons can carry disease that can be transmitted to humans and other animals, such as your pets.

3. Raising raccoons in your home can cause loads of damage, as they become very aggressive.

4. If the baby raccoons are in your house due to a raccoon den, call your local pest control immediately to remove them and relocate them.

5. If the baby raccoons are somewhere on your property, call you local pest control immediately to have them relocated.

When you see baby raccoons without their mom, it's important to remember that does not necessarily mean they are abandoned. Sometimes the mom just went looking for food and will return back within a day or two. However, other times the mother abandoned the kits for two main reasons. First, the mom unfortunately may have been killed by another predatory animal or was hit by a car. Second, male raccoons will often mate with a mother that already has kits and the mom will then abandon her recently born babies.

As cute as they are, baby raccoons can carry disease. Often times it goes undetected because they are so small and nonaggressive that it just seems like they're hungry. Humans thinking they're not a threat pick them up to take them into their home to care for them and end up transmitting the disease to themselves, their loved ones, or their pets. We understand it's tempting to want to care for them, but it is not worth the risk of getting a disease they could potentially be carrying.

Furthermore, baby raccoons only stay babies for a little while. It's not long before they start to become aggressive and tear apart your home, bite and scratch you or your children, or hurt your pets. Even when they are young, baby raccoons can get into a lot of trouble. They will leave animal feces everywhere and get into your cabinets and trash repeatedly. Many people think they're doing the raccoons a favor by "rescuing" them. Yet, when you re-release them into the wild, they have not acquired the proper skills it takes to survive and the likelihood of them making it is very slim.

If baby raccoons are in your home due to a den that was made, in your attic for example, or they are somewhere on your property, it is important to call your local pest control company immediately. They will come pick up the kits in a safe, controlled, and humane way and relocate them. This is a good way to make sure the mother doesn't return to your property or home as she will look for, and often times find, her kits that have been relocated.