Add Your Pet Experience to Animal-World!

"I have had Raccoons as "pets". I use the word pet loosely, because there were more like members of the family. I agree that 99% of people who want a pet raccoon will probably not be able to properly take care of them. They are so very precious when they are babies, but like everything else, they grow up. I kept my coonies inside and they had full run of the house. They were never caged and were allowed to go in and out at will. They chose to stay inside most of the time and I have never had one that went out and did not come back. They used a litter box that was filled with water instead of litter. I simply dumped out the dirty water once or twice a day and as long as the water was kept relatively clean, they never used the potty anywhere else except the box. They are extremely curious and those little "hands" are constantly feeling of everything around them. I get the biggest kick in the world out of them and would take in another in a NY second, but I know what to expect and know that I can handle it. They are as destructive and mischieveious as they are cute. They can get into anything, anywhere. I had childproof locks on EVERY SINGLE CABINET IN MY HOUSE! They can open medicine bottles, the refrigerator (nothing like coming downstairs in the middle of the night to see what the noise is only to find a raccoon sitting in the fridge, eating what looked good and tossing the rest onto the kitchen floor), they will unplug your clocks, tv's ect., break your trinkets and whatnots, hide your keys, chew the buttons off your cell phone, and yes...they DO and WILL BITE. They have very sharp claws and teeth and can inflict damage even when not meaning to. They (at least mine did) become very territorial towards their house and their family. You must put them behind closed doors before letting company inside. Mine would not tolerate the presence of anyone that did not live in the house. If a thief had ever broken into the house, he/she would have been easy to find later. If they managed to get out of the house, you could just check the local ER for a shredded person! So...if you are super patient, don't mind replacing material possessions, can take pain from bites and scratches, have adequate space, never go on vacation, have excellent homeowners insurance, rarely have company and if you have the proper paperwork/licenses to keep one, go ahead. But please please! Be sure you can take care of it FOREVER or provide for it in case you are unable to. "