Should I feed a baby raccoon I found?
A baby raccoon is usually dehydrating when they are found because they have been neglected for long enough without any supply of food and water. Normally they tend to be very little and they need balanced nutrient like fluid intake. For a rehabilitator, it would be easy to find out what the raccoon needs. Wild animals are not the ones that can be kept as pets in homes. These are also not allowed to be entered in homes, attic, or any place where the human are to move about. This is just because of the threats and dangers which is caused by the wild animal’s presence.
But for home owners who happen to find a raccoon nearby their garden; we might not know what to do with it. We would be tempted to feed the raccoon with any stuff we find in our kitchen. But the best thing to do, if you don’t know what to do, is to give it a drink. Dehydration is quite common especially in wildlife babies. The sunken eyes and the weak body is quite pitiable. It is important to call a wildlife rehabilitator to give further treatment for the raccoon.
As much as you are tempted to feed baby animals, let’s just stick to the plan in giving them water because when you feed it with unknown source, it could lead to disease and predation. Feeding is important indeed but we want to make sure that the raccoons have proper treatment and nutrient without harming themselves or the feeders as they can attack anytime.
Under a normal condition, it is best to bring them to a facility that helps them to grow healthily. Put it in a box with cloth inside as their mattress. Make sure they are comfortable and feel secured when you transfer them to a facility.
Thus, the answer to the question is that you should give fluid like water instead of guessing what is the right food for them when you are in doubt.
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