Wild Animals/raccoon behavior

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Expert: Jonathan Wright - 7/15/2007


Question
We live on a lake in Florida and have always had raccoons around as well as other wildlife and waterbirds. Everything we read says raccoons are mostly nocturnal which has many people believing that if they see a raccoon during the day out in the open that it must be sick.  We have a young one around that spent a few days sleeping up in a tree during the day, however now he is hanging around underneath our dock and napping in a kayak.  He has shown no aggression at this point but is it normal for him to be out and about during the day?  The last time we had a daytime raccoon a few years ago, it had been chased by all the dogs on the street, gotten beaten by a frightened neighbor, then shot because they thought it had rabies.  I'm an animal lover that likes to co-exist with all the wonderful animals.  Should we be on the alert or do we have reason to be concerned if we see a daytime coon?

Answer
Dear Joan

Thanks for your question. I also wish to thank the authors of the websites I used.

First of all, it is important to note that while rabies can make a raccoon more active during the day, it does not follow that a diurnal raccoon has rabies. You will have to see if there are any other abnormalities in the raccoon's behaviour, such as difficulty walking, apparent confusion, and stoicism (http://www.isleauhaut.net/racgallery/racfaq.htm). http://pelotes.jea.com/AnimalFact/Mammal/raccoon.htm says that a healthy raccoon rarely walks right up to a person (unless someone has been feeding it), so if an unfed raccoon does this, it may be sick.   


http://www.isleauhaut.net/racgallery/racfaq.htm says that the raccoon is usually strictly nocturnal, but raccoons can have periods of activity during the day, particularly in coastal areas or areas with little human presence.

Please check out the behaviour of the raccoon and see if it could be rabid.

All the best

Jonathan

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Jonathan Wright

Expertise

I can answer questions about wild mammals and other animals, as well as extinct animals and zoos. I am not an expert about every animal species. I can look up information from books and the internet, but can't verify if all the information is true. Please don't ask questions about: 1. Pets. I am not a vet. Please contact a vet if your pet is ill. You may need to spend some money if you want your pet to live. Don't get a pet if you don't know how to look after it and if you can't provide it with the space, food and possible companions that will help it live a healthy life. Don't take animals from the wild, unless they are ill and/or injured and you can protect them until a wildlife charity can help. It is cruel to take animals from their parents, especially if the parents will look for the babies, while putting their other babies at risk. You may be breaking the law by keeping wild animals or you may need a licence to look after some species. Please check with a local wildlife group. 2. Eggs: Please don't remove eggs from nests. The mother birds provide the right temperature for the eggs and won't sit on them if the temperature is warm enough for them to develop naturally. It is illegal to remove eggs of some species and, unless you have an incubator or a broody hen, the egg may not develop. If you are allowed to touch the eggs, you can candle them to see if they are fertile. If theys aren't fertile, they won't hatch. 3. Fights: Please don't ask about fights between different animals. These questions assume that individuals of two species fight each time they meet and that one species will always be victorious over another. This is untrue. There are cases where a live mouse has been fed to a venomous snake, bitten the snake leading to the snake's demise. 4: Diseases: Please ask doctors or other medical experts about diseases that you may catch from animals. I can't advise on how to deal with viruses, bacteria etc.

Experience

I have a zoology degree and have been interested in animals since I was two. I am a zoo volunteer at London Zoo. I have appeared on a BBC Radio Quiz, 'Wildbrain'.

Organizations
WWF. ZSL. Natural History Museum. RSPB. London Bat Group.

Publications
Newsletters of London Zoo volunteers and the London Bat Group

Education/Credentials
BSC degree in Zoology. 'A' level in Zoology. 'O' Level in Biology.

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