Raccoons as Pets

The common raccoon, sometimes spelt racoon, and scientifically referred to as Procyon Lotor, is a medium sized mammal native to the North American continent, although they have been introduced in central and eastern Europe and in the Japanese islands. Their natural habitat is deciduous and mixed forests, but populations have adapted to live in mountains, coastal regions, and even in urban areas. They are often considered wild animals, even pests in some situations, although they're very similar to cats and dogs, both physically and intellectually. Despite society's views on this animal, I believe that raccoons can make good pets.

According to google.com's definition, a "pet" is "A domestic or tamed animal or bird kept for companionship or pleasure and treated with care and affection." Breaking this definition down, domestic and tame are first. Domesticated animals are those which have, over hundreds of years, become genetically accustomed to living with humans. This includes not only pets like cats and dogs but also domesticated working animals such as cows, pigs, sheep, horses, and goats. Tame animals are those which are not domesticated, but which have adapted to living with humans; it is most important to note that tameness is not seen in the genes, it is a learned behavior. This can be taught to the animals by raising them around humans so that they grow comfortable being handled and fed by people. The purpose of (good) pets is to provide either companionship between the human and the pet, or simply pleasure for the human. The difference lies in the amount of and the significance of the interaction between the animal and the owner; some pets are kept in cages and are rarely touched (some dangerous or aquatic pets are never touched), while pets allowed to run free to some extent usually share a greater bond with the keeper. Pets are obviously intended to be treated with affection and care, although abused pets are still pets. Raccoons, while not domesticated, are very tamable, they make fantastic companions, and they are not overly difficult to care for.

A common qualm with the idea of raccoons as pets is that they are "wild animals," and that they "belong in the wild." Firstly, if humanity had always thought this way about animals, we wouldn't even be close to how advanced we are now. Humans needed to domesticate animals, to take wild creatures and tame them enough times that they're born tame, to advance as a species. We're beings built on thousands of years of exploiting wild animals for our benefit. Humans wouldn't even have time to keep pets if they still had to spend the daylight hours foraging for berries in the jungle. So taking a wild animal and using it for our benefit (and hopefully for the animals benefit, in this scenario) is nothing new and there's nothing inherently wrong with it. Problems will arise when people adopt dangerous animals into their households, or when the animals aren't cared for properly. Lions, tigers, and bears aren't even close to raccoons if you're considering how threatening they are to you. The most dangerous part of the raccoon is its teeth, but this alone isn't enough to rule it out as a pet. Many dogs have dangerous bites, but most people don't fear them; almost every cat will bite or scratch you, sometimes severely, in the years you own one, but they're still very common pets. It is true that a raccoon is more likely to bite you if it's not tamed, but the individuals kept as pets are selectively picked out after several generations by raccoon breeders, creating the most tame animal possible. Legality is a bigger challenge for potential raccoon owners than finding the right individual.

In many states, raccoons are illegal to keep as pets. In many of those remaining, an exotic animal permit or license is required (as are any associated fees). Only a few states are unregulated when it comes to raccoon possession, as they're often covered in wide sweeping hunting and exotic animal legislation. In addition to the difficulties of obtaining a raccoon, one must also take into account the necessary medical treatment any pet owner must pay for. Raccoons are known to carry rabies, which they can be vaccinated for, and are prone to ringworm and other parasites (just like dogs and cats), and must be treated for these accordingly. Raccoons are also prone to biting strangers if they're not introduced, just like some breeds of dogs. Raccoon bite victims are often more distressed than those bitten by dogs due to their uncommon status as pets; if the animal is properly vaccinated, then these fears are unfounded. Even if a raccoon with rabies did bite a human, evidence shows that you're unlikely to die. In fact, there have never been any confirmed human deaths to raccoon rabies. According to World Health Organization (WHO) report on rabies in September of 2012, 55,000 people die to rabies every year, but 97% of those deaths are to dog rabies, caused by dog bites. The physical damage of a raccoon bite isn't really a concern if diseases are out of the question. There's nothing to fear about a raccoon, or at least nothing which dogs don't do worse.

Continuing the comparison to common pets, raccoons are highly intelligent. In 1907, Psychologist Lawrence W. Cole studied the intelligence of raccoons so he could compare it to that of other animals. Cole established a test used to determine the intelligence of animals called the "puzzle box". Essentially, the animals are contained inside a box, and have to discover the means of escape via a latch or series of latches, or something otherwise puzzling to animals. The scientists recorded the number of attempts until they were successful at opening the box, and the speed at which they remembered when faced with the same puzzle again, sometimes in a different scenario or at a different orientation. Using these results, Cole determined that the intellectual skills of raccoons were greater than that of cats and dogs, and was approximated to be closer to that of a monkey. He also determined that raccoons held traits unseen in most other non-human animals; curiosity and a desire to learn. These creatures explore and investigate things which interest them casually, not only those which benefit them obviously and directly. This, combined with their burglar's mask facial markings, is undoubtedly the foundation of their reputation as mischievous and thieving animals.

This negative reputation is another reason why people can't see Raccoons as pets, but there are upsides that not many know about, such as their playful attitude. These animals love to play, just like cats and dogs. They will climb up your leg like a cat, although it's not good to teach them this as it becomes a bad habit for grown animals. They can hang off of your arm like a monkey with their almost primate-like hands, while they can also use them to grasp and play with objects that other animals can't. A raccoon's back feet can rotate backwards, like a squirrel's, allowing them to hook in, and greatly increasing their ability to climb both up and down trees head first. Their intelligence adds to their playfulness. They can play games and with toys more complicated than those that cats and dogs can, and they need to so they stay in shape.

The most important decision a raccoon owner has to make near the beginning is if the pet will live inside or outside. Outside raccoons need large cages with both the tops and the bottoms fenced in, as they can both climb and dig. Outside raccoons are recommended to have at least one companion animal, or they'll become lonely; in fact, in Germany, it's illegal to keep a lone raccoon without a companion. Inside animals need to be house trained and taught the word no, much like domestic dogs and cats, as they'll often get into things with their curious attitude. Raccoons are omnivores, and need to be fed a mix of fruits, vegetables, chicken, turkey, and fish. They only need to be bathed once or twice a year, and it's actually harmful to do it more often, as it destroys their natural body oils. The most common problem with domestic raccoons is that they don't get enough exercise and the raccoons become overweight, so it's important to exercise them regularly. The good news is, it isn't hard to keep them lean; in fact, all you have to do is play with them regularly. Considering how energetic they are, it isn't too hard for a good owner to make sure their raccoon is well taken care of.

Despite the fact that they are often viewed in a negative light, Raccoons can make good pets. This is evident to hundreds of owners of pet raccoons across the country, and more worldwide. They make incredible companions given their high intelligence and curious, loving nature. They can continue to exist in nature while also being kept as pets, and they aren't hard to care for despite being uncommon. Raccoons are relatively easy to tame, compared to some creatures, even though they're seen as wild animals. Due to these traits, Raccoons can make good pets.

References

Davis, H. B. (1907). The Raccoon: A Study In Animal Intelligence. The American Journal of Psychology, Vol. 18(4), 447-489. Retrieved from http://www.jstor.org/stable/1412576