Raccoons look cute and cuddly as babies, and often are!
As orphaned infants, they depend on humans for care, and often bond with that person.
They are fun, and cute, playful, and even cuddly at times, until around 5 to 6 months old when their horomones start to hit.
They become aggressive, often biting, scratching, and attacking without warning.
They become destructive in ways you couldn’t even realize because they can climb up anywhere, open doors, get into drawers, tear pictures off walls, tears holes into mattresses, couches, chairs, climb up your curtains and tear them off the windows.
Unfortunately most people do not realize what they’re getting into until it’s too late.
Now they have a mature, aggressive, destructive raccoon, and aren’t sure what to do with it.
Call a rehabber.
YOU SHOULD NEVER SET IT FREE!!
Dropping a domesticated raccoon off into the wild is a death sentence for that animal because they don’t have the tools, or knowledge on how to survive (Please see the article ”relocating wildlife”).
In most states, it’s illegal to have a raccoon, and if authorities find that you do have one, they will fine you, and destroy the animal.
A raccoon loose in the home can do more damage in half an hour, than your dog will probably do in it’s entire life.
In most video’s you see of these cute and cuddly raccoons, they’re less than six months old.
Some people will say that getting them spayed or neutered will calm them down, and while that’s true to an extent (a very small extent) they are born with wild tendencies and behaviors that spaying/neutering will not resolve.
Raccoons were meant to be wild animals and live free.
Please HEAVILY reconsider before taking on one as a pet.