Biology Reference
In-Depth Information
15
Cute Isn't Tame: The Raccoon
MYTHS
Raccoons make good pets.
Raccoons are extremely clean and wash their food before eating it.
MOST PEOPLE FIND RACCOONS
(PROCYON LOTOR)
EXTREMELY APPEALING, AND THE
MOST FREQUENT TERM APPLIED TO THEM IS “CUTE.” Cute they may appear, with their black
masks and furry, ringed tails, but biologists and others who deal regularly with wildlife take a some-
what more jaundiced view of this animal.
Because of the cuteness factor, especially in baby raccoons, people often want to make pets out of
them. Anthropomorphism strikes again: raccoons are cute, so they must be nice, cuddly little animals
that would make good pets. This is a big mistake! The adorable little raccoon that someone picks up
and takes home frequently grows into a vicious and highly destructive nuisance.
Despite their visual appeal, raccoons are fierce predators and tend to have nastier dispositions around
humans than do many other predators. Yes, some people have successfully made pets of raccoons (al-
most always illegally), but far more often the “pet” baby raccoon turns into a nasty-tempered creature
that bites, scratches, and raises havoc with household possessions.
Much more serious, however, is the threat of rabies; in fact, one of the major rabies strains is called
the raccoon strain because raccoons are its primary carrier. Rabies frequently has a long incubation
period of several months' duration, so the cute little raccoon that someone tries to raise as a pet may
become rabid weeks or months later.
