How Long Can A Baby Raccoon Survive Without Its Mother?

December 25, 2023 by Marjorie R. Rogers, MA (English), Certified Consultant

A baby raccoon can survive for up to six weeks without its mother, but it is best if they are reunited as soon as possible. If you find a orphaned raccoon, the first thing you should do is call your local wildlife rehabilitation center. They will be able to give you advice on what to do and may even be able to take in the animal.

In the meantime, there are some things you can do to care for the raccoon.

A baby raccoon can survive for about two weeks without its mother. After that, it will start to starve and die. If you find a baby raccoon that has been abandoned by its mother, you should try to care for it yourself or take it to a wildlife rehabilitation center.

Credit: www.jaguarrescue.foundation

Can Baby Raccoons Survive Without Mom?

If you find a baby raccoon that appears to be abandoned, resist the urge to take it in and care for it yourself. The best thing you can do is leave the animal where you found it and allow its mother to come back for it. While it may seem like the kindest thing to do, taking in a wild animal—especially a baby—and trying to raise it as your own is not only illegal in many states, but it’s also detrimental to the animal itself.

Baby animals have specific dietary needs and without their mothers, they often don’t survive. If you’re concerned about an apparently abandoned baby animal, your best bet is to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator in your area. These individuals are trained in the care of wild animals and will be able to provide the proper care that the animal needs.

How Old Do Raccoons Have to Be to Survive on Their Own?

Raccoons are generally weaned from their mothers at around two months of age. After that, they’re on their own! They learn to forage and hunt for food, and begin to explore their surroundings.

By the time they’re six months old, raccoons are fully independent.

Will a Mother Raccoon Come Back for Her Babies?

A mother raccoon will almost always come back for her babies. If she is killed or otherwise unable to return, another female in the group may adopt the orphans.

How Can You Tell If a Baby Raccoon is Abandoned?

There are a few things to look for when trying to determine if a baby raccoon has been abandoned. One is whether or not the mother raccoon is present. If she is not, it’s likely the baby has been abandoned.

Another thing to look for is if the baby seems sick or injured in any way. If so, it’s possible the mother raccoon rejected the baby and left it behind. Finally, check to see if there are any other baby raccoons around; if there aren’t, this may mean the mother only had one offspring and decided to take care of it herself rather than abandon it.

What to if You Find…a Baby Raccoon!

Baby Raccoon Age Chart

If you want to know how old your baby raccoon is, there are a few things you can look at to give you a general idea. One is the size of the raccoon. A newborn raccoon will be about the size of a jellybean, while an adult can grow to be up to three feet long and weigh up to 50 pounds.

Another way to tell the age of a raccoon is by its fur. Baby raccoons have soft, downy fur that gradually becomes coarser and darker as they age. The color of their fur also changes as they get older, going from grayish-brown when they’re young to black or brown as adults.

You can also look at the teeth of a raccoon to estimate its age. Baby raccoons have sharp, needle-like teeth that they lose starting at around four months old. By six months, most of their baby teeth will be gone and replaced by adult teeth.

So if you see a raccoon with sharp teeth, it’s probably still quite young. Finally, you can look at the behavior of a raccoon to get an idea of its age. Youngsters are usually more active than adults and often play together in groups.

Conclusion

A baby raccoon can survive without its mother for up to three months, but it is best if they are reunited as soon as possible. If a baby raccoon is orphaned, it is important to find a licensed wildlife rehabilitator who can care for the animal until it is old enough to be released back into the wild.