Racoon Do’s and Dont’s:
In your chimney:
DO NOT LIGHT A FIRE IN THE FIREPLACE.
Most likely, there are babies in the top of the chimney and they will burn to death. They cannot run away from the fire and mother cannot remove all of them fast
enough.
DO PUT ON A LOUD RADIO at the bottom of the fireplace
More than likely the mother will leave in a day or so and take her babies with her. Once gone, cap the chimney so this does not happen again. This goes for raccoons in the attic as well. Give her a little time to find a new home for her babies.
What should I do if I find an injured adult raccoon?
When finding an injured adult raccoon, do not touch or handle the animal unless extremely necessary.
Carefully get the animal in a secure ventilated container. As long as it is not a very hot day you may place a clean trash can upside down over the animal and place a cinder block, or something heavy on top of the can so the raccoon cannot escape underneath.
Immediately contact a wildlife rehabilitator.
If you do not reach someone within a reasonable period of time and you are concerned about the animals well-being under the trash can, you can slowly inch the upside down trash can onto a flat piece of wood then tilt the trash can right side up slowly. Give the raccoon a blanket, towel, or sheet to hide under and wait for instructions from the wildlife rehabilitator.
If you find a healthy Young raccoon or and adult raccoon that is stuck inside a trash can or dumpster and it has only been there for a short time, and it is not covered with flies and is not a very small baby, you can tilt the trash can over slowly and allow the raccoon to leave when it does not feel as though it is in danger (it could take an hour or more). If the raccoon is in a dumpster, put in a thick tree branch, ladder or something it can climb on to get out.
If the raccoon looks injured or has been in water or covered with flies, place a light sheet over the top of the can to keep the flies off and call a wildlife rehabilitator immediately.
**Always use caution when handling wild animals, especially careful not to get bitten or come in contact with the animals saliva.**
What should I do if I find an injured young raccoon?
If you find an injured young raccoon, you can place it in a deep container, possibly a clean trash can using a blanket and/or gloves to pick it up. Give it a blanket, towel, or sheet to hide in and immediately call a wildlife rehabiliitator for further instructions.
If you want to be more cautious, you can place a clean trash can upside down on top of the animal, making sure it will not overheat on a hot day. Place a cinder block or something heavy on top of the trash can so it cannot escape from underneath.
Immediately call a wildlife rehabilitator for further instructions.
If you do not reach someone within a reasonable period of time, and you are concerned about the animals well-being under the trash can, you can slowly inch a flat piece of wood under the upside down can, then tilt the trash can right side up. Give the raccoon a blanket, towel, or sheet to hide under and wait for instructions from the wildlife rehabilitator.
**Always use caution when handling wild animals, especially careful not to get bitten or come in contact with the animals saliva.**
What should I do if I find a baby raccoon?
If you find a baby raccoon and you are not sure if it is too young to be on its own, you can place it in a deep container, possibly a clean trash can, using a blanket net and / or gloves to pick it up. Give it a blanket or towel or sheet to hide in and call a wildlife rehabilitator to ask for further instructions.
Any baby raccoon crying on the ground is in possible need of help, or if it looks injured or has been in water or is covered with flies follow the above instructions for containing it. Place a light sheet over the top of the container to keep the flies off then call a wildlife rehabilitator as soon as possible.
You may offer it water, or pedialyte in a non-tippable container. Do not feed an orphan milk or formula of any sort.
**Always use caution when handling wild animals, especially careful not to get bitten or come in contact with the animals saliva.**
