A story about a pet raccoon

[Ultra]

Back in the 1950's or 1960's while my mother was growing up in New Jersey, she had a neighbor who had a pet raccoon. A pet raccoon? Yup and I think it was living in her neighbor's household. Her neighbor had the raccoon since it was a baby. For a while, things were working out.

One day while it was a full-grown raccoon, it bit my mom's neighbor (sorry, don't know her name) and she had to release it. She released it and then it would come back to her house. Amazingly, it found its way back to the house. Then it was driven really far away, the raccoon never came back.

Sorry, I don't have much details about this or anything that confirms that my mom's old neighbor exactly kept this raccoon as a pet. I'll have to ask my mom. It is a true story though. What do you think of this? Would you have a pet raccoon? Honestly, I would... I would get domesticated. However, I know it's probably expensive. I wouldn't mind having a pet raccoon.

[marshlander]

I would not have a pet raccoon. I have a friend who keeps ferrets, though, and they are free to go wherever they like in the house. I have not visited her at home these past few years. :eek:

[Vigilias]

A Raccoon! Bitch-Cat would be mortified!

Besides, they're a little thin on the ground in the UK.

There's a recent trend in the UK for keeping house rabbits which I think is ridiculous.

[SrChulo]

I don't think you can just "get it domesticated." that takes 1000s of years. Tamed, maybe.... but.... please don't! :p

[marshlander]

... There's a recent trend in the UK for keeping house rabbits which I think is ridiculous.

You're right. They'd look ridiculous in a pinny and mop cap.

[Sil]

I would love a pet raccoon since I started watching the 'Raccoon Willy' (please) vids on youtube...the guy's name is Damygeebo you'd like his vids, he's living that same situation.

From what I've watched they're pretty odd fellows, not mad about being petted but they have heaps of character. Maybe once I'm an old crazy homebody... oh wait

[Bowyn Aerrow]

Back in the late 70's early 80's one of my friends had a pet raccoon. She was allowed to roam free in the house and loved to ride on people's shoulders.

She (the raccoon, not my friend) used a litter box most of the time, except when she was 'upset' then she would 'mark' something of yours to let you know she was unhappy.

She lived to age 13, and aside from one grueling summer of 'torment' from the neighbors brats, she was a docile enough critter.

If I recall correctly she was called Roxie or Roxanne. But answered to the name Rocky (No not Sly Stallone, Rocky as in Sweet Transvestite).

We have a "family" of Raccoons living in the shed right now, they occupy the 'loft'. There were several earlier this year, now I think its down to two of them.

The dogs pretty much leave the 'cats' alone. We call anything we don't want the dogs chasing a cat, thus squirrels, raccoons, opossums are all 'cats' to the dogs.

Since the Raccoons moved in I haven't seen many rats nor mice. I assume that they have that rodent population under-control.

They leave our trash alone, but then we have the compost heap for kitchen wastes, thus they help themselves to vegetable matter.

We live on the Tuolumne River (California) while our side is residential mixed with farmland, the Pacific Trail runs on the other bank. As such we are always getting lots of wild critters wandering up.

So in a round about way we have lots of 'pets' at least critters we share the land with. Personally I wouldn't want to tame or domesticate one for the purpose of being my pet, however if lets say the mama raccoon has kits next year and is hit by a car, I would take in the kits and raise them as our own kids.

[princealbertofb]

A Raccoon! Bitch-Cat would be mortified!

Besides, they're a little thin on the ground in the UK.

There's a recent trend in the UK for keeping house rabbits which I think is ridiculous.

I suppose you can always eat them if they get too big??? But wouldn't be my choice.