What Do Raccoons Eat?

Having food part of a raccoon’s diet is one of the most common reasons a raccoon explores your yard. Raccoons have a typical range of two to four miles but prefer to create dens that provide shelter and are close to food and water. If your property has food, you might be inviting the raccoon to find shelter in your attic.

Raccoons (procyon lotor) are omnivores meaning they eat both plants and animals. Their diverse diet allows them to thrive in a variety of habitats; in fact, they are found in every state in the U.S. Raccoons use their keen sense of smell to find food, and their sensitive sense of touch to identify it. 

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Most Common Things Raccoons Eat

Raccoon Diet in the Wild

Raccoons eat nuts, berries, fruits, corn, and grains. Raccoons are also predators. They hunt small mammals like mice, voles, shrews, and rabbits. They have also been known to take bird eggs and young birds from nests. They can catch fish, shellfish, clams, crayfish, reptiles, and amphibians. Invertebrates like insects, grubs, snails, and earthworms are staples of a raccoon diet. Raccoons will eat almost anything to survive which includes scavenging dead carrion.

Baby raccoons typically wean in 16 weeks. After that, the baby raccoon will eat a standard raccoon diet.

Raccoon Diet in Urban Areas

Raccoons are opportunistic feeders and have adapted to live near people. Their regular meals depend largely on where they live. Food scents will attract raccoons and other nuisance wildlife to your yard. 

For raccoons that live in residential areas, that means foraging for food in trash cans, gardens, bird feeders, and unattended pet food.

Once a raccoon has found a location with a source of food, it will look for a secure place to build a den. Crawl spaces and attics provide all the requirements for an ideal raccoon den. With their sharp claws, raccoons can gain access to different parts of your house.

Prevent Raccoons, Remove Food Sources

Homeowners can unwittingly attract a raccoon to their property by having sources of food. Homeowners can avoid raccoon problems by limiting food sources like:

• Secure garbage cans.
• Bring in pet food.
• Avoid bird feeders.

Raccoons like to live near water. Pools, birdbaths, or ponds can attract a raccoon to your property.

The most obvious sign you have a raccoon in your yard is the presence of feces. If a raccoon is in your attic, you’ll hear the critter moving late at night.