Raccoons are common and adaptable wildlife often encountered in urban and suburban environments. A popular belief suggests these nocturnal mammals are fascinated by shiny objects. This article explores what genuinely attracts raccoons and their behaviors.
Dispelling the Shiny Object Myth
The notion that raccoons are fascinated by shiny objects is a popular belief. While raccoons are curious creatures that investigate new items, their interest in reflective surfaces is likely rooted in their general exploratory nature rather than a specific aesthetic attraction to shininess itself.
Raccoons possess a keen sense of touch and often use their dexterous paws to explore objects, including shiny items. Their eyesight is not sharp in daylight, so a glinting object might stand out and pique their curiosity, potentially signaling something new to investigate or a possible food source. Although aluminum foil is sometimes used to bait raccoon traps due to this curiosity, raccoons do not exhibit the same collecting or hoarding behaviors of shiny items for decorative purposes, unlike certain bird species such as magpies or bowerbirds.
Genuine Raccoon Attractants
Raccoons are primarily drawn to fundamental resources for survival. Their main motivations revolve around readily available food sources, secure shelter, and accessible water. These opportunistic animals have adapted exceptionally well to human-modified landscapes, exploiting the abundant resources found there.
Food items are foremost among attractants, particularly those easily obtained from human activities. This includes unsecured garbage cans, outdoor pet food left overnight, and ripening garden produce. Raccoons also seek secure locations for shelter, such as uncapped chimneys, attics, sheds, or hollow trees, especially for raising young. Any accessible water source, like bird baths, pet water bowls, or shallow puddles, can become an attractant, especially in dry periods.
Behavioral Drivers of Raccoon Foraging
Raccoon foraging behaviors are deeply rooted in their biology and ecological niche. Raccoons are highly opportunistic animals, meaning they readily adapt their diets and foraging strategies to exploit whatever resources are most available in their environment. This adaptability allows them to thrive in diverse habitats, including densely populated urban areas where human waste provides a constant food supply.
Their acute sense of smell is a primary tool for locating food, enabling them to detect edibles from a considerable distance, even through containers. Raccoons also possess remarkable dexterity in their front paws, often described as hand-like, which allows them to manipulate objects, open latches, and explore crevices with precision. This tactile exploration is sometimes misinterpreted as advanced intelligence or a specific interest in items like shiny objects, when it is simply a method for assessing potential food or shelter. As primarily nocturnal creatures, raccoons are most active during the night, a time when many human-provided food sources are left unattended, making them efficient scavengers of discarded meals.
Effective Raccoon Deterrence
Effective raccoon deterrence focuses on removing desirable resources from human properties. Securing outdoor garbage in heavy-duty, animal-proof containers with tight-fitting, locking lids prevents access to discarded food. Bringing pet food bowls indoors overnight and promptly harvesting ripe garden produce also eliminates readily available meals that draw raccoons.
Blocking potential den sites is crucial. This involves screening uncapped chimneys, repairing loose siding, and sealing openings under decks, sheds, or porches with sturdy materials like galvanized mesh. Eliminating standing water sources, such as overflowing bird baths, leaky outdoor faucets, or unattended pet water dishes, can further reduce a property’s appeal. Implementing these measures addresses raccoons’ actual motivations, creating an environment less inviting for their presence.