Raccoons are adaptable creatures often found in close proximity to human environments, including urban and suburban areas. Their ability to thrive in diverse settings often leads to questions about their dietary habits, particularly concerning what they might consume from gardens and yards. Understanding their diet provides insight into their behavior and how to coexist with these nocturnal animals.
A Sweet Tooth for Fruit
Raccoons indeed consume fruit, and it forms a significant part of their diet. They are attracted to a variety of fruits, including berries like blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, and strawberries. Grapes, apples, peaches, plums, cherries, and melons such as watermelon and cantaloupe are also favored. The appeal of fruit for raccoons stems from its high sugar content, which provides a readily available source of energy, and it also offers essential hydration, especially during warmer months. Raccoons will eat both ripe fruit still on the plant and fallen fruit on the ground, and their climbing abilities allow them to access fruit high in trees.
Beyond the Orchard
Beyond their preference for fruit, raccoons are highly opportunistic omnivores, meaning their diet is remarkably diverse and changes with seasonal availability. Their natural diet includes a wide array of animal-based foods such as insects like grubs, beetles, and earthworms, along with small animals like frogs, fish, and crayfish, and they also prey on rodents such as mice and rats, bird eggs, and occasionally small mammals or poultry. Plant-based foods extend to nuts and seeds, including acorns, walnuts, and beechnuts, which are important for building fat reserves. Grains like corn, especially sweet corn, are also a common food source. In areas with human presence, raccoons readily scavenge from accessible sources like pet food left outdoors, compost piles, and unsecured trash cans, consuming a wide range of human-related food scraps.
Protecting Your Garden’s Bounty
Protecting garden produce from raccoons requires proactive measures due to their intelligence and dexterity. Secure fencing is an effective method, though raccoons are skilled climbers and diggers. An electric fence with two wires, one approximately 6 inches and another 12 inches above the ground, can deter them. Burying the bottom of the fence at least 6 to 10 inches deep can prevent them from digging underneath. Promptly harvesting ripe produce and consistently cleaning up any fallen produce removes an easy food source.
Securing trash cans is another important step, as they are a frequent target for raccoons. Using cans with locking lids or securing existing lids with bungee cords or heavy-duty straps can prevent access. Double-bagging strong-smelling food waste helps contain odors that attract raccoons. Bringing pet food indoors at night eliminates a readily available meal. Motion-activated lights or sprinklers can startle raccoons and discourage them from lingering in your garden area, and pruning overhanging tree limbs can remove easy access points to fruit trees or your roof.