Raccoons are common and adaptable mammals found across North America, often living in close proximity to human environments. Their young, known as kits, inspire curiosity, especially when encountered in the wild. Understanding their development and appropriate responses if one is found can help ensure their well-being.
Identifying Baby Raccoons
Baby raccoons, or kits, display distinct physical characteristics. Newborn kits are tiny, typically weighing 60-70 grams and measuring 4.5 to 6 inches from nose to tail. At birth, they have a light fur covering and a faint facial mask, with their eyes and ears tightly closed. Their ears are pressed close to their heads.
By one week old, pigmented tail rings begin to appear. Their eyes open around 18 to 24 days of age, though their vision is still developing. Their ears open shortly after their eyes. As they reach four to six weeks old, kits weigh between 250 and 550 grams, and their fur becomes thicker, with their characteristic mask and ringed tail becoming more defined. At this stage, they start to walk, climb, and become more vocal.
Life in the Den and Beyond
Raccoon kits are born primarily in the spring, typically between March and May. A mother raccoon usually gives birth to one litter per year, consisting of two to five kits. For their first two to three months, the kits remain inside a den, which can be located in hollow trees, logs, or human structures like attics, chimneys, or under decks. During this period, they are entirely dependent on their mother for warmth, nourishment, and protection.
Kits communicate through a variety of sounds, including purrs, churrs, squeals, whimpers, and mews. As they grow, their vocalizations expand to include chittering, growling, and hissing. Around eight to ten weeks old, the kits begin to venture out of the den with their mother, learning to forage for food, climb, and evade threats. They gradually transition from their mother’s milk to solid foods, a process that typically begins around six to eight weeks of age and is completed by three to four months. Kits will remain with their mother through their first winter, and will not become fully independent until they are about one year old.
What to Do if You Find One
Encountering a baby raccoon does not always require intervention. Raccoon mothers often leave their young for extended periods while foraging, and a seemingly abandoned kit might simply be waiting for its mother’s return. If a healthy-looking baby raccoon is found alone and is not in immediate danger, observe it from a distance for several hours, or even overnight, to see if the mother returns. Keep pets and people away from the area to avoid scaring the mother off.
Approaching, feeding, or attempting to care for a baby raccoon is not advised. Improper feeding can cause serious health issues, and wild animals can carry diseases like rabies or roundworms, which can be transmitted to humans or pets. If a baby raccoon appears injured, sick, or truly orphaned, contacting a licensed wildlife rehabilitation center or animal control is the appropriate course of action. These professionals have the expertise and resources to provide proper care and, when possible, facilitate reunification with the mother or prepare the kit for eventual release into the wild.