Baby Raccoons

I finally saw the baby raccoons last night.

The previous mother raccoon used to bring her kitts up to the deck when they were very small. So small that if you picked one up (which I did NOT do) they would have easily fit into the palm of your hand.

The current dominant female raccoon has a slightly different routine. Last year, and now this year, she waited until her offspring are much older and larger before she brought them onto the deck (last night for the first time).

They are about ½ the size of the mother with full adult fur and markings. They basically look like adults only smaller.

Also just like last year – there are 3 offspring.

She’s been remarkably successful considering her handicap – she is blind in her right eye.

She is the offspring of the previous female raccoon and I have photos of her she was just a baby raccoon. Her right eye was blind as a baby. I didn’t think she’d survive. But she did – and this is her 2nd successful litter. That makes her 3 years old now. I don’t know the typical lifespan of raccoons in the wild – I’ll have to look that up.

I’ll try and take a photo of the new litter and post it soon.

Addendum

I don't have a photo yet of the baby raccoons. I do have photos of what Nuke and I believe is their den. The tree is leaning over which has created an opening underneath. Taking a peek inside - you can see where it's been hollowed out and signs of being 'lived in'. Nobody was 'home' when I took these photos - Wednesday PM.

According to this site, average lifespan in the wild is 2 or 3 years. But their lifespan can be far longer - as much as 17 years.