What Do Raccoons Eat? (Raccoon Diet and Favorite Food)
What do raccoons eat?
Summary
Raccoons are omnivorous scavengers that feed on both prey and vegetation for nutrition, with noted favorites including vegetables, mice, and bird eggs.
What do raccoons like to eat?
Today, we delve into the question: what do raccoons eat?
Starting off, we present a concise overview of what raccoons consume in their natural habitats, followed by an elaborative list of preferred foods contributing to a standard raccoon diet. Lastly, we offer answers to frequently asked questions about raccoon feeding behavior and nutrition.
Occupying the role of moderate-sized mammals within the Procyonidae family under the Carnivora order, raccoons typically lead nocturnal, omnivorous lives, consuming approximately 40% invertebrates, 27% vertebrates, and 33% plants.
What do raccoons eat?
Living as omnivores, raccoons enjoy a varietal diet including fruits, vegetables, plants, nuts, fish, frogs, mussels, insects, mice, rabbits, and bird eggs. A raccoon diet is often influenced by the availability of both prey and vegetation in their environment.
Raccoon Diet (Highlighted Foods)
- Crayfish
- Frogs
- Fish
- Snails
- Clams
- Mussels
- Insects
- Mice
- Rabbits
- Bird eggs
- Plants
- Vegetables
- Fruit
How Often Does a Raccoon Eat?
Raccoons usually eat twice daily, though this can vary with age. Being nocturnal creatures, raccoons mainly consume food at night. As opportunistic scavengers, they will consume nearly anything they come across.
How Much Do Raccoons Eat Each Day?
In the wild, raccoons eat roughly 5% of their body weight daily. This equates to around 30 to 70 ml of food. For domesticated raccoons, a portion of dog food suffices. It’s vital not to overfeed young raccoons.
How Long Can Raccoons Survive Without Food?
Raccoons can survive up to five days without food. The duration a raccoon can last without eating depends on numerous factors, such as health status, fat and fluid reserves, and season. In winter, raccoons can endure weeks without food in their dens.
Do Raccoons Eat Cats?
Although raccoons can eat cats, it is rather rare as cats are not common prey. Raccoons, being opportunistic predators, may attack and eat cats if the opportunity presents itself.
Do Raccoons Eat Rabbits?
Yes, raccoons do eat rabbits, but hunting these creatures isn’t easy. With a top speed of 27mph, a rabbit can outpace a raccoon, whose speed tops out at 15 mph.
Do Raccoons Eat Fish?
Being omnivores, raccoons do enjoy fish. However, they prefer shallow-water fish such as koi, goldfish, and crustaceans since they don’t dive.
What Animals Prey On Raccoons?
Several species consider raccoons as prey. To discover more about these predators, refer to our separate guide on what animals eat raccoons.
Summarizing Raccoon Dietary Habits
Raccoons, being omnivorous scavengers, have a diet that includes both animal prey and plant matter, offering them a balanced nutritional intake. Their diet notably features vegetables, mice, and bird eggs as preferred food items.
We hope this guide has helped you now understand what raccoons eat in the wild, and the typical food items that form a raccoon’s diet.
