It is nearly impossible to live in any city like Toronto without seeing at least one raccoon darting about come nightfall. These nocturnal creatures have made it their business to find food almost anywhere. They have become very good at it. This leads one to wonder, what makes up the diet of the urban raccoon? The answer is, almost anything. Raccoons will feed on the typical types of wild foods one would expect: wild berries, fruit from trees, acorns, walnuts, cherry and plum trees, corn grown in local gardens, grapes and peaches. They will also eat mice, birds and bird eggs, frogs, and fish. Raccoons are lazy in that they really do not like to hunt or catch their food. They prefer food that is readily available. With their habitats becoming smaller or disappearing in most urban areas, raccoons have learned how to adapt to find food that seems to be just waiting for them to come and take it.
Raccoons have learned how to open latches on coolers and garbage cans. They will help themselves to hotdogs and hamburgers at a camp site, and eat discarded dinner items, like poultry, crabs, shrimp, donuts, bread, watermelon, and a left over peanut butter and jelly sandwich out of a garbage can. Raccoons are not picky. They do not care if the food is fresh or rotten. They have been seen eating fresh roadkill as well.
Also, the urban raccoon diet would not be complete without pet food. Especially in warmer climates, when pet owners bring their animals in for the night, the food dish is often left behind. No doubt it will be empty by morning. Raccoons also have a strong sense of memory in that they will remember exactly where that food dish was or where that garbage can was and they will return night after night.
It is well known that raccoons carry rabies, distemper, fleas and a wide variety of other diseases. Every time a raccoon leaves its droppings somewhere, these diseases stay with it. That is why it is important to protect homes and pets from raccoons by maintaining clean grounds and securing trash containers.
If you have raccoon removal or proofing questions give us a call: 647-557-7932