The body is then sent to the health department where it will be evaluated for possible infectious disease. Most police stations will come out and shoot a raccoon that may be ill. A raccoon out in the daytime that is lingering in your yard, seems overly friendly, is acting unstable, lethargic, or is walking in odd patterns, should be reported to the police. If you always put your garbage out at 1:00 in the afternoon, the raccoons in the area will learn that. If you live in an urban setting, or if the year has been bad for food, raccoons will change their habits to fit when food is most available. There are many reasons why this nocturnal animal might be out and about. Seeing a raccoon out in the day isn’t an immediate cause for alarm. If you see a raccoon, no matter what time of day, leave it alone. What to do if I encounter a raccoon out in broad daylight. Hire a local raccoon removal expert in your home town. NEED LOCAL HELP? We have wildlife removal professionals servicing 95% of the USA. This doesn't mean that you shouldĪpproach it and offer it a lick of your ice cream cone, but you most likely have nothing to worry about. If you see a raccoon outside when it's light out, and it looks agile,Īlert, is running or foraging in a smooth and coordinated and normal manner, then you can be almost certain that it doesn't have rabies. In circles or falling over, or lurching in an unnatural fashion. How can I tell if a raccoon has rabies? Rabid raccoons are very sick. Of what a rabid raccoon looks and acts like.

Read here for the top 5 behaviors of a rabid raccoon for a better idea Mother raccoons gathering extra food during the daytime, so that they can produce more milk. Who have a bunch of babies to take care of, and who have extra nutritional requirements, because they are nursing their young. This is especially true of nursing female raccoons, They may go off in search of food or drink. They can't just sleep from dawn to dusk without doing anything. It is not at all unusual for a raccoon to be active in the middle of See, although raccoons are primarily nocturnal, they do often get some stuff done during the day. While it is true that a rabid raccoon will exhibit a variety of unusual behaviors, activity during daytime is most definitely not a guaranteed indicator of rabies. So if a raccoon is out and about during the day instead of night, something is wrong, right? People know that racoonsĪre nocturnal animals, and usually only active at nighttime. Raccoons that are behaving normally or acting healthy will not be picked up.Many people think that a raccoon that is outside and active during daylight hours has rabies. If you notice a raccoon displaying abnormal behaviour and suspect that it is affected with distemper, please contact the Oakville & Milton Humane Society's Animal Services line 24/7 at 90 and give them the location and time of the sighting so they can locate and pick up the raccoon.

mucus discharge around the eyes and nose which may be accompanied by coughing, diarrhea, vomiting, tremors, seizures or chewing fits.

curling up to sleep in open areas near people.

staggering, appearing drunk or disoriented and falling over.

Raccoons with distemper may display abnormal behaviours and symptoms including: To keep your pet safe, it is best to keep your dog on a leash when on walks and scan your backyard before letting your dog out. If you are not sure, check with your veterinarian.

Most dogs are vaccinated as pups against distemper and regular booster shots may be given. This virus does not pose a threat to human health, but it may be transmitted to dogs who have not received vaccinations if they encounter a raccoon with distemper. The disease is most often fatal and those that recover may display permanent neurological damage. Skunks are also predisposed to the virus. Distemper is often present in the raccoon population although at low levels with cases tending to spike in the fall. It affects the respiratory, gastrointestinal and nervous systems. Canine Distemper Virus (CDV) is a viral disease affecting animals in the canine families in addition to some other mammals.

Are racoons nocturnal animals