Winter marks a change in many things in the animal kingdom. Some animals change their diets and others don’t eat at all because they are in hibernation. So what do raccoons eat in winter?
In winter raccoons eat mice, bugs and human food scraps from your garbage throughout winter. They don’t have to eat much during winter because they prepared for winter beforehand. They fatten up and grow their coats by eating more nuts rich in oils that create body fat and increase the growth of their fur.
When winter sets in, outside get freezing cold. Many animals hibernate in a cosy place, some, however, are still out and about. Fewer raccoons are seen during winter, does this mean they hibernate? During winter do they still stay in their summer dens or have some alternate warm wooded log cabin hidden away? This article will give you the answer to all of these questions.
Raccoons are nocturnal animals. They sleep all day in their warm hideaways, from sunrise to sunset. At the break of dawn when we’re all getting ready to get out of bed raccoons are yawning, getting ready to curl up for some shut-eye, in their treehouse homes or earthy dens.
During the night they hunt for food, even scavenging a few garbage bins if they have to. But throughout the night they are also actively looking and seeking out new potential sleeping places so they can keep their options open. Winter is coming and they need to be ready with a warm place to sleep
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What do raccoons eat in winter?
Many animals hibernate during the winter season, curled somewhere in their winter homes. While we humans sip Cocoa, hot chocolate and warm coffee where do animals like racoons go, what do they eat all winter long?
Raccoons do sleep more in winter, but they don’t truly hibernate. They don’t act like bears who eat their fill and lay almost still in caves or large openings throughout winter.
Raccoons are mammals that also eat to increase their body fat, produce thicker fur coats and to sustain their reduced hunting activity during winter. But they don’t exactly lay still the whole winter period. Rather they sleep (an extended sleep) spending less time out each night hunting.
In preparation for the cold winter, raccoons will stock up on excess body fat by following a specific diet. Before winter, they eat and hunt/scavenge twice as much, taking in more nuts rich in oils that create body fat and increase the growth of their fur. They grow in size and weight as they prepare for winter. At the end of winter, they will have lost most of the weight gained, they lose this weight because they are eating less food and hunting less.
During winter, raccoons switch to scavenger mode. When they’re not sleeping it’s common to hear raccoons rattling bins, scrapping bugs, nabbing mice, and other rodents scurrying about in wintertime.
Raccoons can use their fingers to unlatch pigeon and chicken coops, uncover garbage bin lids, and make off with any pie you put outside to cool. They scavenge on mice, bugs and human food scraps throughout winter.
Raccoons are highly resourceful when it comes to food. During winter, their food needs diminish but their resourcefulness when it comes to hunting food still exists
Where do raccoons go during the winter?
Their appetite for food may have diminished, but they still live in their den-like homes during winter, they stay there to be as close to food as possible. We would assume that the winter cold would make them prefer warmer spaces.
But, since prior to winter they had grown thicker coats, only really cold and severe winter will cause them to move out of their regular homes. It’s quite common for a family of 3 to 6 to be huddled together in their dens.
They will invade the burrows of squirrels, skunks, and other animals. You’ve probably experienced or heard the stories of raccoons inviting themselves into human homes as winter house guests. Raccoons have been found in attics, abandoned homes, inside crevices of chimneys and fireplaces vents during winter.
What else helps raccoons survive during winter?
Besides sleeping more often, needing less to eat, and upping their scavenging game, raccoons also survive during winter because of their stay in their dens, increased fur and fat content. Storing up body fat and growing more fur means there is more warmth to go around.
Plus allowing more fellow raccoons in the den means bigger huddles and increased warmth. These few changes go a long way to ensuring survival during wintery cold months.
How to keep raccoons out during winter
Raccoons are creatures that thrive on opportunity, that’s why they’re like bandits. In search of warmth, they’ll waste no time asking for your permission, instead, they’ll let themselves in your homes, attics, chimneys, and whatever holes they can find to pass the winter.
Keeping them out requires proactive maintenance to patch up holes, mesh chimneys, add filters to fireplace vents and securing the lids of garbage cans with cords as a start. Even reducing the amount of food that may be left lying around outside each night will help. It may even require that you put up bright sensor lights that light up when they detect their movements on your property.
Why are raccoons in my home during winter?
Desperate raccoons with fewer places to den up throughout winter will seek refuge in your home. Raccoons prefer to live where their food is, so if food is easily available inside your house then they will be trying to get in somehow.
Conclusion
Raccoons don’t hibernate during winter. Rather in preparation they eat excessively prior to winter gaining more weight and fur to outlast the cold. They scavenge mice, bugs and human food scraps throughout winter. Staying in dens is how they pass the time, they’ll even invite themselves into your homes for a winter retreat.
If you’re interested in raccoons you may also be interested in these articles: when do raccoons come out, when do raccoons mate, how high can raccoons jump, what can raccoons not eat, where do raccoons go during the day, where do raccoons sleep during the day, Toxic Food For Raccoons click the links to read more.