Raccoons are nocturnal animals, they are awake during the day and sleep at night. They sleep in spaces where predators cannot find them. So, where do raccoons sleep? This article looks into it 

Raccoons will sleep anywhere as long as the space is safe, secure, hidden from predators, and quiet. These spaces can be as small as rock crevices or as large as spaces under decks 

Where do raccoons sleep?

Raccoons are not only opportunistic feeders, they are also open to sleeping in a variety of places as long as it is comfortable, secure, and has enough room for them to sleep in.

Common raccoon sleeping locations include: 

In fallen logs:

Raccoons will sleep just about anywhere, including in fallen logs. Fallen logs can be very narrow on the inside, but raccoons don’t mind, they will maneuver and squeeze into the log if it seems like a good space to sleep in 

Under decks: 

Decks are large enough to house many sleeping raccoons, the space under your deck is dark and is usually very quiet.

Humans don’t use decks all day, this makes the underside of decks a great place for raccoons to sleep. Urban raccoons will sleep under your deck if they can

In wide rock crevices: 

Wide rock crevices offer a great place for raccoons to sleep as well, if a raccoon manages to squeeze into a rock crevice it will likely have a good sleep. If a predator sees the raccoon, it will likely be too large to get to the raccoon and eat it. 

In barns: 

The inside of barns are also great spaces for raccoons to sleep. Your barn likely has a variety of raccoon-friendly spaces where these animals can comfortably sleep in.

If your livestock is out during the day, raccoons may sneak in and sleep in the empty and quiet barn 

Holes in trees:  

Raccoons have great climbing abilities, they can grab branches using their dexterous paws, their opposable thumbs help with this, their sharp claws help to dig into trees as they climb.

Their climbing ability allows these animals to climb high up into holes in trees and find a safe and secure place to sleep 

Sheds: 

A raccoon’s dexterous hands, intelligence, and willingness to accept a challenge are what enable these animals to open doors and even latches. This is how they manage to break into sheds.

Raccoons will break into your shed and sleep there, sheds are usually uninhabited during the day, they are also safe and quiet., this makes them perfect for raccoons

In burrows of other animals: 

A raccoon’s skillful and nimble hands allow the animal to dig burrows in the soil, however, these animals would rather use the abandoned burrows of other animals to sleep in during the day.

If they need to, they will sleep alongside other animals in these burrows during the day.

Attics 

Because of rapid urbanization, raccoons have had to move into spaces that are closer to humans, this sometimes means moving into human homes as well.

One place where you may find raccoons sleeping is in your attic, they enjoy these rooms because they are safe, warm, and dry

Garages

If raccoons cannot get into your home they will try to at least get as close to your home as possible, this may mean sleeping in your garages during the day.

They will not only sleep in your garage but they may live there for short periods of time as well 

Old unused cars and other vehicles 

If a raccoon thinks an unused vehicle is a good place to sleep during the day it will stop at nothing to get into it.

Vehicles that are hidden under car covers are especially vulnerable to raccoons breaking in, they are also vulnerable to being used as dens for raccoons

Where do raccoons sleep in winter?

Raccoons will try to find cozy and warm places to sleep in during winter, urban raccoons will try to make their way into your home during winter and wild raccoons will try to find burrows or hollow trees to sleep in.

These animals will even stick together and den in groups when it’s cold out, this allows them to share warmth with each other. 

Do raccoons sleep in the open?

No, raccoons do not sleep out in the open. When looking for places to sleep, these animals will always look for spaces that are hidden. Sleeping out in the open leaves these animals vulnerable to being attacked by predators.

Raccoons are not alert when sleeping, this makes it easy for a predator to sneak up and quickly kill the raccoon, especially if it is sleeping out in the open.

In addition, a raccoon sticks out like a sore thumb during the day because of its black fur, this fur is eye-catching against the green environment of the wild. This is why these animals have to hide when they sleep 

Do raccoons sleep in sewers?

No, raccoons do not sleep in sewers. Raccoons have a keen sense of smell and sewers emit gasses like hydrogen sulfide.

Raccoons instinctively know what is good for them and what is not, a raccoon will smell this extremely toxic gas and will know to stay away from the source (sewers). These animals will certainly not sleep in sewers 

Conclusion: 

In conclusion, raccoons can sleep anywhere that is safe, enclosed, and quiet. This can include attics, sheds, garages, hollow trees, rock crevices, and the burrows of other animals. 

You won’t find raccoons sleeping in sewers, raccoons know to avoid sewers because of the toxic chemicals produced by the sewer. You will also likely not find raccoons sleeping out in the open as this is dangerous for them

They will try to find warmer shelter during winter in order to keep themselves warm, they will even den in groups in order to share body heat in winter