Raccoons, or black-eyed bandits as we call them, operate like most bandits, stealthily moving around at night. But does this mean that they sleep during the daytime? Where do raccoons sleep during the day?
During the day, wild raccoons can be found sleeping in fallen logs, holes in trees, in squirrel and skunk burrows, and in wide rock crevices. Urban raccoons take what they can get and sleep in attics, hollowed logs, abandoned buildings, old unused vehicles, garages, under patio decks, in holes in walls, and narrow spaces between buildings
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Where do raccoons sleep during the day?
Raccoons are adaptable, they can sleep almost anywhere, however, where they sleep is not only based on where they can find food but also availability and safety.
A raccoons home is called a drey or a den, they may switch dreys from one night to the next depending on what is best for them, in the wild, they can create dreys or dens in:
Fallen logs or wide rock crevices close to water bodies:
Raccoons love water, they usually live in forested areas near water sources.
They prefer to sleep near water sources because living close to the water gives them easy access to aquatic life. Raccoons wake up to eat, living close to the water gives them easy access to food like fish, frogs, and crayfish when they wake up.
The water is also helpful in helping raccoons figure out what it is eating. These animals will dip their hands in water to make their paws more sensitive, this helps them identify what foods they are holding.
Water bodies that raccoons may live close to include lakes, rivers, and streams
Holes In trees:
Raccoons are great climbers, these animals have long digits, dexterous paws, and sharp claws, all of these elements combine to make these animals excellent climbers.
Not only do they sleep in trees because climbing is easy for them, but they also sleep in trees to keep away from predators.
Raccoons are very vulnerable when they are asleep, predators can easily pounce on them and eat them. Thus a raccoon will climb high up into hollow trees and sleep there for safety. Mother raccoons will more likely sleep in trees with their pups
Squirrel or skunk burrows:
Raccoons are not only opportunistic when it comes to the foods that they eat, but they are also opportunistic when it comes to where they live.
Skunks and squirrels may sometimes abandon their burrows. If raccoons find these abandoned burrows they will sleep in them during the day. If they need to, raccoons will share these dens with other species like skunks and squirrels.
These animals will have multiple dens and will move from one den to another every couple of days.
If a mother raccoon is taking care of pups she will likely stay in one den or drey for a few months to raise her juvenile raccoons, the mother and her pups will go their separate ways once the pups can forage for their own food.
Raccoons will be more attached to one den during the wintertime and during the breeding season. They will live there for extended periods of time
Where do raccoons sleep in the city?
Raccoons are able to adapt to different environments, this has served them well especially in recent times as humans have taken over more land to use as housing and raccoons have had to learn to live with humans.
These animals have started living closer to human habitats but they still maintain their day-to-day habits of sleeping during the day. Raccoons in the city sleep in:
- External storage rooms
- Attics
- Hollowed logs
- Garages
- In old unused vehicles
- In abandoned buildings
- Under patio decks
- Holes in walls
- In arrows spaces between buildings
- Empty tires
- Broom closets
- Utility rooms
- In storm drains
- In dumpsters
How long do raccoons sleep during the day?
Raccoons are daytime snoozers, once they’ve found food, and are tired from a night of activity, they will find a place to sleep between dawn and dusk. The hours between dawn and dusk can differ depending on where you are on earth, but this can be around 12 hours
However, if food is scarce, these animals will sleep for longer hours. Their bodies store fat and will use this to keep them alive when they are sleeping for extended periods of time.
They consume more during the fall and this food becomes fat stores which they survive on when they are sleeping.
Are raccoons sick if they come out during the day?
While they are nocturnal creatures, it’s not uncommon to see raccoons wandering around during the daytime hours. This behavior is rare for raccoons and is generally a sign of hunger, desperation, or sickness.
A growling tummy is a reason for anyone, including raccoons, to get out of bed and forage for food even when they’re not scheduled to. A sick raccoon, who is experiencing discomfort, especially if they have Rabies, will move about unpredictably day or night.
The raccoon’s occasional daytime behavior has led people to believe that raccoons are diurnal and maybe not nocturnal as previously thought. Either way, it’s best to steer clear from a hungry or rabid daytime moving wild raccoon.
Are raccoons afraid of light?
There is something scary to just about everyone and just about everything. Raccoons are not only afraid of larger predators, they’re not too fond of bright lights either.
Like every other nocturnal creature, they become nervous when in bright light. This is why floodlights and sensor lights generally make them afraid. Light scares them away as they interpret the light to be humans.
What time of night are raccoons most active?
Being nocturnal mammals, raccoons are mostly active after dawn until dusk. Since they spend most of their day sleeping and all night on the prowl for food, they have predictable schedules for when they are most active.
At the break of sunrise, raccoons are already in their beds but as soon as sunsets they are up and wide awake ready for the night. They are most active between 11 pm to 4 am as they ramp up their activities to capture as much food as they can before sunrise.
Conclusion
In conclusion, raccoons are nocturnal mammals that hunt and feed at night and sleep throughout the daytime. During the day, wild raccoons sleep in hollowed-out trees, in rock crevices, and in fallen logs.
Raccoons in urban areas can be found sleeping in attics, under patio decks, in holes in walls, in garages, in dumpsters, in storm drains, in broom closets, in utility rooms, in empty tires, in external storage rooms, and in old abandoned vehicles during the day
It’s not rare to see a hungry, rabid, or sick raccoon throughout the day though it’s recommended you keep a safe distance. As nighttime creatures, they are not quite fond of bright or sensory lights.
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