Baby Raccoon

I take my coffee outside onto the patio in the mornings.  There, I commune with nature for a bit and watch as the wildlife play in my backyard.  It is a serene and inviting spot to just be before the hubbub of the day begins and those precious moments in the quiet of the mornings help my day go smoothly.

I awoke earlier that morning and was outside before 6am which is unusual for me.  In hindsight I would say that it was meant to be this way because as I quietly sat sipping my coffee, I heard an unusual animal noise.  Not the kind I’m used to.  I looked over and saw a baby raccoon wandering around the yard.  He was trilling plaintively and immediately my heart went out to him.

I quietly rose from the patio chair, put my coffee on the table and grabbed my iPhone.  I wanted to take a photo and video of him.  He stopped to look at me when I came close, but he wasn’t afraid.  I spoke to him in a soothing voice.  He allowed me to take his photo and a few videos of him before I quietly excused myself, hoping that his Momma would find him if I weren’t nearby.

Staying a safe distance away, I finished my coffee and watched as he disappeared behind the small shed.  I got up to make more coffee, intending to return outside to check on him.  When I walked outside, there he was, still trilling in the grass and walking around searching for his Momma.  This went on for more than two hours.  He even walked right past me, stopping to gaze at me as if to ask if I could help him.  He ended up on my porch by my back door for awhile.  He never seemed frightened of me.

Bandit curled up asleep between the spindles of the porch railing.

I put out a small water bowl and some tasty cold grapes for him as I thought he might be hungry.  However, he never went near them all afternoon which concerned me.  His long nap after searching and trilling for his Momma for hours had tuckered him out understandably.

After a few hours of me checking in on him and he not moving too often, I got more concerned.  As the sun changed direction, he was in full sun by afternoon and it was a hot day.  This was more than I was ready to handle even though I’d already contacted friends who had helped baby raccoons before to survive.

In the end, I called for help and help came.  Bandit was taken to a wildlife vet and once he was better, he would be released back into the wild.  Unfortunately, he had many ticks on him that would have to be removed and some were around his mouth which explains why he wasn’t interested in eating.

Snuggled in the shade after tiring of the spindles.

I am grateful for our day together and hope that all will be well for little Bandit. I kept looking afterwards for a raccoon around the property, but he’s the first I’ve seen here.

You know I love to share the wildlife stories with you and hear about yours as well.

Have you ever found a baby raccoon?  I’d love to hear your story so please share!

 

Shine On!

xo