Why You Should Never Feed Grilled Meat to Raccoons
Feeding raccoons grilled meat, or meat that has otherwise been cooked at a high temperature, poses health risks beyond the typical risks of habituation, obesity, and diabetes. While grilled foods like hamburgers, hot dogs, kebabs, tacos, steaks, and fajitas are common in human diets, they are a biologically inappropriate food source for raccoons and toxic […]
Sorry, Raccoon Domestication is Not Happening
We need to have a talk about “raccoon domestication.” If you have scrolled social media lately, you have probably seen headlines about scientists claiming that urban raccoons are “becoming domesticated,” “getting cuter,” or might even be “our next domesticated species.” That sounds fun, especially if you dream of a “trash panda” curled up on your […]
Are Coatis Mexican Raccoons?
Alas. Google strikes again and continues to spread misinformation about the species we specialize in, making our jobs as educators harder! We really can’t have nice things, can we? Our frustrations aside, we at Exotic Pet Wonderland are here with a new animal education crusade: getting Google to change the top result for “Mexican Raccoon” […]
How To Get a Pet Raccoon
It’s almost baby season–which means our inbox is flooded with messages daily from people asking us to sell them a fox/raccoon/bobcat/opossum/etc. As a sanctuary, we do not breed, sell, or rehome our animals to the public. However, we are here to educate you about owning captive-bred wildlife. What To Consider When Getting a Pet […]
How to Build a Fake Tree for an Animal Enclosure
When it comes to designing animal enclosures, the time and effort put into it isn’t just for us humans–it is for the animals too! Wether you run a rehab or a sanctuary or are just keeping an exotic pet, well-designed enclosures are essential for allowing animals to live their best lives. If you are anything […]
What To Do If You Find a Baby Raccoon
Some people might take finding a baby raccoon as a sign you need to keep it and have a pet raccoon, but I promise you–It is not! Raccoons are not cats and there is no “raccoon distribution system.”
Do Raccoons Hibernate? Understanding Raccoon Torpor
As the seasons change and the days grow colder, many people find themselves wondering about where animals–like raccoons–go in the winter. If you have a pet raccoon, you might find yourself wondering why they are so sleepy in the winter, or why your raccoon is taking longer to wake up than normal.
Raccoons and Moonshine
What do raccoons have to do with moonshine? Moonshiners found a unique purpose for the raccoon baculum. Because of the bone’s distinctive curve, it worked perfectly to guide the flow of moonshine when moving the drink between vessels.
Exotic Pets and Child Safety
Are exotic pets safe around children? As someone with over fifty animals on my property–raccoons, bobcats, foxes, etc–I frequently get asked how my kids do with the animals. This question is generally followed by “What exotic pets can you recommend for households with children?” These are both complex questions, but I’ll try to break it […]
Social Media’s Exotic Pet Problem
Social Media’s Exotic Pet Problem Viral videos of pet foxes and raccoons make my life harder. Don’t get me wrong, I think they are adorable and I love watching them, but these videos also result in me having to do more paperwork. Allow me to explain: If you’re on social media, then you’ve seen viral […]