Having food as part of a raccoon’s diet is one of the most common reasons a raccoon explores your yard. Raccoons have a typical range of two to four miles, but prefer to create dens that provide shelter and are close to food and water. If your property has food, you might be inviting the raccoon to find shelter in your attic.
Raccoons (procyon lotor) are omnivores, meaning they eat both plants and animals. Their diverse diet allows them to thrive in a variety of habitats; in fact, they are found in every state in the U.S. Raccoons use their keen sense of smell to find food, and their sensitive sense of touch to identify it.
What Raccoons Eat on Your Property
Why has your backyard become a focal point for local wildlife? Raccoons do not wander onto your property by accident. They are driven by a biological imperative to maximize caloric intake with the least effort. Your yard provides an abundance of easy meals that their natural habitats simply cannot match.
Once a raccoon has found a food source, it will look for a secure place to build a den. Crawl spaces and attics provide all the requirements for an ideal raccoon den. With their sharp claws, raccoons can gain access to different parts of your house.
Most Common Food Sources in the Trash
Raccoons prioritize calorie-dense foods that provide immediate energy. They use their sensitive sense of smell to detect even trace amounts of discarded food.
1. High-protein kitchen scraps
Raccoons require significant protein to maintain their muscle mass and health. They are attracted to:
- Discarded chicken bones and meat trimmings.
- Fish guts or skin from seafood dinners.
- Eggshells with residual yolk.
- Spoiled deli meats or cheese.
2. Sugary fruit remains and peels
Sugars provide a quick energy boost. Raccoons are naturally drawn to sweet scents, including:
- Apple cores and bruised pear halves.
- Banana peels and melon rinds.
- Overripe berries discarded in the trash.
- Corn cobs with sweet kernels remaining.
3. Starchy carbohydrates and breads
Carbohydrates are essential for fat storage, especially during the colder months. Raccoons frequently seek out:
- Stale bread, bagels, or muffins.
- Discarded pasta or rice portions.
- Pizza crusts left in delivery boxes.
- Potato peels and leftover fries.
4. Grease-soaked packaging and wrappers
Even if the food is gone, the scent remains. Raccoons will chew through:
- Paper plates coated in burger grease.
- Butcher paper used to wrap raw meat.
- Fast food bags with residual oil.
- Aluminum foil that touched cooked fat.
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Other Food Sources in Your Yard
Is your trash the only thing drawing them in? Often, homeowners overlook other significant food sources that act as “appetizers” before the raccoon moves to the main bin.
Is your pet’s food a primary target?
Outdoor pet food is perhaps the single greatest attractant for raccoons. It is formulated to be highly aromatic and nutritionally complete.
1. Unsecured bowls of kibble
Leaving a bowl of dog or cat food out overnight is an open invitation. Raccoons will return to the same spot every night once a reliable food source is established.
2. Bird feeders and fallen seeds
While intended for birds, feeders provide a high-fat snack for raccoons. They will:
- Climb poles to reach hanging feeders.
- Sift through hulls and seeds on the ground.
- Consume suet blocks designed for woodpeckers.
3. Garden vegetables and low-hanging fruit
Your vegetable patch is a seasonal buffet. Raccoons target:
- Low-hanging tomatoes or peppers.
- Ripening squash and pumpkins.
- Fruit that has fallen from trees and begun to ferment.
4. Compost piles containing food waste
Open compost bins are problematic. If you add kitchen scraps like vegetable peels or fruit cores without properly burying them or using a locking lid, you are actively baiting your yard.
Raccoon Diet in the Wild
Raccoons eat nuts, berries, fruits, corn, and grains. Raccoons are also predators. They hunt small mammals like mice, voles, shrews, and rabbits. They have also been known to take bird eggs and young birds from nests. They can catch fish, shellfish, clams, crayfish, reptiles, and amphibians. Invertebrates like insects, grubs, snails, and earthworms are staples of a raccoon’s diet. Raccoons will eat almost anything to survive, including carrion.
Baby raccoons typically wean in 16 weeks. After that, the baby raccoon will eat a standard raccoon diet.
Common Food Sources in the Wild
Plant Food
- Fruits
- Berries
- Nuts
- Corn
- Grains
Animal Food
- Insects like grubs, worms, snails
- Amphibians like frogs and toads
- Small rodents like mice and rats
- Chickens and their eggs
- Water animals like crayfish and clams
How to Identify Raccoon Presence Near Your Waste
How can you be sure it is a raccoon and not a neighbor’s dog? You must look for specific biological and behavioral markers.
Visual markers of a midnight visitor
Raccoons leave a distinct “crime scene” behind. Look for these four indicators:
Raccoons have the weight and strength to knock over heavy 32-gallon bins. If your bin is lying on its side several feet from its original spot, a raccoon is likely responsible.
Raccoon droppings are typically 2-3 inches long, dark in color, and shaped like a small dog’s waste. They often contain visible seeds or undigested bits of corn and shells. Warning: Never touch or sniff raccoon scat, as it may contain roundworm spores.
Raccoon tracks are unmistakable. They look like small, thin-fingered human hands. You will often see a larger hind print next to a smaller front print in mud or dust near your bins.
Raccoons do not just eat; they explore. You will find plastic bags shredded into small strips and trash spread in a wide radius as they sift for specific items.
The Risks of Frequent Raccoon Activity in Your Yard, Trash
Why should you be concerned about a few raccoons? Beyond the mess, these animals pose serious threats to your property and health.
Disease transmission and parasitic threats
Raccoons are primary carriers of several dangerous pathogens:
- Rabies: A fatal viral disease transmitted through bites or saliva.
- Raccoon Roundworm: Parasitic eggs found in raccoon feces that can infect humans and pets.
- Leptospirosis: A bacterial infection spread through raccoon urine.
Structural damage to your home and containers
A hungry raccoon is a destructive raccoon. They will:
- Rip shingles off roofs to enter attics.
- Tear through soffits and fascia boards.
- Chew through plastic garbage lids and heavy-duty bags.
- Destroy insulation and electrical wiring once inside.
Aggressive behavior and pet safety concerns
While they may look cute, raccoons are formidable fighters. They can severely injure or kill domestic cats and small dogs if they feel cornered or are competing for a food bowl.
Prevent Raccoons, Remove Food Sources
Homeowners can unwittingly attract a raccoon to their property by providing food sources. Homeowners can avoid raccoon problems by limiting food sources like:
- Secure garbage cans.
- Bring in pet food.
- Avoid bird feeders.
Raccoons like to live near water. Pools, birdbaths, or ponds can attract a raccoon to your property.
The most obvious sign you have a raccoon in your yard is the presence of feces. If a raccoon is in your attic, you’ll hear the critter moving late at night.
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- Dead Raccoon Removal
- Raccoon Diseases
- Do Raccoons Hibernate in Winter?
- Raccoon Damage
- Raccoon Poop
- Raccoons In Yards
- Raccoons in Basements
- Raccoons in Chimneys
- Raccoons in Crawl Spaces
- Raccoons in Houses
- Raccoons in Trash
- Raccoons in Trees
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- Raccoons on Roofs & in Soffits
- Raccoon Sounds
- Raccoon Tracks
- Raccoons in Attics & Ceilings
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