DID YOU KNOW?!?!

1.Raccoons have apposable thumbs.
2.They have 40 teeth.
3.They will never den farther than 1,200 feet from water.
4.They do not hybernate, but they will sleep for weeks at a time.
5.They are not always nocturnal.
6.A Raccoon seen during the day is NOT necessarily sick, they are most likely searching for food.
7.They never build their own dens, they use abandoned ones.
8.There are 6 species of Raccoons in th U.S.
9.Most coons have their litters in early February to late March.
10.A litter usually consist of 1-7 young.
11.Most Raccoons have 4-5 rings on their tails.
12.Baby raccoons are called "Kits" or "Cubs".
13.Babies can over-eat when nursing.
14.There has never been a case of rabies being transmitted from a Raccoon to a human.
15.More dogs have rabies than Raccoons.
16.The life-span of a Raccoon is about 6 years in the wild and 14 years in captivity.
17.The oldest reported Raccoon lived to be 21 years old in captivity.
18.The heaviest weight for a Raccoon was 99 lbs.
19.Raccoon means: disguise, curiousity, and dexterity.
20.Although many people believe that coons wash their food, what they are really doing is getting it wet because their hands are much more sensitive in water.
21.Raccoons are diurnal, meaning that they live above ground or below ground, or even in trees.

To ward off unwelcome coons:

To keep them out of your garden, put out Mothballs, spread cayene pepper, lay Clorox soaked rags every 3 feet or spread blood meal throughout your garden.
Coons also hate tomatoes and are likely to avoid them.
If they get into your garbage, simply use sturdy metal or plastic cans with secure lids. If necessary, attatch the cans to a pole to prevent spills.
Flashing outside lights will scare them.
Loud sounds will also scare them.
Do not call animal control, the coons will most likely be killed, inhumanely.

Common Facts:

Raccons only have 1 litter of kits per year.
They generally grow to 15-55 lbs. Males are larger.
They are 2-3 feet in length, including their tail.
Coons are NOT aggressive by nature and are flight animals.
Raccoons ONLY predator is man. (That's sad)!
Raccoons are, however, territorial and will become VERY upset if cornered or threatened.
They often carry Distemper which is fatal to them, but they can not give it to humans or pets that are properly vaccinated.