Raccoons are some of the most common backyard animals, often seen moving around at dusk or under the cover of night. But encountering these highly intelligent creatures regularly might also lead you to wonder how they raise families, and specifically: When do raccoons have babies?
In general, most raccoons are born in early spring, with peak months during April and May. However, the exact timing can vary significantly depending on location & climate, and second litters are possible as late as June.
Knowing this timing is important because it corresponds with when you might start seeing mother raccoons travel with young kits, or perhaps hear unusual noises – like chirping or scratching – coming from inside your home, which are common signs of a den.
As a wildlife tracker, I’m always seeking to improve my understanding of these fascinating creatures and the seasonal rhythms that govern their lives. Whether you just want to learn about the wildlife around you, or from a concern that raccoons might be denning nearby, learning to identify the signs is essential.
Let’s explore the most important signs to look for in your own local area to best determine when raccoons are having babies:
When Are Raccoons Having Babies Near You?
While the peak birthing season is April and May, the exact timing of when raccoons have babies in your specific area depends heavily on the local climate and environmental cues.
As a general rule, raccoons in the north tend to be born earlier than raccoons in the south. This ensures the babies have enough time to develop and get strong before the following winter.
In more southern regions, raccoons wait longer in order to time the raising of young with the peak of food availability.
With tracking, we can monitor the start of the breeding cycle by looking for increased activity. After a lull during the deepest cold, you’ll notice more raccoon tracks appearing (here’s how to identify raccoon tracks), especially along common winter travel corridors near creeks and marshlands.
This increase corresponds with male raccoons moving around to check winter dens for receptive females.
Once mating occurs, the gestation period is approximately 9 weeks, meaning you can roughly predict local birth timing about nine weeks after you observe a significant increase in mating-related activity.
Baby raccoons are typically born before the leaves come out on the trees in temperate climates, but in milder southern locations, the first litter might not arrive until may and birthing can continue as late as October.
How Many Babies Do Raccoons Have?
Raccoons typically have litters of 2 to 7 babies (often called kits), but can range from 1 to 8.
Litters tend to be larger in Northern regions. Here in Canada I’ve commonly had the experience of seeing mother raccoons with large litters of at least 4 young, and in one instance, I got to watch a mother successfully raising a large litter of 7.
And here’s a video I shot of 4 young raccoons following their mom across a trail. (The mom and 2 other siblings had already crossed moments before I started the camera):
Raccoons in the south tend to have smaller litters (2-3).
Identifying Raccoon Dens: Active vs Inactive
While knowing the overall birthing season is useful, being able to locate and identify whether a possible raccoon den is active will help you confirm and assess local differences from year to year.
Identifying Possible Den Locations
Raccoons need a secure den site to keep their babies safe from possible dangers.
In their natural wild settings this often means up high in large old trees that have large nesting cavities (like pines and oaks), especially in close proximity to water edges, like this one that grows along a small creek near me.
However, raccoons are also extremely adaptable so it’s not uncommon to find them using any suitable covered location like under rocks or even inside human structures like attics, sheds, garages or under porches and verandas.
The availability of suitable birthing sites is a key limiting factor on raccoon breeding success, so they are highly motivated to access any dark, warm hole they can insulate and prepare for their younglings.
Raccoons love water and their dens are almost always found close to nearby water.
What To Look For:
If you suspect a tree is being used as a den, start by studying the base of the trunk. Raccoons leave tiny clues on the trees they climb like little hairs and scratch marks.
They also sometimes make latrines at the base of those big trees, so seeing piles of scat can be another clue. But be very careful with raccoon scat. It has pathogens that can become airborne when disturbed.
If you suspect a raccoon den is active around your home, they often leave obvious signs of forced entry as they enter the structure being used. You might see scratch marks or little hairs caught on holes in fencing where they repeatedly squeeze through.
Also consider their most likely route through your yard. If a female raccoon is actively using the den, she will be coming and going every day. This will leave clear signs in the padded down vegetation.
In northern areas, look for worn in trails in the snow. Here’s how to identify raccoon tracks in snow.
Repeated encounters with raccoons day after day or night after night can be a good sign there’s an active den nearby. It’s often possible to follow them either by trailing or just keeping your distance to see where they try to go.
What To Listen For:
If you suspect a raccoon den is active in your home, it’s helpful to know the kits make sounds a bit like a bird nest. If you’re hearing what sounds like birds coming from the attic and it goes on for long periods of time, it’s a good idea to check.
You might also hear scratching or thumping noises as the mother raccoon enters and moves around tending to her babies, or as she exits the location.
What To Do If You Find A Raccoon Den With Babies
If you find an active raccoon den with babies, it’s crucial to approach the situation safely and humanely. Raccoons will typically avoid humans but a mother protecting her babies can sometimes lead to situations where human and animal worlds collide, particularly if a den is located inside your home or nearby structures.
Above all, do not disturb the nest or attempt to handle the babies or mother yourself.
There are significant risks involved. Raccoons can sometimes carry diseases, including rabies, so it’s important to avoid any situation where you could be bitten or scratched by trying to mess with the nest.
Mother raccoons are highly protective of their young and will defend them aggressively if threatened. If the mama raccoon is present, she will do all she can to protect her babies and will most likely scratch or bite you if you try to pick her or her babies up to move them.
Furthermore, you also don’t want to separate the babies from their mother while they are still small. They are completely dependent on her, and can potentially die without her. Not to mention the mother’s fear for her babies when she comes back and sees that they are gone. The mama may tear up your house searching for them, causing more damage to your home.
For these reasons, your first course of action should be to call your local wildlife removal service.
These professionals are trained in handling raccoons safely and humanely when removing them from homes. They have the expertise to assess the situation, determine the best course of action for both the animals and your property, and help keep your house damage to a minimum. Trying to do it yourself could result in injury to you, the animals, or damage to your home.
Preventing Future Raccoon Den Issues
While wildlife professionals will help resolve the immediate situation, it’s crucial to take steps to prevent future raccoon denning issues and discourage them from returning to the same location or choosing new spots on your property.
Many people find raccoons extremely cute, but if you ever find them living in your home or shed, you still probably don’t want to encourage this behavior. It can lead to problems with your home, and it’s actually much healthier for raccoon populations to use natural shelters.
This prevention process is fairly simple once any existing raccoons are moved out. There are two key steps you can take to keep raccoons away from your home:
Step 1: Find and Repair Damage
The most important step is to find and properly repair any potential entry points raccoons might use or have already used.
This includes holes dug under your shed or porch, or holes in your walls and dug out insulation to get into your crawlspace, garage or attic.
You’ll want to repair the damage properly, remembering that raccoons are incredibly smart & crafty. Half finished jobs won’t keep them out, so make sure you do a good job sealing up the holes and keep your home raccoon proof in the future.
This is true even if the raccoons have already left. Raccoons will use the same dens to give birth year after year so you’ll want to make sure they can’t get back in.
Step 2: Remove Attractive Items
Garbage and food are big attractors to raccoons that will cause raccoons to visit your home more often looking for opportunities. The more you can do to prevent raccoons from being rewarded with food and interesting smells to investigate, the less likely they will be to cause problems around your home.
If you notice raccoons (or other wildlife) are getting into your garbage or compost, it’s always best to take steps to prevent this. Raccoons are repelled by the scent of human urine and I’ve found this to be an effective way to keep them out of my compost.
You might think it’s harmless for raccoons to have your leftover food scraps, but this actually trains their behavior to be more dependant on humans, and therefore more likely to try and get into your home.
These scavenging opportunities are one of the main reasons why city raccoons tend to have a higher population density. Higher population density means there’s higher demand for dens to have babies, which means they’re more likely to break into human structures.
Higher population density can also lead to health problems and more stressful lifestyles for raccoons. It’s more humane to do our best to have the least impact on them as possible.
The Raccoon Kits Grow Up: Lifecycle After Birth
Once a mother raccoon has given birth, the next phase involves nurturing the kits until they’re independent. Young raccoons are completely dependent on their mother in the early stages.
For the first several weeks, they’re kept safe and hidden in the den, often snuggled deep in the warm nesting material. They typically stay hidden in the den for about six weeks after birth, not leaving the den site at all during this time.
Their eyes don’t even open for about 21 days. During this den-bound period, the mother forages for food and frequently returns to check on her babies and provide nursing. Baby raccoons can be quite vocal, often crying out for their mother’s attention or food.
Around 8 to 12 weeks (approximately 2-3 months) of age, the young kits begin to take their first steps outside the den. This is when you are more likely to see the growing family as the babies start venturing out and moving around with mom during their juvenile phase. They will begin to learn essential foraging and survival skills by following and observing their mother.
Young raccoons typically stay with their mother throughout the summer, learning the ropes.
They will typically stay together until late summer or early fall of their birth year, at which point the young disperse to find their own territories and become completely independent, finding food and fending for themselves.
Here’s another article if you’d like to learn more about what raccoons eat.
In Summary
Raccoons are highly intelligent animals that often live at the edge of human environments. They’re simply trying to live their lives in peace like the rest of us.
If we stay respectful and curious, they can open our eyes to an entire world of life happening right at the edges of our own backyards & neighborhoods.
Observing your local raccoons is a great way to get inspired about nature both for adults & children.
There is a deep joy inherent to watching a mom & her baby raccoons happily exploring their new world.
But it’s also important to take personal responsibility for the impact we humans can have on these fascinating animals.
Our homes, environment & how we manage our waste can all have dramatic consequences for the long term behavior & health & stress levels for local raccoons.
Keep learning and always be mindful of your impact so humans and raccoons can live in harmony.
Do this and someday you too might get to witness baby raccoons tumbling and wrestling in the bushes!
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