Cloudchaser Sakonige: Even though water is near, they don’t wash peanuts if you give them in the shell – they know the insides are clean if they open them themselves. :-)
Our cat door broke, and before we got it replaced, we noted an empty cat food bowl on the back porch along with a dirty water bowl. Curious – coons don’t need to use their paws on cat food kibble, but they do anyway.
This is the first time I can recall seeing raccoons in this ‘toon. Squirrels, yes, but not raccoons. I wonder if bears are next, and will they be as cute as Wiley’s bears…
Unfortunately, that book caused countless attempts to have raccoons as pets. They can be associates – calmly interacting with humans, but always free to go and a close watch on their mood – never a pet.
Raccoons don’t “wash their hands,” as much as they wash food. They will continue washing it until it changes texture. I gave a ’coon a piece of ice and he continued washing it until it was all melted, then looked at me like, “What the…?” Not sure what the instinct to wash food is all about, but apparently it serves some survival purpose.
bjy1293 Premium Member over 9 years ago
Just like mother use to make us do.
Cloudchaser over 9 years ago
Raccoons washing before they eat got started by people observing them rummaging around in water for food such as crawdads.
hippogriff over 9 years ago
Cloudchaser Sakonige: Even though water is near, they don’t wash peanuts if you give them in the shell – they know the insides are clean if they open them themselves. :-)
Francis Lapeyre Premium Member over 9 years ago
Our cat door broke, and before we got it replaced, we noted an empty cat food bowl on the back porch along with a dirty water bowl. Curious – coons don’t need to use their paws on cat food kibble, but they do anyway.
Doctor11 over 9 years ago
It’s true that raccoons do wash their hands before they eat.
Argy.Bargy2 over 9 years ago
This is the first time I can recall seeing raccoons in this ‘toon. Squirrels, yes, but not raccoons. I wonder if bears are next, and will they be as cute as Wiley’s bears…
abbybookcase over 9 years ago
raccoons are sort of amazing. read the book rascal. classic.
Burgundy2 over 9 years ago
Had to deal with raccoons in the attic. I am not particularly appreciative of raccoons now.
hippogriff over 9 years ago
Unfortunately, that book caused countless attempts to have raccoons as pets. They can be associates – calmly interacting with humans, but always free to go and a close watch on their mood – never a pet.
abbybookcase over 9 years ago
certainly, having any wild animal as a pet is often a bad idea and you have to be a little crazy. i like reading about it. i’m not doing it.
primalcoach over 9 years ago
Raccoons don’t “wash their hands,” as much as they wash food. They will continue washing it until it changes texture. I gave a ’coon a piece of ice and he continued washing it until it was all melted, then looked at me like, “What the…?” Not sure what the instinct to wash food is all about, but apparently it serves some survival purpose.