What Is A Baby Raccoon Called?

From massive elephants to tiny mice, our planet is packed with amazing creatures. And sure, a lot of these creatures come with their own PR-approved nicknames. Their babies get cute names too, puppies, kittens and more. But do you know what a baby raccoon is called? Most people have no clue. Stick around, because we're about to solve that mystery and drop some fun raccoon facts along the way.

What Is a Baby Raccoon Called?

A baby raccoon is called a kit. Some people call them cubs. When kits are born, they cannot see or hear. They need their mothers for everything. As they get bigger, kits become busy and want to explore. They play with their brothers and sisters all the time. By playing, they learn how to climb trees and find food.

5 Lesser-known Facts About Raccoons

• Kits are born with light fur; their famous dark "bandit" eye masks take a few weeks to appear.
• When happy or nursing, baby raccoons make a low purring sound. When scared, they emit high-pitched cries.
• For their first three weeks, a kit's eyes and ears are completely sealed shut.
• Mother raccoons leave their kits high up in tree branches to keep them safe while she hunts for food.
• Even as newborns, their front paws have advanced touch receptors that let them identify objects in the dark.

What Are the Scientific Classifications of Raccoons?

If you ever wondered where raccoons fit in the grand scheme of animal life, here's the lowdown: they're card-carrying members of the animal kingdom, part of the mammal club, and officially on Team Carnivore. Their family name is Procyonidae, which also covers some of their quirky cousins like coatis and ringtails.

The raccoon you're most likely to spot rifling through your trash is the northern raccoon, or Procyon lotor, if you want to get fancy. That Latin name? It basically translates to 'washing pre-dog', which is a nod to their weirdly adorable habit of dunking their food in water before chowing down.

What Is A Group of Raccoons Called?

If you spot a bunch of raccoons hanging out together, chances are it's a mom and her babies, technically called a 'nursery'. Grown-up raccoons are more the lone-wolf type; they prefer to do their own thing.

But every now and then, you'll see a random crew of adults (yes, they're called a 'gaze' or a 'committee') raiding the same overflowing trash can or fruit tree. These little raccoon meetups don't last long; once the snacks are gone, so are they.

Where Do Mother Raccoons Typically Raise Their Offspring?

Mother raccoons look for safe places to hide their babies. In the wild, they use hollow trees or piles of logs. Sometimes they squeeze into cracks between rocks. Raccoons are clever. They can live near people, too. A mother raccoon might make her home in an attic, a chimney, or under a deck. She picks these spots so her babies stay safe from hungry animals like coyotes, owls, and big hawks.

How Long Do Raccoon Kits Remain Dependent on Their Mothers?

Baby raccoons, called kits, are basically glued to their moms for the first four or five months of life. They show up in the world each spring, eyes closed, totally helpless, and spend their first couple of months living off mom's milk.

By the time summer rolls around, they're ready to try real food and start tagging along on little adventures outside the den. Mom's got her paws full teaching them how to climb trees, paddle through puddles, and sniff out snacks. Some of these little troublemakers strike out on their own by fall, but others stick with mom all the way through winter.

Which Other Mammal Babies Share the Same Name as Baby Raccoons?

Raccoons don’t have a monopoly on the word 'kit'. Turns out, a whole crew of small and medium-sized mammals use the same name for their babies. Think foxes, beavers, skunks, even ferrets, badgers, and rabbits get in on the action. Most of these little guys start life the same way: totally helpless, tucked away in a dark den or burrow, relying on their parents for everything.