How Long Can Baby Raccoons Live Without Food
Baby raccoons are born furred and blind, similar in size to domestic kittens. Their eyes open at about three weeks and they are close to one-third grown by eight weeks, when they begin traveling with their mother.
The infants remain dependent on their mother until four months of age, when they are completely weaned. They spend the first year of their lives in their dens with their mothers. They also remain with their mothers during the winter until they are old enough to disperse.
How to Reunite an Orphaned Baby
If a baby raccoon has been abandoned by its mother, it will need your help to find her again. If you can, leave the baby in a box of some sort, and if possible, keep it warm and dark.
Make sure the baby is not dehydrated, or he might aspirate fluid from his nose which will cause serious breathing problems. Offer rehydration solution (Pedialyte) to the baby a few times a day.
A hungry baby will often suck very quickly and will take more formula than is necessary. If this happens, lower the baby's head and allow the excess formula to run out of the nose. Repeat the process until the nose is clear and breathing returns to normal.
It is a good idea to carefully weigh the amount of formula a baby should take at each feeding, so you can track how it's doing and ensure it's getting all the calories it needs. You can do this using a kitchen scale, postal scale, or a vet clinic can weigh the baby for you.