Raccoons are omnivores, opportunistic feeders, and will eat chocolates if available. They’ve adapted into city lives; raccoons can and love to eat sweets, candy, and chocolate, in fact, more and more videos of raccoons eating chocolate have stormed the internet.
Now, because they can doesn’t mean chocolates are safe for them. Plenty of chocolate types contain nicotine, caffeine, cocoa, and poisonous theobromine that is toxic for raccoons and some pets, and smaller animals.
Too much chocolate has been linked to bad effects or the death of raccoons. In some cases, it leads to vomiting, diarrhea, increased urination, and even death.
So, if you have a pet raccoon or just like feeding nature animals, you may avoid feeding chocolate instead you can feed plants, fruits, and animals that are also beneficial.
Chocolates high in Theobromine
You can keep your trash can well locked so even the smartest coon can’t get into them.
Theobromine levels are highest in the chocolate products listed below:
| 228mg per square ounce | |
| 142mg per 100 grams | |
| 376mg per square ounce | |
| 175mg per 1.5 ounces bar | |
| 170mg per cup | |
|
138mg per 1oz handful |
|
147mg per ounce (28 beans) |
See also Can Raccoons get out of Traps? SEE How!
Do Raccoons Like Chocolate?
Raccoons, like humans, enjoy eating chocolate. If you must feed at all, feed only small amounts, as treats as too much can be bad for them.
The last thing you want to do is to be the cause of death of animals or pets.
ALSO SEE: Can Raccoons Climb Trees?
What happens when a Raccoon Eats Chocolate?
If fed small amounts, there will be no poisoning. However, if fed too much, one of the following could occur:
- Light theobromine poisoning
- Serious Theobromine poisoning
Light theobromine poisoning
The symptoms here are usually minor and short-term. The raccoon may vomit or experience diarrhea.
They will also urinate more frequently. This can quickly lead to dehydration. So, if you notice this, provide a clean water source for them to replenish their energy.
Serious Theobromine Poisoning
In a more serious case, this can cause irregular heartbeats which may eventually become worse, triggering a heart attack.
Serious theobromine poisoning in raccoons will almost always lead to death. This is usually because they are wild animals, so nobody really wants to run tests on a dead raccoon to see if a bar of chocolate killed them or not.
If your pet raccoon had too much chocolate, then call in a vet. He or she will be able to cause the raccoon to vomit it.
Can Raccoons Eat Cocoa Beans and Plants?
Raccoons can eat cocoa beans and plants in small amounts, as treats. Problems arise when they eat too much of this.
Too much of this can lead to toxicity in both pet and wild raccoons since they are unable to digest them well.
See also Do Racoons Eat Rats & Mice? FIND OUT!
Raccoons, enjoy sweets and can taste like dogs. But other household animals like, Cats lack taste buds and hence cannot detect sugar and do not enjoy sweets.
ALSO, SEE: Do Racoons kill Dogs?
Any More Items Like Chocolate?
After learning and reading more about the harmful effects of chocolates on Raccoons, it is only fair to educate you on more substances that might pose threats to raccoons.
Some of these include:
Feeding a spicy meal to a raccoon might spell doom. They have thrived on the bland offering by nature, and so it might be hard, if not impossible for them to control the acid reflux in the case of spices.
The metabolism of raccoons is one that does not do well with garlic and onion. They can even trigger disorders such as Haemolytic Anaemia.
It happens due to certain chemical nutrients and compositions which are rich in these vegetables.
Yes, some nuts are great for raccoons. Sadly, Macadamia nuts and raisins don’t make that list. They contain some minerals that are dangerous and harmful to raccoons.
These minerals are a direct threat to a raccoon’s intestine and can impair them for life.
One concern I have with these nuts is the fact that they serve as agents to pace up the growth of some very specific parasites known as Raccoon Roundworms.
Milk is important for the human body since it is rich in protein.
It has essential nutrients animals like. But this is not the same in the case of Raccoons.
The composition of elements and especially the concentration of Vitamin D can disrupt their digestive system causing a serious threat to their stomachs.
See also Can Racoon Damage Roof + Ways to RaccoonProof Roofs!
A baby raccoon only needs milk from its mother. DO NOT FEED IT MILK FROM OTHER ANIMALS.
Yeasts can lead to fungal infections in raccoons. So, I’d avoid feeding it if I were you.
What Do They Usually Eat?
Raccoons in the wild will eat fruits rich in Vitamin C, apples, berries, and even apricots. They also seem to have a liking for watery fruits such as watermelons. In nuts, they usually go for walnuts. When it comes to meat, they actively search for fishes, frogs, rodents, and many other insects to devour.
Will chocolate kill a raccoon?
Small amounts of chocolate, fed as treats once a month will not harm a raccoon but too much can kill a coon.
Can Raccoons Eat Chocolate Cookies?
Yes, but in small amounts, as treats. Too much of anything will harm any living thing.
Is Chocolate Good for Raccoons?
Well, it is sweet. So, it is fine in small amounts, as treats
Will Chocolate Kill Raccoons?
Unless there is serious poisoning, raccoons do not die from consuming chocolates
Is Chocolate Poisonous to Raccoons?
Only when too much is consumed.
Will Chocolate Hurt Raccoons?
In small amounts, as treats? No, but in large amounts, Yes.
Can Raccoons Die from Chocolate?
Yes, if they are severely poisoned.
Final Points
Of all chocolate types out there, dark chocolate (which is quite beneficial to humans) is most lethal for raccoons and small animals.
These smart adorable and fluffy social critters will feed on whatever they get their hands, including roadkill and waste, without caring what it will do to them.
But, as responsible pet parents, it is our job to control what our critters eat.
Chocolates might seem very sweet and enjoyable, and it is also what raccoons like, but in fact, it is lethal both for us and animals. It takes fewer chocolates to kill raccoons than us.
If your pet or raccoon eats some chocolate accidentally, it won’t really be toxic unless it is a lot. Safer foods for raccoons include fruits, plants, nuts, berries, insects, rodents, frogs, eggs, crayfish, and animals.
Next time when you’re going to feed chocolates to raccoons, think about it again!