Researchers say raccoons may be inching closer to becoming pets

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Ever wish you could have a raccoon like Rocket from Guardians of the Galaxy? It might be possible! Recent research suggests raccoons are beginning to show behaviors that could eventually lead to them being domesticated as pets.

Raccoons are lively and smart animals originally from North America. Though they’re wild and don’t make good pets, some people still try to keep them as one.

It’s surprisingly common in rural areas of the US for people to keep raccoons as pets. There’s even a movie from 1969 called ‘Rascal’ that tells the story of a boy and his pet raccoon.

Although they’re cute, friendly, and intelligent, these animals aren’t ideal pets. They can be prone to causing damage, spreading illness, and getting into mischief, so it’s best to keep them wild.

That being said, it looks like these critters could be domesticated sooner rather than later.

Scientists find raccoons are developing traits linked to domestication

Researchers at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock have discovered that raccoons are actually evolving physically due to their increasing contact with people.

Animals that have been domesticated, or ‘tamed,’ often share certain physical characteristics. These include shorter snouts, droopy ears, smaller skulls, and patches of white fur. This pattern of traits, known as ‘domestication syndrome,’ is thought to help these animals thrive in environments where humans are common.

Researchers at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock studied nearly 20,000 raccoon photos from across the U.S. and discovered that city-dwelling raccoons tended to have snouts about 3.5 inches shorter than those living in rural areas.

Other animals, like foxes and mice living in cities, also tend to have shorter snouts.

So, biologist Adam Wilkins thinks something really interesting is happening with wildlife. He says that when animals hang around people a lot, they start to lose some of their fear, and we might even see actual physical changes – like they’re starting to become domesticated, even if they’re still technically wild. It’s like they’re adapting to being near us!

Foxes have actually been in the process of domestication for many years. A research project in Russia began breeding them for tameness back in the 1960s, and continues today, even selling some of the foxes to support its work.

Despite looking adorable, foxes and raccoons don’t typically make good pets. They can be messy and destructive, require a lot of space, and aren’t allowed in certain places. It’s important to remember they need a stimulating environment to stay happy and healthy.

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2025-11-18 00:49