When Do Raccoons Hibernate?

Raccoons are opportunistic animals and they prove it in winter. During these harsh days, they tend to forage for food that can be easily found and also in large quantities. They can store body fat just like the ants by eating more and more on spring and summer days so that they can spend the winter sleeping in their dens. They can also grow a thick coat of fur to protect them from the cold.

When Do Raccoons Hibernate?

Raccoons are nocturnal animals and like to take rest during the day. They are most active during the spring, summer, and fall. In the extreme winter days, they tend to hibernate in the dens in small groups to maintain the warmth of their body temperatures. They can stay inside the dens and sleep for a period of up to one month without going out in the bitterest weather.

Where Do Raccoons Go In The Winter?

During the harsh winter season, raccoons move inside their dens and sleep as long as possible. They like to make their nest inside the unused chimneys, abandoned buildings, tree cavities, and underground burrows during extreme winter days. They are also known to kick out other animals from their warm den and occupy it. They also share dens with other raccoons during this period.

How Do Raccoons Survive The Cold Winter?

Raccoons are known to have an ability to develop a somewhat thicker coat of fur which can insulate them in the bitterest days of winter. They also have a special capacity like the ants. The raccoons living in the more Northern States tend to store up body fat during the spring and summer days so that when the harsh winter comes they can easily survive the days without eating anything.

Do Raccoons Come Out In The Winter?

Raccoons try not to come out in the extremely cold winter and stay inside the caves as long as possible. They can sleep for almost a month due to their stored up body fat. But sometimes when the harsh winter stretches too long, it is not possible for the raccoons to stay inside. Being opportunistic foragers, the raccoons need to go out of their dens and forage for food.

How Cold Can Be Said To Be Too Cold For The Raccoons?

Being active animals, raccoons can be seen moving around all throughout the spring, summer, and fall. However, when the temperature decreases to thirty-five and beyond in the winter season, they tend to disappear and take shelter inside their dens. Normally they will not come out of their nests till the temperatures increase again to almost forty unless they are dying out of starvation.

Final Words

Raccoons cannot be said to be true hibernators in the strict sense of the term. Unlike some other animals that can spend the entire winter season hibernated, raccoons can stay inside the dens only for one month. After this period, they will start feeling extremely hungry and die out of starvation. Therefore, they will have to come out of their den and forage for food in order to survive.