Baby raccoons found starving after the mother was trapped & relocated
By Joanna Fitzgerald | Director of the von Arx Wildlife Hospital

Two raccoon kits were among the 74 animals admitted to the von Arx Wildlife Hospital at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida this past week.
A homeowner trapped an adult raccoon and relocated her far from his property after he had seen the raccoon enter his shed. Two days later, the homeowner heard the raccoon’s two babies in their nest, vocalizing and frantic from hunger.
Great care must be taken to avoid refeeding syndrome whenever an animal is admitted after going for an extended period of time without fluids or nourishment. Refeeding syndrome occurs when food is introduced too quickly after a period of starvation or malnourishment. In some cases, refeeding syndrome can be fatal.
To avoid refeeding syndrome with the two raccoon kits, a treatment plan was established which allowed for electrolytes to be administered followed by a slow introduction of a dilute milk replacement formula over a period of several days. The concentration of the milk replacement formula was increased gradually during that time until the kits were receiving the appropriate amount of full strength formula. The raccoon kits were monitored regularly during this critical time for any signs of complications. The two babies are now thriving in the nursery at the von Arx Wildlife Hospital.
What You Can Do
If you feel you have a nuisance wildlife situation please call the wildlife hospital for information before taking action. While relocating “nuisance” wildlife may be in the best interest of the property owner, it is not in the best interest of the animal. Most relocated animals do not survive.
There are techniques that can be utilized to resolve many “nuisance” wildlife situation while allowing animals and humans to coexist. This mother raccoon had found a safe space in the shed to raise her babies. There were several options this homeowner could have tried that would have allowed the mother raccoon to relocate her babies to an alternate, more natural nest site.
Also, be mindful of the state regulations involved with relocating wildlife. These regulations are in place to protect wildlife populations. For more information visit myFWC.com.
Recent Releases
Three mourning doves, a Virginia opossum, a sanderling, a red-bellied woodpecker, an American crow, two gopher tortoises, a Florida box turtle, an eastern cottontail and a common nighthawk were released this past week.
Opportunities to Help
Visit the Conservancy website at www.conservancy.org to view all of the amazing volunteer opportunities at the Conservancy of Southwest Florida. Volunteers help in many different capacities and are vital to the success of our work. If you think you could dedicate one shift a week to help in the hospital, contact our volunteer office and get involved. Your volunteer time, donations, and memberships truly help us continue our work to protect Southwest Florida’s water, land, wildlife, and future.
