I woke up at 1:00 AM and haven't been able to fall back asleep. Around 4:00AM I was on my laptop and just outside the window I hear a crash, something sounded like it was hitting a screen, and then a growling noise. I turn on the lights but don't see anything. I'm in suburbs in western PA. It sounded like it would have been a larger animal...perhaps a fox or raccoon. Would a raccoon make a growling sound? I haven't seen any stray dogs around here nor any coyotes.
OT: do raccoons make a growling sound?
- Thread starter nitanee123
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Yes, they hiss, growl, snarl among other things. Very lively animals for sure...
Could have been a fox, they make all kinds of weird noises. They are active this time of year, are also kicking out their offspring and the fighting tends to ratchet up during the fall before going into the breeding season.
Had a racoon eat a hole in our roof once. Got a new roof out of it (insurance), so it wasn't all bad.
They're a lot tougher than people think and will not back down to a large dog if cornered. As a matter of fact, during hunts they release at least 4-8 Coonhounds some with protective cut gear. The goal is always to tree the animal but in the event they end up circling it on the ground you will witness some vicious fights. Bottom line never go near one.
I'd rather wrestle with a coyote than a racoon
Maybe it was two fighting. Foxes make screeching noises. Hear them alot.
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Yes they absolutely growl . My 120lbs great pyrenees nearly got mauled by one. Viscous little shites..
A raccoon can do some serious damage. I always carrry a weapon at night when there is a distrubance outside (we live in a rural area). My wife hears it and I go out to check the area, she tells me to carry the revolver, I find that interesting but she has been with me many times as we dispatched varmints at night as she held the spot light.
You don't underestimate raccoons. They can be made into pets if taken as young but adults, particularly sexually mature males can be dangerous.
You don't underestimate raccoons. They can be made into pets if taken as young but adults, particularly sexually mature males can be dangerous.
Very likely a raccoon, although gray/red foxes are known to make growling sounds as well. In most of PA and the Northeast raccoons are tremendously overpopulated, have lost any fear of humans and can be found getting into garbage cans, ripping off siding, tearing into screens and all other manner of property damage. Foxes tend to be more skittish and stay away from people/dwellings.
That's my experience with foxes as well. A piercing shriek which wakes up the dogs in the middle of the night, who then start barking and wake me up. Always bad this time of year since the kits are fully grown and fighting constantly over food and territory..
Had one as a pet when a kid - super smart and can open anything - they have opposable thumbs and hands like a human. Loved to play with our dog.
same here- no trip to the barn unarmed after dark- we have a wide variety of critters and I love them all- except the coyotes- but you never know what's out there late at night or how they will react
But I do try to avoid going out there after dark when possible, because I really don't want to shoot any of them, they are just trying to make a living as best they can
The ones that can sound like a baby crying or a screaming woman are freaking creepy.
psualt is correct, skunks are out feeding on white grubs right now, as are raccoons and many ohter animals incl. black bears. You can smell a skunk, typically far ahead of the danger but not always. A raccoon has no smell that gives it away so you could trip over one if it is obstinate or feeding. They love grubs like candy. Grubs are full of protein now and very tasty, to a skunk. So.....a growling could be animals competing for feeding areas, female animals although its a bit early for breeding season or just about anything else.
I remember a story of a raccoon as a pet. The guy would put a candy bar in a buttoned pocket and then put the raccoon on his shoulder. The raccoon would climb down his arm/chest to the pocket, delicately unbotton the pocket, remove the candy bar and open it carefuly, then consume it happily. The little hands/digits are so delicate and they use them so deftly it is amazing to watch up close. We had a mother birth them in a window well under our deck so we had a yearly raccoon terrarium under our deck. Got to watch the grow up (they did so quickly) then venture cautiously into the yard at dusk the first few nights. After that they ran out like children would and right to the mulberry tree to engorge themsleves on the berries, purple poop the next day. Very cute little animals. They never bothered our gargage can or any property.
I remember a story of a raccoon as a pet. The guy would put a candy bar in a buttoned pocket and then put the raccoon on his shoulder. The raccoon would climb down his arm/chest to the pocket, delicately unbotton the pocket, remove the candy bar and open it carefuly, then consume it happily. The little hands/digits are so delicate and they use them so deftly it is amazing to watch up close. We had a mother birth them in a window well under our deck so we had a yearly raccoon terrarium under our deck. Got to watch the grow up (they did so quickly) then venture cautiously into the yard at dusk the first few nights. After that they ran out like children would and right to the mulberry tree to engorge themsleves on the berries, purple poop the next day. Very cute little animals. They never bothered our gargage can or any property.
Used to work near it. Been there for years. It's an institution in lower Manhattan.
I was backpacking one time and my buddy and I put our food in a zippered gym back and tied it about 20 ft off the ground in a tree. It was probably suspended 10 feet on a branch above. The next morning all the food was scattered all over the ground. The worst part was we found the empty bottle of Jim Beam about 50 feet from our campsite. Damn that raccoon.
