Do Raccoons Hibernate In Attics?

Many people believe that raccoons do hibernate during the winter months as they are rarely seen from December to March.

Truth be told, raccoons do not hibernate but they do hide away in their dens during the extremely cold, snowy periods. They are capable of sleeping for weeks at a time in order to conserve valuable energy. This is a good survival strategy on their part as their food is either buried under the snow or frozen solid.

At this time of year, raccoons appear to be quite large due to the fact that they are packing on their winter weight and are growing a much needed thick winter coat. Their ability to store body fat allows them to live off of their fat reserves and stay in their den longer when food is scarce. Typically a raccoon will lose up to half their body weight during the winter months.

While inspecting the attic, Gates Wildlife Technician Blake came across this mother and babies in the corner of an attic. He was taken aback by how large this mother raccoon was as they don’t usually pack on this much weight so early in the Fall.

By Brad Gates, B.Sc.

Brad Gates is the owner and president of AAA Gates Wildlife Control. He has over 35 years experience in the humane wildlife removal and prevention industry.