Everything is not as cute as it seems: where does the raccoon have the habit of rinsing everything in the water

These cute animals do not leave anyone indifferent and have long been not only wild, but also domestic animals. New videos regularly appear on the network with the mischief of furry pets: here the raccoon drowned the remote control from the TV in the water tank, and a minute later the new owner’s smartphone was energetically rinsing it. For a long time, the feature of raccoons to rinse everything in the water was attributed to the love of animals for water games. But, as it turned out, this habit has a different, not so harmless explanation.

Raccoons are near-water animals, that is, their life is inextricably linked with the reservoir. In the forest where raccoons live, there must certainly be a river or lake. The diet of raccoons is very diverse and they are quite unpretentious in food. Fluffy animals feed on both plant foods and small animals. They can catch a rodent, a lizard, a frog, a small snake or fish.

It was noticed that before eating, the raccoon must rinse its food in the water, even if it is clean and does not need it. Because of this, the animal received its middle name - raccoon-raccoon. But in the course of numerous studies, scientists have found that such eating behavior has little to do with the desire to splash in the water and wash the food.

The love of water games is associated with a natural feature: raccoons turn over pebbles at the bottom of a stream or river, thereby trying to find small crustaceans or amphibians. Well, the desire to wash and rinse prey before eating is nothing but a way of killing the victim. According to zoologists, a raccoon "washes" prey in water until it ceases to show signs of life. That is, the rinse habit is not connected in any way with the love of excess clean, but is an innate reflex associated with the extraction of food.

The popularity of raccoons is growing rapidly, and more and more people strive to make this cute living creature at home. But it is worth remembering that this wild animal does not lend itself to education and training, so your life will change greatly with the advent of such a nimble animal in the apartment. Here, for example, is how pet lovers and owners of the Tyoma raccoon live.

Watch the video: Raccoon in the sink - cute to GROSS . Wait for it (March 2024).

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