Do raccoons eat mice? Yes. Raccoons are opportunistic omnivores and may eat mice or other small rodents when they can catch them. However, mice are only one possible part of a raccoon’s varied diet and are not necessarily its preferred or primary food.
Raccoons usually choose whatever food is easiest to obtain. In residential areas, garbage, pet food, birdseed and fallen fruit may be much more accessible than live prey.
What Do Raccoons Normally Eat?
Raccoons eat both plant and animal material. Their diet changes according to the season, habitat and available food.
Common foods include:
- Fruits and berries
- Nuts, seeds and acorns
- Corn and garden produce
- Insects and other invertebrates
- Crayfish
- Frogs and fish
- Bird eggs
- Small rodents
- Carrion
- Pet food
- Garbage and discarded human food
The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife describes raccoons as opportunistic omnivores that consume fruits, nuts, insects, rodents, frogs, bird eggs, carrion and human refuse.
Do Raccoons Hunt Mice?
Raccoons are capable of catching and eating mice, but they are not specialized mouse hunters. They spend much of their time investigating places where food may be available rather than actively chasing one type of prey.
A raccoon might catch a mouse when:
- It discovers a mouse nest
- A mouse is trapped or injured
- Rodents are concentrated around a food source
- Other foods are temporarily limited
- The raccoon encounters a mouse while searching through debris
Raccoons generally consume more easily obtained insects, invertebrates and plant foods than small mammals. Their diet is based largely on opportunity.
Will Raccoons Control a Mouse Infestation?
No. A raccoon should not be considered a natural solution to a mouse problem. Even if it occasionally catches a mouse, it will not inspect entry points, remove nests or prevent rodents from reproducing inside a building.
Raccoons and mice can live around the same property because both are attracted to similar resources, including:
- Unsecured garbage
- Pet food
- Birdseed
- Compost
- Animal feed
- Cluttered storage areas
- Warm, protected shelter
Seeing both animals may indicate that the property provides abundant food or entry opportunities. Removing those conditions is more effective than expecting one animal to eliminate the other.
Can Raccoons and Mice Live Inside the Same Building?
Yes. A raccoon may occupy an attic, chimney or crawl space while mice use smaller gaps within walls, insulation or storage areas.
Raccoons usually need larger entry openings, while mice can pass through much smaller gaps. Sealing only the largest hole may therefore fail to solve the rodent problem.
Signs of raccoon activity can include:
- Heavy footsteps or movement in the attic
- Damaged roof vents or soffits
- Large droppings
- Disturbed insulation
- Strong odors
Signs of mice may include:
- Small droppings
- Gnaw marks
- Scratching inside walls
- Shredded nesting material
- Food-package damage
A professional inspection can determine whether the property has one pest problem or several.
Do Mice Attract Raccoons to a Property?
Mice may provide an occasional food source, but they are unlikely to be the only reason a raccoon visits. Garbage, pet food, birdseed, water and sheltered denning sites are often easier and more dependable attractions.
If a raccoon repeatedly returns, inspect the property for all potential food and shelter sources rather than focusing only on mice.
How to Discourage Raccoons and Mice
Many prevention measures can make a property less appealing to both animals.
- Store garbage in containers with secure lids
- Bring pet food and water inside overnight
- Clean spilled birdseed regularly
- Store animal feed in durable sealed containers
- Remove unnecessary clutter from garages and sheds
- Clean food debris beneath outdoor cooking areas
- Repair damaged vents, soffits and foundation openings
- Trim vegetation away from the building
- Inspect attics, crawl spaces and utility penetrations
Do not seal a suspected raccoon entrance until you know that no animal or dependent young remain inside. Wildlife exclusion and mouse-proofing require different inspection methods.
Should You Use Poison If Raccoons Are Nearby?
Do not place rodent poison outdoors or in an unprotected location where wildlife, pets or children could reach it. Improper pesticide use can expose animals that were not the intended target.
Rodent treatments should be selected and installed according to the product label and applicable regulations. A licensed pest-control professional can recommend a plan based on the location and level of activity.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are mice a major part of a raccoon’s diet?
No. Raccoons may eat mice, but their diet usually contains a broad combination of plant material, insects, aquatic animals, eggs, carrion and human food waste.
Will a raccoon enter a house to catch mice?
A raccoon is more likely to enter for shelter or an accessible food source. If it encounters a mouse, it may eat it, but hunting mice is generally not the main reason raccoons enter buildings.
Do raccoons eat rats?
Raccoons may eat small, vulnerable or dead rats when the opportunity arises. They are not a dependable method of rat control.
Do raccoons eat dead mice?
They may. Raccoons consume carrion and may investigate a dead animal they encounter. Avoid handling dead wildlife or rodents with bare hands.
Can raccoons spread mice around a property?
Raccoons do not intentionally spread mice, but both animals may be drawn to the same garbage, food and shelter. Their simultaneous presence can indicate unresolved property conditions.
Get Help With Raccoons and Mice
Raccoons may occasionally eat mice, but they will not eliminate a rodent infestation. If both animals are present, the property may require separate wildlife and rodent-control strategies.
Universal Pest Control provides professional raccoon removal and wildlife exclusion as well as mouse and rat control for homes and businesses throughout Union County and surrounding New Jersey communities.
Contact Universal Pest Control to request an inspection and free estimate, or call 609-246-0684.
