Three years ago, Nikki Robinson found a little raccoon by the road. She saved him and after a bunch of attempts at taking him to wildlife centers and vets, Nikki was disappointed in the lack of help. However, her mother Linda has had experience raising raccoons and after a little persuasion, took the little critter in. They named him Little Hands and fell in love with the trash panda.
Little Hands needed lots of love and support. Linda and Nikki fed him, raised him, and eventually let him go. To their surprise, Little Hands kept coming back, sometimes after a few days, sometimes a few months. He would come back and ask for snuggles, pets, food, and just love. Neither Nikki nor Linda have ever experienced such a loving raccoon.
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This raccoon was originally found abandoned beside the road at about 4 weeks old
Image credits: red_pangolin
“Little Hands was originally found abandoned beside the road at about 4 weeks old. We rescued him from the traffic and tried to find a wildlife rehab that would take him but everywhere was full and all they could offer was to ‘take it to a vet to be euthanized’ or ‘let nature take its course outside.’”
Nikki and her family rescued him, but all the wildlife rehabs were full and the clinics they went to said that they should euthanize him
Image credits: red_pangolin
However, Nikki knew her mom Linda would be perfect for the job of raising the little raccoon, now named Little Hands. Linda has had experience raising raccoons before
Image credits: red_pangolin
“Instead, he was given to my mom, Linda, who has had some experience raising a raccoon so that it could be released into the wild. Two years earlier, I had picked up from a friend another orphaned raccoon that was found in a similar situation as Little Hands. I have always wanted to work in wildlife rehabilitation, but I was working full time. So, I asked my mom to help with many of the daily feedings. She was hesitant at first, but then I told her it was really in lieu of any grandchildren I would be giving her. Well, once the baby starts nursing from a bottle and looks her in the eye, she melts and it instantly becomes Mama’s coon.”
Linda fell in love with Little Hands and raised him like a baby
Image credits: red_pangolin
Little Hands had to be fed very often and needed a lot of care, attention, and love
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
“So, Little Hands was fostered by Linda. He was released onto her large property and was allowed to come and go as he pleased. He was very fearful of any human or animal that he didn’t grow up with, but would come back to visit us most nights. Linda would leave food out for him every night and sit outside on the porch swing at night before bed, waiting for his visit. He would come less and less, and always at night, as it got colder. Sometimes, we wouldn’t see him for a month, and then on a clear night, he would show up and even let us approach him. But the first thing he would do, sometimes even before sniffing his food, is he would climb over to Linda on the swing, sit beside her, and want pats from her. He liked his lower back and chin rubbed the most.”
After Little Hands grew up, he was released into the wild to live his full raccoon life
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
But to Linda’s and Nikki’s surprise, Little Hands kept coming back to them
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
“This has gone on for 3 years! All the other releases have gone wild. The ones that were released at Linda’s house will still come and eat at night, sometimes bring their babies too, but they are scared of us and won’t approach us closely. Little Hands is just special, and super adorable!”
No other raccoon they cared for has come back to visit that often or come up to snuggle with them
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
Little Hands is special. It’s been three years and he still comes back for snuggles, scratches, and, of course, food
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
“The other raccoons that were released at Linda’s house will still come and eat at night, sometimes bring their babies too, but they are scared of us and won’t approach closely. Little Hands is just special, and super adorable!”
Image credits: red_pangolin
Image credits: red_pangolin
The post This Raccoon Still Comes Back To Visit His Saviors After 3 Years first appeared on Bored Panda.
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