Because of the fact that raccoons use their front paws to be able to grasp and use tools, it has developed the idea that a raccoon will dunk its food into water, rolling it around, before it decides to eat it. Do raccoons wash their food before eating? At one time they believed raccoons did not have enough saliva and needed to moisten their food before swallowing it. They often pick up the food item with their front paws to examine it and rub the item, sometimes to remove unwanted parts. These animals do not wash food at all, but it is there unusual abilities that have generated this belief. That being said, if you see them near a freshwater source, you may catch them dunking their food in the water before eating it. DO RACCOONS WASH THEIR FOOD? Raccoons are so associated with food-washing that their species name, Procyon lotor, literally means "the washing pre-dog." Why do raccoons wash their hands, United way of the lowcountry, It appears that thieving raccoons wash food when they dine near a body of water. 5. Raccoons around the world have earned a reputation for being highly conscious of food hygiene, especially by those who observe that the animals wash – or rather wet – their food before eating it. The French call the little guy le raton laveur--"the rat who washes." Each of their front feet has five dexterous toes, allowing raccoons to grasp and manipulate food and other items. In keeping with their non-fussy reputation, raccoons don’t bother to wash their food before eating it either. Why exactly they wash their food is less obvious. Raccoons usually wet their food before eating it. No, it is more akin to their "feeling" their food - click here for more discussion about this. A raccoon will wash worms or crayfish to get rid of dirt, but it washes other foods to have better skin-to-food contact in its paws. This misconception arises from their habit of searching for food in or near water and then manipulating it while eating. Surprised? This led researchers to believe that raccoons are not purposefully washing their food before eating. It's not to clean it, and it is not to soften it. Raccoons in imprisonment have been watched “washing” their nourishments (fruits and … It is basically a mystery as to why raccoons do this, and if they are actually washing their food, or if it's some sort of biological behavior we can't understand. It seems like a really cool thing to do, but the truth is that raccoons don’t actually wash food. 6. One washes his food and the other doesn't. But still, why do raccoons love water? Nevertheless, raccoons' manual adroitness is so well-developed that scientists have conducted a surprising number of studies to determine how and why the trait exists. There are two leading theories about why they do this: No, and the majority of them do not have rabies but those that catch it will eventually die from it like all mammals. It is basically a mystery as to why raccoons do this, and if they are actually washing their food, or if it's some sort of biological behavior we can't understand.