Their eyes will open when about three weeks old and most raccoons are weaned by 4 months. They can be found living in timbered and brushy areas from southern Canada to Panama. The size of a raccoon averages about 15 pounds, but some will weigh as much as 50 pounds. Raccoons make their dens in a variety of places including hollow trees, dry caves, rock crevices, abandoned buildings, even burrows made by other animals. They have long bare-skinned fingers which they use regularly and skillfully for holding food and to manipulate objects.
Raccoons tend to walk on the soles of their feet, and have a bearlike gait as a result.
They usually sleep during the day and spend their night searching for food. Like most nocturnal animals, raccoons have a well-developed sense of touch especially in the nose and forepaws. They have adapted well living close to people - almost too well and are often considered pests because of nighttime raids on trashcans, campsites, gardens and crops. Brush-tailed possums are marsupials. They are born after a gestation period of less than 20 days.