What kind of animal is the raccoon dog, and how should breeding be done in captive farming?
The raccoon dog is an animal endemic to East Asia, mainly found in China, the former Soviet Union, Korea, Japan, Mongolia and other countries, and is divided into many subspecies. The raccoon dog's appearance is very similar to that of a fox, and in some parts of our country they are no longer seen. The raccoon dog's economic value is very high, so captive farming has also increased. Let's take a look below at what kind of animal the raccoon dog is and how to breed it in captive farming.
I. What kind of animal is the raccoon dog?
1. Living habits of the raccoon dog: The raccoon dog, also called the raccoon dog and the raccoon, is a species of the genus Nyctereutes in the family Canidae. It lives in mountain forests, resting by day and coming out at night, and feeds on fish, shrimp, rodents and pikas. It mostly inhabits river valleys, grasslands, and grassland areas and thickets near rivers, streams and lakes.
2. Appearance of the raccoon dog: The raccoon dog resembles a fox in appearance, but is fatter, with shorter limbs and tail, and long, fluffy tail hair. The raccoon dog has a pointed muzzle, short round ears, long hair on the cheeks, a brownish-gray muzzle, and dark brown hair on both cheeks and around the eyes, forming a “八”-shaped dark brown marking when viewed from the front. The total length of the raccoon dog is 45-71 cm; tail length 12-18 cm; body weight 3-7 kg. Body weight is smallest in March each year and largest in September.
3. Reproduction of the raccoon dog: The raccoon dog is a monogamous animal, with a gestation period of 61-70 days, April to May as the breeding season, an average litter of 6-7 cubs, newborn cubs weighing 60-110 grams, reaching sexual maturity at 8-10 months, and leaving the mother to live independently.
Wild raccoon dogs live 6-7 years, while those raised in captivity live around 11 years.
II. How are raccoon dogs bred?
The breeding period of cage-raised raccoon dogs is consistent with the estrus time of female raccoon dogs, generally from early February to late April in Northeast China, with a few beginning in late January.
1. Estrus identification
Common methods include external observation, pairing for estrus testing, and microscopic examination of vaginal secretion smears; the specific procedures are the same as estrus identification in mink and foxes.
2. Pairing time
Mating of raccoon dogs is generally carried out during the day. Especially in the cool morning and evening hours, male raccoon dogs are more energetic and have stronger sexual desire, and female raccoon dogs show obvious estrus behavior, making mating easier to achieve. The specific times are 6:00-8:00 in the morning or 8:30-10:00 in the morning, and 4:30-5:30 in the afternoon.
3. Pairing method
Raccoon dogs generally use the method of manual pairing and observed mating. When pairing, the female raccoon dog is generally placed into the male raccoon dog's cage, because the male is more active and its sexual desire is not inhibited in its familiar environment, which can shorten the mating time and thus improve breeding efficiency. However, when the male raccoon dog is violent in temperament or the female raccoon dog is timid, the male raccoon dog can also be placed into the female raccoon dog's cage to complete the mating. The breeding method generally adopts consecutive-day repeat mating. That is, after the first mating, mating continues for several days until the female raccoon dog refuses to mate, which can increase the litter rate. Precautions during pairing: correctly confirm whether the female raccoon dog has truly mated and take care to prevent biting injuries to each other. Take assisted mating measures when necessary.