Cleaning Food

We often see raccoons wash their food before consuming it. This is not because the food it dirty, but actually to figure out what they are consuming. Raccoons rely heavily on their sense of touch for many things. Their paws have many nerves, these nerves get enhanced when exposed to water. When raccoons dip their paws in water their nerves react more effectively than before. By washing their food they get more details on what it is and whether its safe to eat simply by sense of touch.