Openai/695ceb3d-0efc-800e-a720-91d18cd31f92

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User: Compare red fox, opposum, raccoon and rat footprints in snow and show pics of each.

Compare red fox, opposum, raccoon and rat footprints in snow and show pics of each.

Assistant: Here’s a visual comparison of footprints in snow for a red fox, opossum, raccoon, and rat, along with tips to tell them…

Here’s a visual comparison of footprints in snow for a red fox, opossum, raccoon, and rat, along with tips to tell them apart:

!https://ouroneacrefarm\.com/wp\-content/uploads/2014/12/Tracking\-Red\-Fox\-in\-Winter\-5\.jpg

!https://a\-z\-animals\.com/media/2023/04/shutterstock\_1327491896\-1536x1152\.jpg !https://a\-z\-animals\.com/media/2023/02/shutterstock\_534811660\-768x1160\.jpg 4

• Red fox tracks (top-left) — canine prints in the snow with a distinct shape and often a straight, single-file pattern behind one another.
• Opossum tracks (top-right) — small, hand-like prints with five toes and opposable thumbs especially visible on hind feet.
• Raccoon tracks (bottom-left) — look like tiny human hands with five forward-pointing digits.
• Rat tracks (bottom-right) — much smaller, faint prints often with tiny claw marks, and sometimes tail drag marks visible between footprints.

- Shape: Four toes and a heel pad — canine style. Nature Tracking

• Pattern: Almost always in a straight line, single file; foxes walk placing back feet on or close to front feet. Cool Green Science
• Size: Larger than small mammals but smaller than a dog of similar weight.
• Clues: Slight drag marks (fur on feet) can blur prints in soft snow. Greenbelly Meals

- Digits: Five toes on front and back, with the hind foot’s opposable thumb sometimes making a sideways mark — a signature trait. SLC.gov

• Look: Like small handprints; toes widely splayed. SLC.gov
• Pattern: Often the hind foot overlaps the front. SLC.gov

Here’s also a diagram style comparison of opossum vs raccoon tracks:

!https://wildlifeillinois\.org/wp\-content/uploads/2021/08/Virginia\-opossum\-tracks\-1536x830\.jpg !https://assortedanimals\.com/wp\-content/uploads/2022/01/Opossum\-Tracks\-Vs\-Racoon\-Tracks1\-1024x683\.jpg

- Shape: Looks like miniature human hands — five slender digits with little palm. Nature Tracking

• Size: Usually larger than opossum prints and with digits more forward-pointing rather than splayed out. SLC.gov
• Pattern: Raccoon gait alternates front and hind prints side-by-side, usually clear and easy to follow. SLC.gov
• Note: Raccoon tracks in snow sometimes show deeper hind prints because they carry more weight on their back feet. Greenbelly Meals

Here’s another reference image of raccoon tracks and an ID guide:

!https://wildlifeillinois\.org/wp\-content/uploads/2021/08/Raccoon\-tracks\.jpg !https://nature\-mentor\.com/wp\-content/uploads/2020/10/raccoon\-vs\-opossum\-tracks\.jpg

- Tiny: Footprints are very small — usually about ½” to 1″. SLC.gov

• Digits: Typically four toes on front feet and five on back, but in snow only the sharp toes/claws might register. Nature Tracking
• Tail drag: A key clue in snow is a thin tail drag line between the prints. Nature Tracking

Example of rat tracks in snow:

!https://www\.trutechinc\.com/wp\-content/uploads/2022/02/shutterstock\_1643750482\.jpg !https://actionpest\.ca/wp\-content/uploads/2022/09/Rat\-Track\_Snow\-1024x537\.png

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Tracks aren’t always perfect — snow conditions, depth, and animal gait affect impressions. icwdm.org

If you want, I can also explain how to differentiate tracks by gait patterns (walking vs bounding vs hopping) in snow!

User: These tracks were found in my neighbors yard.

These tracks were found in my neighbors yard.

Assistant: Ohhh this is a good one, Sue — these tracks are actually very distinctive once you know what to look for.

Ohhh this is a good one, Sue — these tracks are actually very distinctive once you know what to look for.

🐾 What animal made these tracks?

These are raccoon tracks. Very clearly and confidently 🦝

Let me walk you through why.

1️⃣ The track shape: “tiny human hands”

Look at your close-up photo:

You can see:

• Five toes
• Long, finger-like digits
• A rounded “palm” pad

That is the hallmark of a raccoon. People often say raccoon tracks look like little baby hands in the snow — and that’s exactly what you’re seeing.

Foxes and rats do NOT have this shape:

• Fox = 4 toes, dog-like
• Rat = tiny, messy prints with tail drag
• Opossum = five toes, but the hind foot has a sideways “thumb” — which yours do not

Your tracks show five forward-facing fingers → raccoon.

2️⃣ The walking pattern seals it

In your long photo, the tracks are in a:

• Straight line
• With pairs of prints side-by-side

That is a raccoon walking gait:

• Front foot lands
• Back foot lands just behind or beside it
• Creates those neat little paired prints marching forward

Foxes walk in a single tight line Rats hop and leave tail lines Opossums leave splayed, awkward hand-and-thumb prints

Yours look tidy and deliberate → raccoon.

3️⃣ Size check

Based on the spacing and the width of the prints compared to the rocks:

• These are too big for a rat
• Too round for a fox
• Too neat for an opossum

This is the size of a medium raccoon, probably an adult making a nightly patrol along the fence line.

🦝 Why was it walking there?

That narrow fence-line path is a perfect raccoon highway:

• Sheltered from wind
• Protected from predators
• Often used to travel between yards looking for: - Trash - Pet food - Bird seed - Grubs - Or a warm crawl space

Your neighbor probably has:

• A bird feeder
• A trash can
• Or a deck/garage with goodies

And this raccoon is making nightly rounds.

🧠 Final verdict

100% raccoon tracks. No doubt about it.

If you want, next time it snows I can show you how to tell if:

• It’s the same raccoon
• How big it is
• Or even whether it’s male or female based on stride 😄