Man Hears Crying From His Basement, Internet Not Prepared for What He Finds

A video of a man met by an unexpected surprise in his basement has gone viral on TikTok.

The clip was posted on June 4 by TikTok user Mack Lunn (@macklunn) and has received more than 9.8 million views. A caption shared with the post reads: "I heard some crying in my basement the other day and went to investigate..."

The footage shows a white brick wall as squealing is heard in the background. A man is later seen taking a bucket from a hole in the white wall. After removing a few shovels of ashes, a baby raccoon is seen staring back at the camera from inside the hole. The little guy appears to have been left there by its mother, who later returns to the scene.

The latest discovery isn't surprising as "raccoons are well adapted to urban and suburban areas and can easily get into houses, basements and attics," explains the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.

A mother raccoon sees an uncapped chimney as "a perfect nursery," says an article by The Humane Society of the United States, adapted from the book Wild Neighbors: The Humane Approach to Living With Wildlife.

"It's a safe and sheltered place to give birth to and raise her young until they are able to get around on their own," the U.S. Humane Society says.

The Indiana Department of Natural Resources advises residents to ensure there are no access points to attics, chimneys, garages or sheds because "raccoons will readily make themselves at home in a warm, sheltered space."

Before you give a cute baby raccoon a place in your own home, you'll want to check the laws in your state. Pet raccoons are legal in 16 states only, according to a WebMD article reviewed by veterinarian Dr. Vanesa Farmer.

As irresistibly adorable as they may seem, having a pet raccoon can be challenging, from having unpredictable temperaments to not being suited for cages or other small spaces. It may also be difficult to find a veterinarian who specializes in raccoon care, Farmer's article said.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also warns that raccoons can spread germs to humans. "Raccoon feces can sometimes contain the eggs of a worm called Baylisascaris procyonis, which can infect humans, particularly children, and cause severe neurologic illness."

The man in the latest viral clip is seen cuddling the baby raccoon in his arms, while the animal appears to fall asleep.

Later in the video, the mother raccoon is seen on top of the chimney on the roof of the home. The baby is seen wrapped in white towel and placed near the chimney. "She's gonna come get ya'," a voice says, as squealing continues in the background.

"I'm gonna back away, OK?" the voice adds, as the footage later shows the mother raccoon peek her head outside the chimney.

"You're alright buddy, you're a good boy," the voice says, as the baby raccoon is shown at the bottom of the chimney before the clip ends.

In a later comment, the poster said: "I was literally TORN but his mother was distraught and looking for him so I had to return him. I was already making him a room.

"His mother was up at the top of the chimney trying to find him (he fell down quite a way) so I was obligated to begrudgingly give him back," the poster added in another comment.

The baby raccoon in the latest video has melted the hearts of users on TikTok.

Steph wrote: "OMG [oh my god] him just going to sleep on your arm." The original poster replied: "I'm afraid of how long he was stuck down there, but he was exhausted."

User witch_bitch_82 posted: "Poor baby, all tuckered out."

Jeremy K wrote: "OMG those little squeaks right before falling asleep."

Nova commented: "You can literally see how safe this little guy felt in your energy as he was falling asleep!"

Newsweek has contacted the original poster for comment via TikTok. This video has not been independently verified.

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