Websailor - Need your expertise, please!!!

[Bikergirl]

Hi WebSailor,

I know you have a big post in your who''s who topic about baby opossums....so I thought you could help me with mine!

DH and I were working in the yard on Saturday, and he came running over. Told me to be very quiet, and we snuck across the alley to the house behind us. There were two baby opossums wandering around the yard, digging up little grubs and flossing with leaves! We live across the street from a VERY deep irrigation/overflow channel, and often see all kinds of critters wandering around our neighborhood. We figured the had a den somewhere close, and the mother was probably nearby. Even though they looked really cute and fuzzy (and the were kind of tottering around on bity little legs - so cute!) we left them alone. I didn''t want them to think people were nice, only to have them killed by a person who isn''t quite so friendly.

Well, Sunday afternoon led to more time in the yard. This time there was only one, but he had settled down into our ground cover! He had dug a little burrow down under a shrub, in the middle of a patch of ground cover. I went out this morning to water some flowers, and he peeked up at me from the same spot. He seems quite happy there.

My question - is it about time for the mother to be turning babies loose into the big world, or should I be concerned the he doesn''t know how to fend for himself? He appeared to be OK, but he just looks so cute and tiny! When I saw him on Sunday, at first I thought he was a mouse. I heard rustling in the ground cover, and just saw his little ears stick up. Looked just like fuzzy little mouse ears! Then up came his nose and I realized he was my little friend back to visit again.

I have no depth perception, so I''m *really* bad judging things like this, but I would say his body was probably only about 8 or 9 inches long. Like I said, he was small enough that I thought he was a mouse at first. So roughly the size of a full-grown field mouse.

I haven''t tried to do anything - I don''t want him to become tame then have somebody hurt him. Any input please?

Thanks Websailor!

BikerGirl in Dallas, TX

 

[Buena Girl]

Maybe try PM''ing websailor if you need a fast answer.

p.s. I would love to see pictures of the cute little critters if you take any

 

[Bikergirl]

I''m such a dork - I didn''t even think about sending him a pm! Thanks for the suggestion.

He was out again this morning. I haven''t taken any pictures yet because, well, I''m not sure why. I''ll try to take some in the morning and post here tomorrow. He''s really cute!

 

[websailor]

Bikergirl,

Check out this thread too - https://www.pricescope.com/community/threads/websailor-question.26284/. Fortekitty''s sister found a baby possum and we had some discussion there.

It sounds like your guy(s) are doing fine. I''d think from what you have said is that they have found a home in your back yard. They have water, they have food, and they have shelter - just right for a nice home! That''s also exactly what we looked for when we would release the ones we raised back into the wild. Hope you don''t have dogs so they will be left alone.

The advice from the local wildlife rescue organization is this:
"Young Opossum Alone
If the opossum is 8" from nose to base of tail or larger, leave it alone unless it is injured."

Their tails are usually about as long as they are - sounds like yours are at that body length of 8 inches or larger size, so for right now I''d say leave them alone and just enjoy the times you get to see them!

They are oh so cute when they are at this stage!

 

[Bikergirl]

Thanks for the info, and for the link.

He disappeared on us for a few days, but yesterday afternoon we saw him again. It was the middle of the afternoon, and he was wobbling across the front yard. I thought it was a bit odd to see him at that time of day, so I went over to him for closer inspection. He was COVERED in flies, and it was obvious they were biting him. His ears are shredded around the tips, and the backs of his legs and his bottom all have multiple bites. He didn''t seem very alert (he was walking, but didn''t seem to know where he was going) and didn''t seem phased at all that I was there.

We have three little dogs (a Jack Russell, a Dachshund, and a Pomeranian) so we have all kinds of dog-stuff around the house. I assembled the largest of our dog crates, put a warm fluffy towel in the bottom, left water and some little bits of cat food (chicken and turkey based) and put him in there.

I left him alone for the night, and checked on him this morning. He had diarhea really bad during the night, but also drank a significant amount of water and ate some of the food. I changed out towels, cleaned the food/water dishes and refilled both. He''s in a cozy spot in the house, he will get sunlight but won''t overheat and there is no draft, so he won''t get too cold.

I really don''t think he meets the 1 foot criteria for being let go. I wonder if he was separated from the litter somehow?

Do you think I can nurse him for a few weeks until he''s a bit bigger? We have all kinds of things I can bring in to feed him - fruits, TONS of snails, grub worms, all sorts of scrumptious opossum delicacies. We have a spare bathroom we can set up just for him, so he won''t be stuck in the dog crate for an extended period of time. We can set up a litterbox for him, and make a nice little bed and a hammock.

We haven''t handled him at all (even when we crated him - we sort of "herded" him in there). He''s so cute and fuzzy, but I don''t want him to become socialized.

When he''s big enough, we can turn him loose under the hedges in our front yard, where we saw him hanging out before.

Would that be OK? Or would that end up hurting him in some way (in spite of our intentions)? I just want the poor little guy to live!

 

[Bikergirl]

Thank you for the info, and for the different links.

He''s a lot smaller than the guys you turned loose, and I''m afraid he isn''t doing a good job fending for himself. We captured him yesterday afternoon. He was hungry and dehydrated. We fed him some cat food (didn''t see your info about not feeding them!) and gave him plenty of water. We kept him in a dog crate overnight, and he seems pretty happy this morning.

Do you think we could nurse him for a few weeks until he''s a little bigger? Or would that end up hurting him in the long run?

I just want to do the right thing!

Thanks a bunch.

 

[ForteKitty]

Poor baby! is there any way to get rid of the fleas? maybe just a tiny drop of flea medication? Ohhh... my heart is completely broken!!!

 

[Bikergirl]

No, not fleas - flies. Big, black, biting horse flies! They really worked him over.

He seems much happier inside, and the flies can''t get to him in there. He slept a lot after we brought him in, and was asleep again by the time I left this morning.

I''ll try to take pictures of him tonight. Poor guy!

 

[websailor]

Bikergirl,

I hope everything is okay with your little guy. We just got back from our vacation - you caught us on the day we were leaving...

It sounds like you are doing alright with him. If he is doing okay, just keep it up. Eating and drinking is a good sign. It sounds like you''ve got the right food for him. The home you made for him sounds great too.

If by now he is still in poor shape, I''d try to find a wildlife rescue center and turn him over to them - they have the knowledge and medicines and vet services to help.