They came back out after a few minutes to show us all six of the baby possums! Later that afternoon, a volunteer from Keeper of the Wild stopped by to pick them up. Poor babies, losing their mom! I called a volunteer with Keeper of the Wild a week later to check on the status and to find out what they do with abandoned baby possums. This is the question we hear the most. The second option was to load up the dead corpse and two babies that were already out. I'm the type of person who wants to save every animal. All rights reserved. If you need help, we service the entire USA! Your article confirmed this, since you said, if he is bigger than 8 inches long… So, thank you! Use this mixture for the first two feedings which should be 3-4 hours apart. Arrange a heating pad around the box, but not directly touching the wrapped babies. If you do find baby possums, the best thing to do is seek assistance from someone experienced with wildlife rescue. If you see the mother, it is best to leave the baby possum where you found it. I choose the second option, which, though a little gruesome, did not involve me rummaging around in a dead possum's tummy. I have possoms that come around and I personally think they are cute (in a not so normal way, but still...), especially the younger ones. The second baby was still lying on the possum's stomach. It was a very unexpected and unusual experience, and I am glad for the happy ending too. Be very quiet and listen for “sneezing” sounds the young make to call the mother. Powdered ESBILAC is diluted as 1 part powder with 2 parts water. The US Opossum Society offers some tips for the temporary feeding of these tiny possums until you can get them to an appropriate caretaker that will be able to provide them with the specific diet needed to thrive and battle infection: If the babies are a little bigger, about 4-7 inches, the US Opossum Society suggests that you offer them moistened kitten chow and water in a shallow bowl. Now what do I do? Sarah Johnson (author) from Charleston, South Carolina on October 15, 2012: Hi, Sarra. We needed help. And, remember that it is far more likely that the dead opossum is not a carrier in any case. We loaded them all up in the cardboard box and covered it with an old hand towel. Written by Natasha Jones, Veterinary Nurse. I found a baby possum on my front porch and dont know what to do with it? The kind zookeeper brought out one of the possums for us to see and pet. Near the edge of the creek, we discovered a dead possum with two baby newborns crawling around her stomach. I've never found babies like you did, but bless you for taking care of them. These are questions that I recently faced when my daughter and her friend found a dead mother possum with live babies. What should I do? He found a baby possum lying next to its dead mom and brought it home. He had grown so much, but was still not full-sized. The only way they could survive was with someone who would be able to successfully tube-feed them for awhile. For permanent exclusion we recommend putting in an "L" footer. Northgate Veterinary Surgery, Queensland. I have a ton of opossums that live around me. They also are used for educational programs. Sarah Johnson (author) from Charleston, South Carolina on May 15, 2012: Thanks, Debby. Once the mother died and the milk went cold, the two possums we found probably left the pouch to find another food source. Voted Up and Useful. Found a baby possum this afternoon. Mind you, this is a good way to determine the gender of the animal as well, since male possums do not have a pouch on their bellies. Few brushtail possums survive after being moved in this way. We were surprised that his fur was very soft and not wirey as it appears. As the babies develop and become too large for the pouch, they will begin to ride around on the mother’s back. What do I do if I have found a possum? If the animal is seriously injured, and a wildlife rehabilitator can’t make it to you in time, consider the intervention of a veterinarian. Offer warm formula/gruel mixture in a shallow dish. Sarah Johnson (author) from Charleston, South Carolina on April 03, 2012: Thanks, catgypsy. He and his brother have a nice large pen with plenty of natural hiding places and colorful veggies to eat. The problem was how to gather and transport the babies. Posted by 1 year ago. Use a warm damp cotton ball to gently rub the baby possum's tummy to stimulate a waste elimination between feedings. Sarah Johnson (author) from Charleston, South Carolina on August 14, 2012: I just updated this hub with pictures and details on what happened to the six rescued baby possums once they grew up! It was a very interesting experience, and now I am better informed on what to do in such a situation and how to care for these animals. DO NOT call animal control. Source: 1 Nagy, K.A., Girard, I.A., Brown, T.K. He was very tame and crawled around the keeper's neck. See the video above. Encourage them to leave by closing the doors to all rooms and opening the doors to the outside. Don't possums carry rabies? hide. My boyfriend found a baby abandoned possum, a little larger than a mouse. Most of the animals roam freely from their pens, and the zoo is extremely clean and well-kept. Applesauce could be ingested in a possum whose size is more than 4 inches, as he is now able to consume such things, but care should be taken that this type of feeding will discontinue within 24 hours. 98% Upvoted. As I picked up the mother (with gloves), we noticed a small tale of a third baby hanging out of the pouch. If a baby possum is found wandering alone that means it is not an infant and has grown more than seven weeks with a size of about 8 inches. We have no car, so we can't really drive it anywhere, and it's late so a lot of phone lines aren't open. I have dogs and a cat and I don't want them to catch anything from them or for them to hurt the possums. Sarah Johnson (author) from Charleston, South Carolina on May 09, 2012: Thanks, Shaddie. A good rule of thumb when dealing with an adult, wild animal is to never handle it unnecessarily. The first was to put on gloves and pull the critters out of the pouch. Deb Hirt from Stillwater, OK on April 02, 2012: Sarah Johnson (author) from Charleston, South Carolina on April 01, 2012: Thank you, Charlu. The volunteer at Keeper of the Wild was nice enough to keep us updated on the progress of the six rescued baby possums. Get on Google and search for "wildlife rescue" or "mammal rescue" or "wildlife rehabilitator". You drew me in to read how you saved the little possums while teaching us lessons in animal compassion and tube feeding. The baby is not going to be able to discharge on its own, so it needs your help. wrapped in a towel in a ventilated box or carrier with a lid while you transport it to the nearest vet. Female opossums can have up to 13 offspring. Its quite likely that any one of us will come across a baby possum, squirrel, rabbit, etc. After the baby is done eating, stimulate its bowels and bladder with a gentle massage towards the tail, using a wipe. Tiny baby possums that are less than 7 or 8 inches will need to be kept warm. The rule of thumb is to rescue a baby opossum if it is less than 8 inches from nose to butt. Follow these steps to keep them safe: If you do find baby possums, the best thing to do is seek assistance from someone experienced with wildlife rescue. Once the possum is brought to the veterinary clinic, the veterinarian will assess the joey, checking for injuries. But, they are SC's only marsupial, and yes, babies are kind of cute! The other three just were too stubborn to get "wild" again. Possums are very territorial and if she is still alive she will most likely remain in the area searching for her baby. If there are babies in the pouch, pull them off immediately and carefully and transport to PRWC or your closest wildlife rehabilitation center. 'Caring and professional veterinary care', Dr Megan Bredhauer (Parker) BVSc(Hons) PhD, Indoor vs Outdoor Cats - The Great Debate, 10 Common Plants that are Toxic to Dogs & Cats, How to keep your indoor cat happy and healthy, Long, furry black tail with a hairless strip, It is best to use gloves to pick up the possum, Place the baby possum in a dark pouch such as a sock, Place the joey inside a small box or carrier with towels to keep the joey secure, Use either body temperature or a hot water bottle to keep the possum warm, During transport, ensure the possum is safe, Transport to the veterinary clinic as soon as possible. I found a baby opossum | DFW Wildlife Organization. FlourishAnyway from USA on March 14, 2013: Wonderful hub with such a happy ending. It is best to bring the deceased mother, with the joey still inside the pouch, into the veterinary clinic. 4 1 14. comments. *We would find out later not to ever give cow's milk to baby possums. They will come and collect the possum, and place it with a wildlife carer and rehabilitator so … save. Depending upon where you live, Animal Control’s job is to control domestic animals, not the wild ones. It is very likely that one or … Yes, they had already decided to commit the next year or so on bringing the babies up themselves. Finally, I called the local animal humane society to see if they had a contact. How to Care for Baby Possums Yourself. My dog caught a mama possum and laid her in the driveway for me. Being marsupials, possum babies hav… Leave the opossum alone and enjoy watching wildlife in your own backyard. If the babies are larger than seven or eight inches, they should not require any care and will be able to take care of themselves. Then, a volunteer from Keeper of the Wild would pick them up to start the care. Opossum baby information - Once the little cuties have been born, they will crawl into a pouch that the mother has on her front, much in the same way as a kangaroo, (hence the marsupial name) and stay there until it has been weaned, which can take around two months, sometimes a … They were so small and cute as they climbed all over each other. catgypsy from the South on April 02, 2012: Great hub! This is illegal (Wildlife Conservation Act, 1950). Shaddie from Washington state on May 09, 2012: Nice hub. I had two choices on how to retrieve the babies. One of the rescued male possums enjoys a colorful meal of fresh veggies. Opossum are usually not aggressive, so you may be able to help them on their way by gently nudging them with a broom. What’s a baby opossum doing in my backyard all alone? The female remains with the volunteer and is used for educational programs. Human food can be dangerous to possums and cause serious dietary imbalance. The mouths of the babies we found were sealed closed with one tiny hole between the lips. )They are fully furred but just sleep. It is a common occurrence for joeys to be brought into the veterinary clinic. If you find a dead female possum, check the pouch to ensure there are no joeys inside. I called the county animal control office to see if they had a contact number for a rescue organization. It is still best to have the Brushtail joeys in a Wildlife Carers care, as they are more familiar with the requirements the joey needs. What To Do If Your Dog Kills A Possum? I honestly had no idea what to do. What should I do? We arrived at the hospital and noticed the third possum had climbed out of the pouch. It is funny, because around here, the possum does not have such a great reputation - ugly, trash-digging pest to some! Possums do not suckle, but they can lap liquid up as it drips out. In general, it is illegal to do so unless you are a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Peacocks were preening on the wall; chickens were curious and wandering; baby ducks were splashing in the pool, and the two possums were asleep in a hollow log. There can be up to 13 babies in a female’s pouch. Leave it alone. Interesting and helpful article. When do I know a baby can be away from it's mother? Solution: Nothing. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. We were even able to visit two of them. I looked online and got it a box, warm towel, and put it somewhere dark and quiet. Also have a shallow dish for water. ► If you find a dead or injured female possum on the road, check her pouch for infants. Chaplin ~ totally AWESOME Hub with spectacular photos of this event. They should be urinating and defecating on their own now. 1999. If you are not positive the baby opossum is actually an orphan, please read the “Displaced” information above. If the inoculation is current, you should have no worries. Always look around to try to find the baby’s mother. If you do, your best bet would be to contact WIRES. The animal rescue volunteer asked us to take the babies to the local animal hospital so that they could be incubated and hydrated. The Common Brushtail Possum may also eat grass, fungi, bird's eggs and baby birds. Place an old towel in the bottom of a shallow cardboard box. 9 8 89. The babies were put into an incubator to keep them warm and were given liquids for re-hydration. Thank you. Be sure to keep the water fresh. Good thing you guys were there :). Meanwhile, the girls had researched online how to raise baby possums at home and had gathered the following materials: a cardboard box, old hand towels, a container of milk they had heated in the microwave, and small medicine droppers to feed the puny critters. He grabs possums and shakes them. On a recent day off from school, I took my 11-year-old daughter and her friend for a walk in our wooded neighborhood. There may be more. They can “Play Possum” now! ... else will want to take it. My first impulse had been to keep him, and I had actually prepared a kennel cage, but after raising a baby squirrel, she and I knew it is better for the baby to be released back to his own world if possible.