urgent: baby animal id (possum?)

14 years ago

It is over 100 F here today, and this baby is wiggling about in the bushes for the last two hours. He can't be more than a couple of days old, if even that. I'm assuming it is a possum, could anyone help confirm/deny? I know how difficult of a question that is, especially with its age, hairlessness, and odd angle. Thanks, I'm having a fit here (knowing better than to touch him, still pitying greatly).

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Comments (3)

Jitai
14 years ago
Oh, dear! I am not at all sure what it is, but it does seem to be very vulnerable . . . if it's a baby marsupial, I don't think it should be out of its pouch, and if it's a baby rodent it shouldn't be all alone . . . if it's still alone, I would say it's safe to assume it needs your help. I've linked a site that gives instructions for keeping the baby warm and hydrated until you can get it to a knowledgable caregiver, such as a wildlife waystation . . . I also heard that one may bring wild animals to a vet for care, at no cost (though you must surrender the animal), but I would suggest calling first to be sure. You might also try animal control.

My thoughts are with you and the baby; I hope everything works out.

Here is a link that might be useful: Orphaned Opossum
Jitai
14 years ago
Sorry to post twice! My father says it's definitely a baby opossum, and the mother won't be back for it. He says the baby should go right for an eyedropper of water/diluted milk (about a normal eyedropper's worth of milk every hour), and you should keep it warm, about your body temperature (although you shouldn't put it right on a heating pad--keep a thick layer of towels between it and the heating pad), and out of direct sunlight, and contact an expert as soon as possible. Although, it's not likely that it will make it even if you do everything right . . .

Apparently this happens a lot--when a mother opossum is trying to escape a predator, she'll often dislodge a baby or two. The argument could be made for letting nature take its course, but . . . :(

Anyway, the above instructions might be useful if something similar happens in the future. You're right not to touch most baby animals in case the mother comes back, but pink wriggling things like the above, when exposed to the elements for any length of time, are extremely vulnerable, and I think they constitute an exception--if you're willing and able, I don't think it would hurt anything to try and rescue it.

I'm sorry for rambling.
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Terryr, why are you saying it? Obviously, you don't know anything about opossums. I'm sure they were dead. There is no way an opossum will "play dead" for 24 hours. A 6" baby wouldn't even know how to play dead. They don't know who or what to be afraid of. I have seen many adult opossums playing dead after they had been confronted by my dog. They will come back to life within hour and even in the presence of a human (but not a dog!!!) . Chilled babies can look dead, but you can bring them back to life if you place them in warm water,with the head up (if it's not to late and they are still alive). After 24 hours the body will become "stiff" and a little hard if it's dead. If it's soft and floppy, it could be alive. Also, a dead animal will be cold to the touch. Less than a 7" baby should be with it's mother. Without the mother they will die quickly from dehydration and from exposure (even in warm weather - they can't control there body heat at this point.) Mother-opossum's will not return for lost babies, even if she is alive. So leaving 6" babies where they were would not be a good idea. Please, check the link bellow.
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Well, I still have not caught the possum. Where I thought he was all day is not where he was, apparently. Carol Ann, you are being sooooooooooooooooooooooo bad! I cannot pick him up. I am afraid of him. And I bet he is every bit as afraid of me! So, I have the live trap set in the living room. Baited with little cat food and a piece of orange. I think they like oranges. At least, from the looks of my Satsuma at harvest time, they like oranges! I am going to Austin on Thursday to watch my sweet little Grand Daughter graduate from high school. (BooHoo, the baby is grown up too fast!) I might talk to some of those people at the rehab places about taking this one. He/she is not hurt tho, would it be better to just turn it loose? Marilyn, you are the one who does rehab with possums, aren't you? I appreciate all y'all's helpful advice. Kylie, stop laughing! Right now! Janie
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Not all possums get the "we play dead" memo, and in fact some will fight like a coon, and I have the scars on my foot to prove it. Years ago I heard a commotion out by my collie's doghouse. I slipped on my rubber boots, grabbed a flashlight, and headed out to see what was going on. There was a standoff in progress between my dog and a very respectably sized possum. My dog is fairly smart when it comes to anything but cats ( he really has a hard time tolerating a strange cat in the yard) and has never been skunked, stomped by a doe with a fawn or taught some respect by a coon. He is a barker but a chicken. Still, I decided it was best to put some distance between the two and slipped my hand into his collar to lead him away (not something to do with just any dog in any situation...it's not uncommon for an excited dog to bite, even someone he knows) and just about that time the possum lunged forward and latched onto...my foot. Bit right through the boot (brand new pair of Northerns, ruined them on the spot) and into the top of my foot, that arched place on top there, where's there's not much meat but apparently plenty of pain sensors. I gave a big shout of pain and surprise, jerked my foot back, and then he /she marched off, hissing and snarling and drooling. I tied the dog, went back in the house, and pulled my ruined boot off to inspect the damage. Plenty of blood, two nice puncture wounds, and a husband who kept shouting "You let WHAT bite you???!" I called the ER to casually inquire about possums and rabies, and scrubbed up with peroxide while I listened to EMTS laugh at me from on the other end. Whoever answered the phone at the ER congratulated me, telling me I was the most interesting call he'd had all night since things had so far been pretty slow. In short, I got a tetanus shot the next day to be safe, but the strangest thing is, that set of holes healed up within a few weeks and never so much as even suggested a hint of infection. I have had more aggravation with getting a tick bite to heal than what that possum gave me. go figure. but don't assume all possums will curl up and die.
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All of the above. If it is moving very slowly, it could be a number of things. It could be injured. It could be in poor condition and near death. If the dog didn't hurt it, keep calling the dog away, and either leave it alone or pick it up and relocate it. You can carry it in a large trash can. Normally I won't pick them up by the tail, but if you have the trash can there, and can do that, just pick it up and put it in the can and take it somewhere and release it. Find someplace that has water nearby. If you pick it up, look closely and be sure that it isn't injured. If it is, try to find a wildlife rehabber who will take it. Are you seeing the same possum, or the one in the dog's mouth, was it a baby? If you want, you can email me at collins.marilyn@gmail.com. Possums generally do not stay in the same spot for very long. They are usually on the go their entire lives...short lives. They don't have a very long life span. If the dog didn't hurt it, and you can let it stay around and leave on it's own, that would be the best and kindest thing to do. They truly are beneficial animals...and eat a lot of things that we find unpleasant...from carrion, rotting fruit, to snails, slugs, roaches, snakes and mice.
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vermontlove
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I rescued a baby possum once and went online to see what to feed it. Everything written there was wrong! These babies need such incredibly specific nourishment, the only way it will survive is to take it immediately to a rehab place. You can look them up online.

urgent: baby animal id (possum?)

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Jitai

Jitai

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