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

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.

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.

It's midnight and just got back from New Orleans. MaryAnn, if you can just pick him up by his tail and carry him out or put him in a trash can and take him out, he won't bite you. Even if he should whip around and try, if you hold him out from you, he won't. I know you may not believe this, but wild possums will seldom bite unless they are very stressed. They will all open their mouth...that is just a possum's way...but it is a threat. I pick them up all the time, just by putting my hand around them like I would a kitten. Not on his neck...around his body. If you are afraid, I know you won't want to do that. Or, catch him in a Havahart and take him somewhere and release him. Preferably with a water source nearby...drainage ditch, pond, creek. A piece of banana is good bait for a possum. Keep in mind they can bite and it is a nasty bite, but they usually won't, and they don't carry rabies. (Big consolation.) :) I have 3 little possums loose in my house right now. I call them the Lost Boys. :)) They are using a litter box, so I haven't been too worried about them, but they only come out late at night.