Help?

[moonshayde]

So...baby opossum in my back yard.

What do I do?

It's by our shed just lying there, but if something gets close to it - hello doggie -- it starts to make a clicky hiss noise, move its mouth, and curl its feet. I would say it's about 5-6 inches long.

It's all by itself. I don't know if it is sick or abandoned or what. This morning the dogs zoomed in on a white ball in the yard and when I chased them away, it was an adult opossum. Later in the day, bro said he saw it guarding the shed area. Methinks mommy has her liter or rest area under the shed.

So why is this baby all by itself outside of the shed?

Does anyone know what to do in this case?

Comments

[crazedturkey.livejournal.com]

I'd wait and see for a while if mumma shows up.

If not - you can wrap it in a blanket and put it in a box (catch it by throwing the blanket over its head so you can catch it without it biting you!).

Do you have a local wildlife rescue place? Maybe there's something in the phone book. We have the RSPCA here.

If not - round here at least most vet surgeries will take injured animals and pass them onto the appropriate place or put them down humanely if needed.

Of course - make sure mumma definately ain't comingback for bubby before you do it - because once bubby smells liek you mumma won't take it back!

Good lukc!

[a-phoenixdragon.livejournal.com]

Just leave it be, honey - Mommy will come back for it eventually. Sounds like that little punk is adventurous.

*HUGS*

[vella-amor-dm.livejournal.com]

is there a wildlife service you can contact? that's what we did when a possum took up residence in our eaves xD

[brihana25.livejournal.com]

If you're not worried about the possibility of having a possum family under your shed, I'd just leave him be. She'll come for him eventually, and it sounds like she's keeping an eye on him out there, anyway. Messing with baby animals is iffy, if the mama's around somewhere. And possum might be cute as all get-out, but those claws of theirs aren't something I'd want to be on the receiving end of.

[hoshi-reed.livejournal.com]

How are the eyes and fur?

Mommy possies will come back for their young. It looks like she was stopped by the dog. If you can, keep the dog inside and/or put the baby closer to the shed.

If not...

Contact a rehab and see if they can take it.

Rememeber my charge?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Hoshi_Reed/Pets/Newcritter-March13th-1.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Hoshi_Reed/Pets/Newcritter-March13th-2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Hoshi_Reed/Pets/Newcritter-March13th-3.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v218/Hoshi_Reed/Pets/Newcritter-March13th-4.jpg)

[hoshi-reed.livejournal.com]

PS: Though I am not papered, the charge was placed in my care by a biologist who works for the city because the lady was pregnant and needed more hands. Do NOT attempt to take care of the baby yourself unless you are licensed.

I myself am working on my license.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

She was stopped by the dog this morning. That was nearly 12 hours ago. We didn't know about the baby. She was in the yard, near the shed, for most of the day and we took our dogs in the front instead. Bro thought she was guarding something. Then, late this afternoon I noticed she was gone but I found the baby calling for her.

We've waited a couple of hours but nothing.

It's about 4-5 inches long, I'd say, and has fur and everything.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I don't want to! I'm afraid it will die, but it's nighttime here now and I don't know what to do. Can't reach anyone and the poor thing looks in rough shape.

[wyrdmuse.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure which state you're in, but there should be a branch of the DNR nearby. Give them a call and ask for advice. Just be careful about approaching it: opossums often carry rabies.

[moonshayde.livejournal.com]

I had read that they have a low incidence of having rabies, but we're being very very careful just in case.

Everything is closed around here right now so we're calling in the morning.

[wyrdmuse.livejournal.com]

It's possible I was thinking of raccoons; we have them both around here. Regardless, I hope the little guy's okay.

[randomfreshink.livejournal.com]

Google Opossum rescue for your area -- http://www.opossum.org/orphans.htm

Tis the season for this. I found a whole passel full (mom had been killed by something). Local opossum rescue took them in to nurse them.

[hoshi-reed.livejournal.com]

Fur just means it won't freeze as it is starting to self-thermo-regulate, but it will still need help eating for several weeks at that size. If you left the dogs inside mom should have returned by now as they are mostly nocturnal. If you took it in, you can try to place it near the shed at night the next day. She won't reject the baby if it smells of human; that is a myth.