what to feed baby possum

Depending on the age of the possum, sometimes they will need hourly to three hourly feeds! Please see our gift catalog for ordering information.Long term hand feeding can result in dietary deficiencies. I have a ton of opossums that live around me. 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. In place of commercial food, you can successfully feed your pet using cat, ferret or even hedgehog food. Always add calcium supplement. I've never found babies like you did, but bless you for taking care of them. Most often, mother possums will try to feed on another road-kill opossum, risking becoming a road-kill herself. No luck.

46 days or younger, a monoject glue syringe is better (can get at craft stores).Feeding: Almost impossible to feed if less than 46 days old, mouth is sealed too tightly to allow a feeder to penetrate.Tip: If they get out in the house, they will usually find their way back to where they are fed after dark.If baby is cold to the touch when you receive it, do not try to feed it; the body has shut down and it cannot digest food. Replace with warm towels as needed until fleas are gone. Please ask and make sure they do not have a policy of euthanizing all opossums! Have you ever found an orphaned wild animal, such as a baby bird, As much as your child will want to keep the animal and raise it, wild animals can be dangerous and will fare better with someone trained and experienced in wildlife rehabilitation.On a recent day off from school, I took my 11-year-old daughter and her friend for a walk in our wooded neighborhood.

Remember they are carnivores. I tell you - it is hard now once you know. They must lap at the formula being dispensed. Ensure there is an escape route if a possum falls in – e.g. This is particularly critical in young opossums. Be very quiet and listen for “sneezing” sounds the young make to call the mother.Do not attempt to care for the opossum yourself. it bears mentioning that possums are marsupials and do not carry rabies.Thanks for a great article. Once the mother died and the milk went cold, the two possums we found probably left the pouch to find another food source. If baby is cold to the touch when you receive it, do not try to feed it; the body has shut down and it cannot digest food. OSUS sells an informative These training tools are a MUST for any rehabilitator regardless of level of experience.

Feeding tubes used for baby possums are generally the 2.8 and 3.5 size (Info on where to purchase these will be at the bottom of this page). It really is a delightful place!

► If the female is dead, and the babies are alive, carry the female along instead of removing the babies from the pouch individually. It is funny, because around here, the possum does not have such a great reputation - ugly, trash-digging pest to some! You drew me in to read how you saved the little possums while teaching us lessons in animal compassion and tube feeding. It was neat to have that experience on a no school weekday - kids enjoyed being outside learning something new and hands on!Thank you, Charlu. Virginia Opossums, on the other hand, are naturally omnivorous. Please be patient in your search and not give up if the person or organization is not reachable on one site, the correct information may be on another site.Hand feeding an orphaned opossum. When a baby possum is found alone, most of the time it is because they lost their grip from their mother. It is not recommended for the average person to feed baby opossum, as a baby opossum is difficult to handle. During this time, the opossum lies on its side, becomes stiff, the eyes glaze over, the opossum drools, the tongue lolls out the side of the mouth, and green anal fluid may be seen.

When the opossum is about to recover, the ears move very slightly.Rehabilitation is possible, please do your part to help.If you see an obviously dead female opossum and detect movement in the pouch area, have the body and infants transported to the nearest wildlife rehabilitator or veterinarian.Please speak with your veterinarian about medical issues.

Thank you.I just updated this hub with pictures and details on what happened to the six rescued baby possums once they grew up! The mouths of the babies we found were sealed closed with one tiny hole between the lips. The 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. I have to keep telling my self it's survival of the fittest and even my own medicine is hard to take some days.Hi, Sarra. Being marsupials, possum babies hav… ► If you find a dead or injured female possum on the road, check her pouch for infants. The dead mother's body was to be cremated, so it was good to know that they didn't just toss it in the dumpster.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. I called the county animal control office to see if they had a contact number for a rescue organization. Contact the Opossum Society of the United States for other information. To find a local wildlife rehabilitator please click the link to search the
We also provide professional service in over 600 locations. This is illegal (Wildlife Conservation Act, 1950). I'm the type of person who wants to save every animal. We arrived at the hospital and noticed the third possum had climbed out of the pouch. The two remaining males were donated to the petting zoo at Magnolia Plantation and Gardens in Charleston. It is not suggested to give any type of milk to the neonatal opossum that still has its eyes closed, because they need to be stimulated to urinate by wiping their genital organs with a damp cloth, first. If you have a baby that is just starting to get hair and the tube doesn’t go down, switch to the smaller size; 2.8. Possums frequently have calcium deficiencies which cause deformities.

My daughter, who is vet tech, told me to relocate him to a safe place and that he sounded old enough to take care of himself. There may be more.

bricks placed on the top step of a pool, or a sturdy stack of bricks onto which a possum can climb to get out of a pond. STAPLE - 90% of diet - Puppy chow, kitten chow, baby food chicken or small pieces of chicken, turkey, or other meat. They also are used for educational programs.We simply had to visit these little guys, so we made a trip to Magnolia Gardens.