What are the kids and my wife gonna drag up next? Pete the Possum...

[Dueller]

We live in a very wooded area. In a "Marley and Me" moment, our 7 month old Schnauzer looked very guilty about something in her mouth. Upon further inspection she had a baby opossum, probably only 3 days old in her mouth. She reluctantly gave it up but once the slobber was wiped away the thing was unharmed and very much alive. About 1 1/2 inches long.

They have been feeding it baby formula and baby applesauce and the thing is absolutely thriving in a shoe box in our laundry room.

They've already named it Pete.

WTF do I do with it now?

[Bill Douglas]

Marinate...

[Porsche-O-Phile]

Animal adoption program? I imagine it should be checked out by a vet for rabies and stuff (not likely if it's a baby, but you never know). Ask the local animal hospital if they know anyone that's interested - sometimes there are different wildlife conservation programs around that'll take in animals like that.

[porsche4life]

let it "escape" out the front door when they arent around. I would not tolerate that.

[aigel]

Originally Posted by Dueller

WTF do I do with it now?

Too late - next time you need to step up to the plate before it is "Pete" and lives in your laundry room. Should have taken it from the dog and taken care of it right then, away from the family. Whatever you do now will make you the cruel guy.

The best thing you can do now is participate. Why not raise a possum? This could be fun. Build a possum cage and move it outside. It will live well off your biodegradables. Search online for what you need to do. I am sure you can get it big enough to release it --- make sure it is 50 miles from home.

George

[DanielDudley]

Skunks and racoons can be domesticated. I don't know about Possums.

Some animals are nasty when they mature. Find out now if you can.

[KFC911]

Originally Posted by Dueller

WTF do I do with it now?

"Dueller's Possum Farm" - opening soon!

[red-beard]

They are like giant rats.

You should insist it be called "Ratbert"

[BReif61]

Burlap sack, a big rock, and a pond.


Get it over with before something goes very wrong. It's a possum, not a pet.

[livi]

Originally Posted by KC911

"Dueller's Possum Farm" - opening soon!

Good one!

I suppose the nearest zoo or equivalent could be approached, the little geezer tucked away in a bag, discretely left in a cage with appropriate comrades.

[lendaddy]

Yea, it's cute now but wait until it matures...

[ramonesfreak]

call animal rescue
possums are so innocent and cute, please dont smash it

[Tim Hancock]

That varmint would have met my heel 2 seconds out of the dog's mouth. Not long after my daughter would be out with her .22 looking for momma possum and the rest of the nasty little catfood stealing varmints.

[VINMAN]

Heres the cottontail we found in my garage last Sept. My neighbors cat was gonna eat it. It was severly dehydrated. So we decided to care for it and let it go when it got better.


Heres "Bunny Girl" 4 months later.... laying in her bed the wife bought for her. If I was fed and taken care of as good as this rabbit, Id be about 300 lbs! ( I cant complain though , I'm just as guilty of spoiling it.)

[Tim Hancock]

Be careful Vinny, I did the same when I was a kid and once that "cute" bunny became an adult, it got pretty nasty. They are so cute and cuddly when babies, but not so much when the wild in them starts to take over.

[BReif61]

Originally Posted by srandallf

call animal rescue
possums are so innocent and cute, please dont smash it

There is nothing innocent and cute about possums.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by BReif61

There is nothing innocent and cute about possums.

It's a giant WILD rat (yes, I know it's really a marsupial), with stink glands and teeth. Eventually it's probably going to bite someone. I don't think a possum (or should we say opossum) is an appropriate pet.

[masraum]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opossum

Opossums have a remarkably robust immune system, and show partial or total immunity to the venom of rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, and other pit vipers. Opossums are about eight times less likely to carry rabies than wild dogs, and about one in eight hundred opossums are infected with this virus

When threatened or harmed, they will "play possum", mimicking the appearance and smell of a sick or dead animal. The lips are drawn back, teeth are bared, saliva foams around the mouth, and a foul-smelling fluid is secreted from the anal glands. The physiological response is involuntary, rather than a conscious act. Their stiff, curled form can be prodded, turned over, and even carried away. The animal will regain consciousness after a period of minutes or hours and escape.

Threatened opossums (especially males) will growl deeply, raising their pitch as the threat becomes more urgent. Males make a clicking "smack" noise out of the side of their mouths as they wander in search of a mate, and females will sometimes repeat the sound in return. When separated or distressed, baby opossums will make a sneezing noise to signal their mother. If threatened, the baby will open its mouth and quietly hiss until the threat is gone.

The opossum was once a favorite game animal in the United States, and in particular the southern regions which have a large body of recipes and folklore relating to the opossum. Opossum was once widely consumed in the United States where available as evidenced by recipes available online

[VINMAN]

Originally Posted by Tim Hancock

Be careful Vinny, I did the same when I was a kid and once that "cute" bunny became an adult, it got pretty nasty. They are so cute and cuddly when babies, but not so much when the wild in them starts to take over.

Yeah I know, Tim. I keep telling my wife we are gonna have to let it go eventually. Shes become so attached to it. I remind her that its a wild animal not a domestic, and it can never be domesticated. Shes pretty tame now, ( the rabbit, not the wife), but I know it's only a matter of time before she gets ornery.

[MRM]

I grew up in the country and rescued many a small animal from dogs, etc. Wild baby rabbits, birds, possums and things like that can be rescued as babies and released into the wild easily when they are old enough to fend for themselves. They do not get domesticated from being raised in captivity and should be considered foster pets to be released to the wild when they're ready. Kind of a Free Willy project.

You'll know when it's time for the possum to leave the nest. It will leave on it's own. If the kids are worried about it making the transition you can keep possum food around for it for a while. Baby rabbits are tough to raise, but if you can, they are a lot of fun. We never had any trouble releasing them to the wild. They always demonstrated their readiness by escaping. When Possum Pete does the same thing you'll know he's free and happy.