Opossums are Oawesome!
Did you know that opossums don't carry rabies, but they do eat ticks and other harmful insects? Give 'em some love!
BABY OPOSSUMS
When a mama opossum is hit by a car, she may have living joeys in her pouch. When absolutely safe to do so, you may check to see if the pouch contains living infants.
If so, it is critical that they be gently and slowly removed from mama's tube shaped nipples as soon as possible, kept warm and brought to WEST or your nearest rehabber. See the video below for a glimpse of babies in the pouch!
If you find an injured opossum or babies without a mama, please do not feed them and contact us at (513)201-5683 .
If so, it is critical that they be gently and slowly removed from mama's tube shaped nipples as soon as possible, kept warm and brought to WEST or your nearest rehabber. See the video below for a glimpse of babies in the pouch!
If you find an injured opossum or babies without a mama, please do not feed them and contact us at (513)201-5683 .
It's easy to see the pouch in the video above because mama is very relaxed. It may be more difficult to find the pouch if babies are very small, but it is in the lower abdomen.
When oppossums are 8-10 weeks old, they leave the pouch and start riding on mom's back. It is not uncommon for a joey to fall off and get left behind, and mama opossums do not return for these babies (they may not even know they've lost one).
Babies that are at least 8 inches from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail are ready to be on their own if they are uninjured. Babies smaller than 8 inches need to come into rescue.
