I found an injured opossum

[Risen]

I found a young male opossum about 6 inches in body length. He can scoot around and use his hands, feet and tail but can't walk or stand. He is eating fish and drinking water and seems healthy otherwise. Anybody have any experience with this? He seems to be getting better use of his limbs. Any advice? Of course I will let him go as soon as he is able to walk.

 

[Gimpy]

Do a google search for wildlife vets/rescues in your area, and give them a ring?

That's what we do, because we get a lot of injured birds that are endangered, and have to take them in.

 

[Risen]

Thank you Gimpy,
I have found the number for mammal rescue and will call them in the morning as they have closed for the day.

 

[truth seeker]

Hi opossum,

I can't help but consider a possible symbolic connection since the animal you found and your forum name are the same. So I'm wondering if you are taking care of yourself? How are you? :)

 

[Risen]

Hi opossum,

I can't help but consider a possible symbolic connection since the animal you found and your forum name are the same. So I'm wondering if you are taking care of yourself? How are you? :)

Thank you truth seeker. Yes, the same thought crossed my mind. Almost like a message from the universe. Thank you for asking. I have not been taking such good care of myself of late.

I have gotten in touch with a wildlife expert now and am getting an education on proper diet for opossums. ;)

 

[Keit]

I found a young male opossum about 6 inches in body length. He can scoot around and use his hands, feet and tail but can't walk or stand. He is eating fish and drinking water and seems healthy otherwise. Anybody have any experience with this? He seems to be getting better use of his limbs. Any advice? Of course I will let him go as soon as he is able to walk.

Since he can move his hands and feet, it means no damage to the spine, but it can mean damage to the central nervous system, or the brain, particularly the vestibular system. Who knows, maybe even some damage to the ears. I saw a video not long ago of a dog who couldn't walk, but just scoop in circles because he had otitis. But you say he has no pain or discomfort, so perhaps something else. If it's transitory and improves, than it could be as a result of a shock, poison maybe, etc., anything that affects CNS. In any case, in order to diagnose something like this, there is a need to go to a vet clinic that has a neurologist and do some tests.

 

[Risen]

Since he can move his hands and feet, it means no damage to the spine, but it can mean damage to the central nervous system, or the brain, particularly the vestibular system. Who knows, maybe even some damage to the ears. I saw a video not long ago of a dog who couldn't walk, but just scoop in circles because he had otitis. But you say he has no pain or discomfort, so perhaps something else. If it's transitory and improves, than it could be as a result of a shock, poison maybe, etc., anything that affects CNS. In any case, in order to diagnose something like this, there is a need to go to a vet clinic that has a neurologist and do some tests.

Thank you Keit, yes I think maybe shock because he's improving so rapidly.
He is doing much better today and is moving his legs very well and much improvement in his front limbs. He actually walked a little bit today. I can't take him to the vet so I'm trying to find an experienced wildlife rehabilitater near me to take him in. The one I called was fairly distant but the only one I could contact last night (I live almost in the wilderness) . He is really cute and already acting like a pet. It will be sad when I have to let him go.

 

[Foxx]

In a strange coincidence, I happened to see an opossum yesterday evening while visiting a few friends in town. We were in a fairly quiet area of town and were smoking on the front porch and the opossum just walked past us on the porch (it was a couple feet away or so--very close), didn't seem particularly concerned about what we were doing, and looked like it was eating something. It looked healthy enough--not like it was deranged or had rabies or something. It stopped for maybe 15-30 seconds and then wandered off. It was a little out of the ordinary.

I hope your opossum gets better! :)

 

[Keit]

It looked healthy enough--not like it was deranged or had rabies or something. It stopped for maybe 15-30 seconds and then wandered off. It was a little out of the ordinary.

A little note, since we just had a lecture on rabies this morning ;), Apparently, it's a common misconception that an animal infected with rabies will have a foam dripping from his mouth, or will look "deranged" in any way, etc. While the most characteristic and more accurate sign for rabies is when the animal behaves in an unusual or atypical way. Meaning, if you suddenly see a wild animal like a fox simply walking in the middle of the city, then it is probably infected with rabies. Calm animals become aggressive, while aggressive become calm and unusually friendly. But with all the craziness and earth changes going on around us, maybe a fox in the middle of the city means just a hungry fox, or some other anomaly. It's also possible opossums are not that wild, after all they often deliver babies under someone's porch.

 

[Foxx]

It looked healthy enough--not like it was deranged or had rabies or something. It stopped for maybe 15-30 seconds and then wandered off. It was a little out of the ordinary.

A little note, since we just had a lecture on rabies this morning ;), Apparently, it's a common misconception that an animal infected with rabies will have a foam dripping from his mouth, or will look "deranged" in any way, etc. While the most characteristic and more accurate sign for rabies is when the animal behaves in an unusual or atypical way. Meaning, if you suddenly see a wild animal like a fox simply walking in the middle of the city, then it is probably infected with rabies. Calm animals become aggressive, while aggressive become calm and unusually friendly. But with all the craziness and earth changes going on around us, maybe a fox in the middle of the city means just a hungry fox, or some other anomaly. It's also possible opossums are not that wild, after all they often deliver babies under someone's porch.

Thanks for the information Keit!

 

[Drea]

He is really cute and already acting like a pet. It will be sad when I have to let him go.

Years back I found a baby opossum that I brought in and my family raised it. From my experience opossum are pretty adaptable to humans, not that they like to be handled but they catch on quickly to who is feeding them. The opossum (we named him Smiley) lived in our basement and ate cat food for a couple of months, and when he got bigger we left him go. I was surprised one night when I opened the front door and he was sitting on the bannister right in front of me. He also brought a friend along who was much larger than he was. I'm guessing he though we'd feed the neighborhood. Good luck with your opossum, hope he makes a full recovery.

 

[Risen]

Re: What I've learned about opossums

Thanks for the cute stories, Drea and Foxx.
I've been busy researching the proper care and diet for opossums, calling wildlife rescuers, etc for days.
The opossum is doing much better. I don't have to worry about rabies because apparently opossums rarely, if ever get rabies because of their low body temperature.
I made some bone broth because opossums need a lot of calcium and shouldn't drink cow or goat milk.
I hope he recovers because I've grown quite fond of him and would hope him to live at least the normal 1 to 2 year life span.
here is a picture

 

[Foxx]

Re: What I've learned about opossums

Thanks for the cute stories, Drea and Foxx.
I've been busy researching the proper care and diet for opossums, calling wildlife rescuers, etc for days.
The opossum is doing much better. I don't have to worry about rabies because apparently opossums rarely, if ever get rabies because of their low body temperature.
I made some bone broth because opossums need a lot of calcium and shouldn't drink cow or goat milk.
I hope he recovers because I've grown quite fond of him and would hope him to live at least the normal 1 to 2 year life span.
here is a picture

Aww, he looks cute :)

I hope he gets better!

 

[freesurfer]

Nice picture..
here we have a lot of white opossum..
it's a mithic animal here..
I found one dead in the open septic tank last month :(
just in the case, here they are know for like chicken and eggs..
greetings.