I've felt very disturbed by a recent thread where some members expressed disdain for opossums, unfortunately an emotion shared by many when it comes to our little understood opossum friends and want to take this opportunity to correct some of the false beliefs held regarding these wonderful animals. We have rescued a opossum, Buddi is her name, and she has been living in our bathroom for about three weeks now. She is absolutely precious and has stolen my heart.
Please check out these informative sites! The National Opossum Society, Opossum Society of the US, Possum Rescue, and here is a great site especially well made by an opossum Mom who absolutely adores her babies with the same passion we love our kitties
Opossums are meticulously clean. Buddi takes frequent baths, as our kitties do. Before and after eating, and sometimes in the middle of her meal, she throughly washes her face and hands. Opossums are the least likely mammal to carry rabies. Even when exposed, due to their low body temperature, they most often do not contract the disease. They also do not get or carry any of the illnesses that concern us with our kitties such as Felv, FIV or FIP. They are even immune to snake venom!
Opossums are not aggressive in any way, are generally social loners, and most definitely not a danger to our kitties or us. They put up a good show when afraid by showing their sharp teeth or even hissing, but actually don't possess even the slightest defensive mechanisms. When faced with danger that doesn't respond to their scare tactics, they fall over and "play opossum", stiffening their muscles, opening their mouths with their tongue hanging out, their eyes glazed over, and emitting a foul odor. Most predators will move on if they think their prey is already dead. Their worst predator, however, is humans and the dangerous, deadly road.
Opossums have been shown to have a greater intelligence than dogs. They have very poor vision, which suits them perfectly since, being nocturnal, most of their activity is in the dark of the night. They have extremely keen hearing and smell.
A remarkable feature is their little hands and feet! They have opposable thumbs on all four, giving them an incredibly "human" appearance! I adore Buddi's little pinks hands and enjoy holding them when she holds my fingers with hers!
Above all of this, opossums are precious beings, just as our kitties are, capable of feeling and expressing love. Buddi enjoys being held and rubbed, with her special little spot, just like my girlies, being between her eyes, and when I scritch her behind her ears, she turns her head in such a cute little way to enjoy it. She has a need to feel secure, and likes to be wrapped in a blanket. When I hold her, she grips onto whatever I'm wearing with her sweet little hands and feet and wraps her tail around my arm. She then lays her little head on my shoulder or against my chest and fully relaxes in my arms.
Please, friends, take a moment to read over the sites above, and I know, as fellow animal lovers, you will all appreciate the unique beauty possessed by opossums! Buddi is truly adorable, such a cutie, and has given me a new love for her species of which, up until now, I have known nothing. I feel absolutely blessed to have had this amazing, rare experience to earn the trust of this sweet animal.
Please check out these informative sites! The National Opossum Society, Opossum Society of the US, Possum Rescue, and here is a great site especially well made by an opossum Mom who absolutely adores her babies with the same passion we love our kitties
Opossums are meticulously clean. Buddi takes frequent baths, as our kitties do. Before and after eating, and sometimes in the middle of her meal, she throughly washes her face and hands. Opossums are the least likely mammal to carry rabies. Even when exposed, due to their low body temperature, they most often do not contract the disease. They also do not get or carry any of the illnesses that concern us with our kitties such as Felv, FIV or FIP. They are even immune to snake venom!
Opossums are not aggressive in any way, are generally social loners, and most definitely not a danger to our kitties or us. They put up a good show when afraid by showing their sharp teeth or even hissing, but actually don't possess even the slightest defensive mechanisms. When faced with danger that doesn't respond to their scare tactics, they fall over and "play opossum", stiffening their muscles, opening their mouths with their tongue hanging out, their eyes glazed over, and emitting a foul odor. Most predators will move on if they think their prey is already dead. Their worst predator, however, is humans and the dangerous, deadly road.
Opossums have been shown to have a greater intelligence than dogs. They have very poor vision, which suits them perfectly since, being nocturnal, most of their activity is in the dark of the night. They have extremely keen hearing and smell.
A remarkable feature is their little hands and feet! They have opposable thumbs on all four, giving them an incredibly "human" appearance! I adore Buddi's little pinks hands and enjoy holding them when she holds my fingers with hers!
Above all of this, opossums are precious beings, just as our kitties are, capable of feeling and expressing love. Buddi enjoys being held and rubbed, with her special little spot, just like my girlies, being between her eyes, and when I scritch her behind her ears, she turns her head in such a cute little way to enjoy it. She has a need to feel secure, and likes to be wrapped in a blanket. When I hold her, she grips onto whatever I'm wearing with her sweet little hands and feet and wraps her tail around my arm. She then lays her little head on my shoulder or against my chest and fully relaxes in my arms.
Please, friends, take a moment to read over the sites above, and I know, as fellow animal lovers, you will all appreciate the unique beauty possessed by opossums! Buddi is truly adorable, such a cutie, and has given me a new love for her species of which, up until now, I have known nothing. I feel absolutely blessed to have had this amazing, rare experience to earn the trust of this sweet animal.
