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OPOSSUM EcounterDidelphis Marsupialis©Steve Creek Outdoors One night a few years ago our Pitbull Mix was whining to go out into the yard. I opened the door, heard a scuffle and then she ran past me back into the house carrying a large animal in her mouth. I thought it was a big gray Persian Cat. She ran down the hall and dropped it as far away from the door as she could get, then walked away leaving a full-grown opossum, lying on our bedroom floor. What to do now? It appeared uninjured. It was definitely “out,” but for how long? I knew that I had to act fast or I’d have a frightened animal running around the house which would not be good. I put the dogs out and got to work. As luck always seems to have it - I was home alone, the house was on the market and everything we owned was either on display, pared down or had already been moved — so, no gloves, not even oven mitts, and no box handy that I could use for transport.I’d have to do this barehanded With no other options handy and limited time, I sucked up my fear, and grabbed it by the base of the tail to carry it outside. It was heavier than I expected, but thankfully still unconscious. I had about a hundred feet to get to the front door. Please God I thought, let it stay “unconscious” the entire trip. I did wonder if it could climb up my arm and attack my face. I had to put it down to open the front door, and then pick it up again. Once outside, I set it in a protected spot just outside the door and waited. I wanted to make certain that it was okay, and I was also curious to see it “wake up.” A few moments later, the opossum groggily staggered to it feet and shuffled off slowly into the night. —- Some Opossum Facts: Playing Possum or Thanatosis, is an involuntary physiological response (like sneezing), rather than a conscious act (like blowing the nose).But the animal has to be really stressed in order for Thanosis to occur. Normally they will hiss first or try to escape Opossums are the only marsupial native to North America They lived 70 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era in the late Cretaceous period  Adults weigh 5 to 15 lbs, while newborn babies are about the size of a honey bee Their life span is 3 years in the wild; longer in captivity They are often mistaken for a large rat, but they are not rodents, they are marsupials Opossum fur can be white or black, but is usually gray They are solitary, nocturnal and can live wherever there is food, water and shelter They can strike surprisingly fast like snake (I’ve been bit so I know!) They can swim Opossums are excellent climbers using their hands, feet and tail to grasp Fact Source: http://www.planetpossum.com/facts.htm The Trifecta of nocturnal visitors to our yard: Baby Opossum Baby Striped Skunks Raccoon

OPOSSUM Ecounter
Didelphis Marsupialis
©Steve Creek Outdoors

One night a few years ago our Pitbull Mix was whining to go out into the yard. I opened the door, heard a scuffle and then she ran past me back into the house carrying a large animal in her mouth. I thought it was a big gray Persian Cat. She ran down the hall and dropped it as far away from the door as she could get, then walked away leaving a full-grown opossum, lying on our bedroom floor.

What to do now?

It appeared uninjured. It was definitely “out,” but for how long? I knew that I had to act fast or I’d have a frightened animal running around the house which would not be good. I put the dogs out and got to work.

As luck always seems to have it - I was home alone, the house was on the market and everything we owned was either on display, pared down or had already been moved — so, no gloves, not even oven mitts, and no box handy that I could use for transport.I’d have to do this barehanded

With no other options handy and limited time, I sucked up my fear, and grabbed it by the base of the tail to carry it outside. It was heavier than I expected, but thankfully still unconscious. I had about a hundred feet to get to the front door. Please God I thought, let it stay “unconscious” the entire trip. I did wonder if it could climb up my arm and attack my face. I had to put it down to open the front door, and then pick it up again. Once outside, I set it in a protected spot just outside the door and waited. I wanted to make certain that it was okay, and I was also curious to see it “wake up.”

A few moments later, the opossum groggily staggered to it feet and shuffled off slowly into the night.

—-

Some Opossum Facts:

  • Playing Possum or Thanatosis, is an involuntary physiological response (like sneezing), rather than a conscious act (like blowing the nose).But the animal has to be really stressed in order for Thanosis to occur. Normally they will hiss first or try to escape
  • Opossums are the only marsupial native to North America
  • They lived 70 million years ago during the Mesozoic Era in the late Cretaceous period 
  • Adults weigh 5 to 15 lbs, while newborn babies are about the size of a honey bee
  • Their life span is 3 years in the wild; longer in captivity
  • They are often mistaken for a large rat, but they are not rodents, they are marsupials
  • Opossum fur can be white or black, but is usually gray
  • They are solitary, nocturnal and can live wherever there is food, water and shelter
  • They can strike surprisingly fast like snake (I’ve been bit so I know!)
  • They can swim
  • Opossums are excellent climbers using their hands, feet and tail to grasp

Fact Source: http://www.planetpossum.com/facts.htm

The Trifecta of nocturnal visitors to our yard:

Baby Opossum

Baby Striped Skunks

Raccoon

Notes

  1. king-bloodmouth reblogged this from notcuddles and added:
    Lookit dem feets. Awww.
  2. curiotoybox reblogged this from animalworld
  3. kurtsaddictions reblogged this from animalworld
  4. urvogel reblogged this from animalworld
  5. nikkiroth reblogged this from animalworld and added:
    OPOSSUM Ecounter Didelphis Marsupialis ©Steve Creek Outdoors I LOVE OPOSSUMS!
  6. notcuddles reblogged this from animalworld and added:
    I love opossums they are so ugly cute.
  7. quickwitter reblogged this from animalworld
  8. animalworld posted this