Saturday, May 20, 2006

Let's hope he's going to be okay

I found a little baby o'possum at my back kitchen door last night. That's not unusual (we get skunks, raccoons, a very occasional fox, and coyotes), but the little guy was having trouble walking. These things always seem to happen on weekends, holidays, and after hours. Anyway, I didn't have any luck reaching the wildlife rescue people, so I put him in a box in my garage until I could get in touch with someone. I said a few prayers and hoped he'd be okay (or she...I don't know). Today a volunteer came to my house and took the little guy home to, hopefully, get him to a healthy place. He didn't seem to have any visible wounds, so we're speculating he tumbled out of the flower bush onto the concrete. We're hoping the damage isn't permanent. It's really cool that volunteers are all over the city who take in different breeds. Each volunteer specializes in a specific mammal, bird, or reptile. This is the second time I've called them--the first time I took them an injured dove. I know a lot of people are squeamism about o'possums because of their rat tails, but they are gentle creatures who do not carry disease. I actually am really fond of them. My mom feeds wild cats, so the cats and the possums just tolerate one another. And for those of you who hate coyotes, realize that nature needs a proper balance of predators to prey. Open your heart and try reading Barbara Kingsolver's "Prodigal Summer". As much as I respect coyotes, I still don't want them munching my kitties. When I hear them or see them, I just make a lot of noise and try to shoo them elsewhere. And please, for the sake of all living things, do not use chemicals in your gardens. There are so many quality organic, non-toxic items on the market.

3 Comments:

Blogger Gina E. said...

You sound just like Ken and I, Barb. We feed the possums that dance on our roof at night, while some of our neighbors call the 'pest exterminator' every time a possum gets into their roof. We have a flat steel deck roof so we don't have that problem!
Don't suppose you thought to get a pic of your little critter? I would be interested to see what your opossums look like, compared to ours. There are some photos of ours on my other blog Patra's Other Place. If you can't find them, let me know and I will post them again.

6:41 AM  
Blogger Karen said...

Aww I love possoms. We had one when I was a girl. Her name was Penny and she grew quite large. She was abandoned and we couldn't get anyone to take her so we kept her. Most people were freaked when they first saw her. A few years ago a neighbor called my husband saying there was a wild animal in the basement and could he help her get it out? She described it as being big and hairy. It had frightened her so badly she ran the moment she saw it. She was so upset my husband thought maybe it was a large racoon or even a coyote. He carefully made his way down the stairs armed with a big stick and a sheet. He found a terrified lil possom which "played possom" when he approached.He managed to shoo her to the door and she was on her way. I still like to tease my neighbor about the "wild hairy beast"

9:24 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

The ASPCA has divisions that deal strictly with wildlife. Once the animals are healed and happy, they will be released in a non-habitated area, or given to a sanctuary. Possums and raccoons can be, oh let's just say FEISTY, but they are still sweet. And have as much right to live as you or I.

Just be careful of those needles that we're supposed to believe are their teeth!

11:09 PM  

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