What should I do if I find a baby possum?

Seek immediate assistance. Contact your local Opossum Society of the United States member, state department of wildlife, veterinarian, wildlife rehabilitator or animal control. Make sure animal control will not euthanize all opossums.

What does a baby possum eat?

What to feed baby possums? Once they are big enough to leave the pouch, baby possums can eat just about everything. You can feed them dog and cat food in moderation. You could also feed them insects like cockroaches, worms, slugs, and snails (one of their favorite foods).

How do you raise a baby possum?

What do baby possums need to survive?

Smaller Possum babies need to drink diluted, powdered formula, and when they get a little bigger, they can eat mashed fruits and vegies or baby food. If you see the possum walking around on its own, it most likely does not need its mother anymore.

Can a baby possum be a pet?

People sometimes find orphaned possums and consider raising these cute animals as pets. It’s illegal to keep them without a wildlife rehabilitation permit, though, and once they’re old enough to survive on their own, healthy possums can, and should, be released.

Can a baby possum survive without its mother?

Their babies are always with Mom (inside her pouch) until they are at least three months old. Without Mom, they will not survive unless taken to a rehabilitator. Here are a few facts about the Opossum and what to do if you see one hit by a car. Opossum are North America’s only marsupial.

Do baby possums carry diseases?

Opossums carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagas disease. They may also be infested with fleas, ticks, mites, and lice. Opossums are hosts for cat and dog fleas, especially in urban environments.

How often do baby possums eat?

every 4 hrs
Feeding: Almost impossible to feed if less than 46 days old, mouth is sealed too tightly to allow a feeder to penetrate. 68-76 days: several cc’s every 4 hrs. After they are all fed, offer them food again. When full, they will stop fussing and settle down.

When can a baby possum survive on its own?

If you find a baby opossum:

If NO, opossums that are at least 8 inches long from tip of nose to the base of the tail (do not include the tail) and weigh more than 7.25 ounces or 200 grams are old enough to survive on their own in the wild and do not need human intervention.

How big is a newborn opossum?

Newborn opossums are about the size of a grain of rice. They cannot see, but will scramble from their birthplace under their mother’s tail, and wriggle across her hairy belly to the safety of her pouch. Most do not survive the journey, as the youngsters must find a nipple, and there are only 13 nipples.

How do you feed a newborn opossum?

Grip the baby by the head and firmly but gently pull off of the nipple. Babies swallow the nipple inside the pouch and if you pull from their body you could do horrible damage to the baby. Get them into a box with towels/old tshirts, and onto a heating pad. Do not try to feed them.

Do baby possums bite?

Do Opossums Bite? Just like any scared animal, it’s possible for opossums to bite in defense. If they feel cornered or threatened, opossums will use several escape strategies ranging from playing deceased to hissing. Biting is rare, but people should avoid contact with all wild animals to eliminate the risk.

Can baby possums eat apples?

Can baby possums eat apples, bananas, and other fruit? Yes. Possums eat fruit of all kinds.

How much do you feed a baby opossum?

For babies that are 10 to 25 grams, feed 1 cc and for babies weighing from 25 to 50 grams, feed 1.74 cc. Gradually increase the volume of food offered as the baby’s size grows and the appetite increases. Use a syringe to feed the baby by slowly injecting a small amount of the liquid into its mouth.

How do you know if a possum is dying?

Its body goes limp, its breathing appears to stop, it discharges its bowels, its tongue sticks out, and it drools. And if you poke it, the possum will not respond. By all indications, it appears to be deceased.

Can you bathe a baby opossum?

What are possums favorite food?

What is a possum’s favorite food? Possums like to munch on vegetables and fruits. … They also feed on eggs, frogs, plants, fruits and grain. … Unfortunately, possums are also known to eat dog food, cat food and table scraps.

Can you put flea medicine on an opossum?

Ectoparasites, like fleas, ticks and mites, can be found in opossums. Manually remove ectoparasites to reduce the risk of zoonotic disease transmission. Mitchell (2oo9) has used both Fipronil (Frontline®, Merial) and Imidacloprid (Advantage®, Bayer) in opossums without adverse effects.

Can possums carry fleas?

Opossums have ectoparasites, such as fleas, ticks and mites, that can cause issues. They can carry diseases such as tularemia. … If an opossum can get in, a lot of other things — including other species of wildlife — can get in, too.