Although I was closed to intakes I still managed to add 20 animals
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Daniel goes to the vet
Daniel was kept as a pet- sort of. People raised him for a while in a home and then put him outside in a dog crate with no protection from the weather. They kept him like this for most of his life. He has solar burns to his eyes and his ears were frostbit over the winter. The vet and I are trying to heal his eyes, and his vision is improving. He isn’t tame, but he isn’t wild either. We hope to get him to a point where he can be a free opossum. I am lucky to work with Dr. Allene Phillips at Madison Animal Hospital, and receive fantastic care there. They even welcomed Daniel on their sign!
Mama and her babies
Our family is doing well, the babies are running on wheels and giving Mom some peace. The blisters on her pads are probably from toting around 7 fat babies. Her wounds are healing and once they do, all 8 of them will move to a pre-release cage.
Mom will be glad to get some space of her own and room for the babies to practice climbing and sniffing, but she does love them and spends most of the time cuddling with them.
New intakes
Two of the 20
“Laundry Basket Larry” was found by a member of the public after he got separated from his Mom. The finder called Athens Clarke County Animal Control who picked him up and then brought him all the way out to me. Thanks ACC Animal Control! They also brought the Flea Bit 5 a few days later. He’s pretty skittish but has adjusted well to his new home.
“Lucky Tony” was found by a group of biology students on a salamander-searching field trip. Her Mom had been hit by a car and she was the only survivor.
The Flea Bit 5 and Tyrone
A litter of 5 young juvenile opossums was found alone and waiting for Mom to return in Athens, but she never did. Most joeys don’t have more than a flea or two, if any, but these poor babies were being eaten up by them. Mom keeps her babies nice and clean, so she had been missing for a while. The other photo is of Tyrone, a newcomer from last week, who is doing really well!
Everyone got clean cages with exciting furniture!
Bunnies
Yes, there are two cottontail rabbits hiding there in a mass of their favorite foods. Both were caught by a cat and injured. I’m treating them with antibiotics- crucial when dealing with a cat interaction- as well as topical wound care. But mostly I leave them alone to eat and think, two things bunnies do very well.
This darling newcomer has one white foot! She was another singleton survivor when a car hit and killed her Mom and siblings. I am so thankful to people who pay attention to movement on the side of the road and stop to check dead opossums. Just because Mom is dead doesn’t mean her babies are. So many babies are rescued by a quick stop-and-pouch-check. Thank you to those who take the time to double check. You are truly life savers.
Laundry Basket Larry, The Flea Bit 5, The Commerce 7, Tail Tip Tommy from Winder (he has an injury to his tail), White Foot Wendy, two cottontails, Lucky Tony, and Sarah and Kiwi- all new to Primarily ‘Possums, and all in one week. A very busy one indeed!
