Curly Possum Has Landed

"Hi! I'm Lily Possum!  I belong to Tom & Sky."

Curly was trapped in a steel cage out in the Texas wilds...

It was a cold January night for Curly possum who had innocently wandered into a steel trap in the Texas' backwoods. We received the call for assistance and met Curly as he was in the middle of his 'playing possum' act. One thing's for certain; this possum is definite Academy Award's material. His mouth was slightly agape, his tiny eyes fixed and staring into space. But dead he wasn't…

Two hours later he was situated in his new makeshift home, warm and snuggly for the first time in perhaps days. He was furnished with water and a bit of food for the night. Morning light would be a good indicator of his chances for survival.

Curly slept like a good possum, not creating a single disturbance during the night. The food and water had vanished - a very good sign. Perhaps little Curly would make it!

Bath time proved interesting. Tom had never bathed such a well-behaved possum. Curly was so good, and so stinky, that he was soaped and gently scrubbed three times over.

After a thorough exam, we determined the following:

~ one badly scraped nose, probably due to an attempted escape from the steel cage

~ 1 newly chipped tooth, again probably due to an attempted escape from the steel cage

~ approximately 6 months old

~ weight equaled 7 pounds - on the thin side

~ paws were EXTRA large

We are happy to report that at this time, Curly is doing extremely well and will soon be released into his natural habitat.

If you happen upon a wounded, injured, or orphaned possum please call your local animal shelter for assistance. They will put you in touch with a qualified animal rehabilitator. Some things to remember are:

~ Never attempt to pick up any wounded or injured animal.

~ Undomesticated animals require a specific diet to meet their nutritional needs. Poor nutrition can lead to many diseases including blindness, nerve disorders, and death.

~ An animal in the wild may hiss, slobber, lunge, run and attempt to bite. Keep your distance. Although the chances of becoming infected with a disease, including rabies, is minimal, don't take chances. You are more likely to get an infection from the bite.

~ Drooling in possums generally indicates fear.

~ If the wild animal is found in your yard, isolate your pets until a rescue can be made then sterilize the area with a mix of 1 part bleach and 9 parts water.

~ Try to remember that the animal is probably more afraid of you, than you are of it.

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