Wildlife Wednesday - Injured Momma Opossum

This post starts off sad but things are improving.  Last week, Older Daughter received a mom opossum with babies in the pouch.  This poor opossum was found sitting in the middle of the road in a pool a blood.  When Older received her, she could see that the injuries were to her face, especially her mouth.  Of course, this adult opossum did not want to be examined by Older Daughter.  Older did the best she could to try to diagnose the problem.  The tongue was cut in several places.  And the opossum held her mouth open.  (Older hoped there wasn’t a broken jaw.)  There appeared to be some minor trauma to one eye and the sinus cavity on that side of her head.   Older also tried to examine the babies.  She thinks there are six total.   They were puny and Older hoped that mom hadn’t been without food for a considerable amount of time.

 

 

 

Older Daughter has been force-feeding this mom, and she did not like it.  But a few days ago, she seemed to change her mind.  She started letting Older Daughter feed her without a struggle.  Then the following day, she let Older pet her and rub her face.  In this picture (below), she still doesn’t look great, but she has definitely improved.  The swelling in the jaw is better and the tongue lacerations are starting to heal. 

With the force-feeding (now being accepted), mom is feeling stronger and the babies are doing better as well. 

 

 

THEN, just before I finished this post, I received some pictures from Older Daughter.  Momma opossum has been living in a very large box with no top on it.  She literally did not move and was certainly not going to climb out because she barely had the strength to hold herself up.  But Momma O is getting stronger and Older found her in the animal room sitting on top of one of the cages in that room.

 

 

Momma O and babies are now settled in a roomy cage with four sides and a top . . .

 

 

And now hear this!!  Momma O has started looking forward to being fed.  She can't manage licking from a bowl yet, but look what she did when offered some yogurt from the feeding syringe.

 

Things are definitely looking up!

 

While on the topic of opossums – there have been two little opossums at Wild Angels since April.  This is what they looked like when they arrived at Wild Angels.  Their body condition was very poor.

 

 

This is what they looked like a couple of weeks ago.

 

 

And here is the female (smaller of the two), out and about in their enclosure. 

 

 

Lookin’ good!

 

Comments

[Ginny & the Fur Family]

Wild angels have done miracles with Mama and babies - Sad turned to glad. Older has such patience and doesn't get a nights sleep - God Thanks her and all who help with these little creatures. My Raccoons I was feeding seems to have moved on to better places. Warm wishes for the hot -hot days to be gone soon.

[Andrea and the Celestial Kitties]

Aww, what a heartwarming story! I'm so glad it's working out for Momma O and her brood!
Friends, Wild Angels, Chrystal's older daughter, has no funding at all. So any donations made to the Wild Angels facebook page are a huge help! So many tiny mouths to feed can get expensive, so help if you can! Thank you!

[John Bellen]

What a good story about the mother-opossum and her little ones. She must have realised that she was getting actual food from the kind human, tasty food, and it came right to her! She changed her mind as suddenly as a cat does. And a bonus story about the two little orphans, also improving...

[Maria in FL]

Older Daughter really is a miracle worker! It is just amazing the amount of love, skill and caring that she gives to these poor animals. It's just remarkable!

[Kara]

Your family is absolutely amazing! I'm surprised a motorist stopped to help this opossum and didn't just drive on by. Thank you for all that you guys do. You make a real difference in the world, one critter at a time.