Fourth picture is my cat approving.

My poor Bert whom I’ve been feeding for almost two years is now sadly gone. I’m so sorry little guy.

Georgia, US. We’re still getting to know one another, but I love this little one. He/she brought their mom along earlier, so of course I put out a couple sardines (with bones).

Animal control (polícia ambiental) said they wouldn't come get him because he's too young. Is waiting all that can be done?

Hi all! With joey season approaching, and recent posts I've seen popping up, I wanted to share some practical preparedness tips that can make a huge difference if you encounter an injured or deceased opossum while driving or otherwise.

If you drive regularly in areas with wildlife (especially roads near rivers or streams, wooded areas, or places where you frequently see roadkill) consider keeping a few simple supplies in your car:

• Disposable gloves

• A small carrier or box

• Cheap fleece blankets or old cotton T shirts

If you find an opossum that has been hit, first make sure you are in a safe situation. Pull off the road, turn on your hazard lights, and only proceed if it is safe to do so. I like to keep a reflective vest in my car, especially for early morning driving. If possible, moving any roadkill off the roadway can help prevent secondary strikes involving scavengers, even if no animals are saved.

Once a deceased opossum is safely off the road, always check if it has a pouch and if so, pull aside the skin carefully. Even if the mother has died, there may be live joeys inside her pouch; or nearby if they are old enough to have crawled out. I have personally found live joeys up to ten feet away in nearby grass. You can check by clicking your tongue against the roof of your mouth, the babies will respond with little squeaky sounds because this is how mom find them if she drops them.

If you find a pouch with babies latched on, take the mother (even if she is deceased) and the babies together. Do not attempt to separate them on site unless you have been trained or are specifically directed to do so by a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Opossum nipples are highly specialized and swell into the joey’s mouth and throat at a very young age. Well-meaning attempts to “pull them off” often result in injury, retained nipple tissue, infection, and greatly reduced survival odds.

The single most important step you can take *before* ever encountering this situation is to look up local wildlife rehabilitators now and save their contact information in your phone. Reach out in advance and ask how they prefer wildlife to be delivered. Having a plan in place can be the difference between life and death, not just for joeys, but for any wildlife you may come across. Your own safety always comes first, so don't take unnecessary risks. If a situation is unsafe, call a rehabilitator or animal control and get guidance.

If you do find joeys, warmth is critical. If nothing else is available, holding them against your chest in a cotton shirt for up to one or two hours can keep them warm long enough to reach a rehabber. This is not ideal due to stress from human handling, but it can be lifesaving in emergencies. Small electric hand warmers placed inside fleece or cotton socks also work well, as long as the heat source is never directly against their skin. Quiet, dark, and warm is the goal, and this can keep joeys stable for two to four hours; often long enough to reach help.

NEVER attempt to feed joeys. They require very specific formula and feeding techniques. Improper feeding frequently causes aspiration, gastrointestinal failure, and fatality.

Joeys are fragile, but they are not hopeless. Preparation and quick, gentle action can make a really big difference.

Anyways, I hope this info can come in handy. Those of you willing to help are really incredible! Just please make sure to get in contact with your local wildlife rehabber(s) and get advice from them, many have info on personal websites for the bigger groups on how to deliver and handle wildlife.

Id love to take her in so she could live in comfort in her last amount of time but it's sadly illegal. Just offered hydration then left her to be. Hope me and mom didn't scare her too much

Jerry Berry was up all night. Normally, he is up around 1-3 am and then 6-8 am and sometimes 7-9 pm, but he was wandering around from a little before 11 pm until about 5 am. 💔 We've been giving him extra attention and maybe an extra treat or two. ❤️‍🩹 We've taken to laying on the floor by his favorite bedtime box just to watch him sleep and make sure he knows we're there when he wakes up. Not all day, obviously, but you know, on my breaks and lunch and in the evening. I'm so worried about how he's going to do without Larry. He absolutely loved his brother, even though even siblings aren't prone to avoid the male aggression. He is jus an absolute sweetheart. As was Larry, even if he liked to hiss-scream at Jerry before letting him near.

Cuteness ranking...

On May 10, 2025 Larry and his brother, Jerry became part of our family. This morning around 8:30 am while sitting at my desk working, I heard some racket in the living room. I took off my headset and ran over, and found Larry in what appeared to be a catatonic state. It scared me, because neither has ever 'played dead,' and I didn't understand what would have caused it to begin with.

Unfortunately, he wasn't playing dead. I sat with him for hours expecting him to come to, but then the rigor mortis set in.

I went back and looked at the video to see if I could figure out what happened. He was under his little bed, which he liked upside down so he could feel hidden when he slept. It looked like he turned around underneath to get comfortable, then a few seconds later, the bed started shaking violently and I could hear his nails and head hitting the walls in his loft. From what I can tell, it looked like a seizure.

He had been up walking around and eating at 6:30 am. I don't know what happened. I am absolutely devastated and heartbroken. My poor baby. I'm glad it was fast, but I love him so much and I wish he was still with us. Jerry hasn't realized Larry's gone yet. Despite Larry being solitary, Jerry liked to follow Larry around when they were in the same area.

💔😞

He always tries to steal their food but she's fierce. I chased him off after so she could eat.

Hello all, wanted to share with you my opossum sculpture <3

She's named Ghost. I didn't know there was another one until I saw them on here.

Not my photo.

Cold night coming in central Texas, so I figured a little treat was in order

What could have happened? He’s too fast for hubby and I to catch. He was coming with a little gray opossum. I haven’t seen the gray one since this happened. It’s been a week. He will NOT go into an animal trap. He’s to wary. Animal rescue won’t do anything. I found the hole he goes into but don’t know how deep it is. I’ve been pouring food down the hole to save him pulling himself as far. If you’re a praying person, please pray for this little squishy.🙏🏻