I Found an opossum! What now?

Picture@twrcwildlifecenter
If you find opossums (or any wildlife) who are abandoned babies or adults in distress, pairing them with a rehabber right away is essential to their survival! Using a towel or gloves, safely place the opossum in a box on soft, dry fabric. Keep them warm and cover the box to keep them inside and help them relax. Get them to a rehabber where they'll get fluids, nutrients, and medical care. Adult female opossums will often have babies in their pouch. The best course of action is to bring the mother and babies to a wildlife rescuer (even if the mother appears deceased—with opossums' acting skills, you never know!). 

Finding a rehabber:

Animal Help Now uses your address to find rehabbers and rescue facilities closest to you. Visit their website or download the app to find exactly who to call when you find injured or abandoned wildlife. 

An important note <3

Please do not try to raise or keep a baby opossum by yourself! Opossums need a specific calcium to phosphorous ratio in their diets, and with improper food and care they will develop metabolic bone disease (MBD). MBD is an extremely painful condition that affects their ability to walk, eat, and grow healthfully. An opossum with MBD suffers needlessly and often passes away after long illness. It's heartbreaking! Be kind to opossums by allowing them to be wild (and getting them to a rehabber when necessary). I promise, there is nothing better than knowing you helped an opossum live a full, healthy, WILD life!

​Tilly's Story 

 An intimate glimpse into the life cycle of opossums and their contributions to planet Earth
​"Quite possibly the best, most educational lovestory about a mom and her eleven babies ever told!!!"
— Starry the Film Critic
Please note: The video shows an injury in the beginning, but quickly transitions to a non-graphic story of love and resilience!
Begin at 0:16 if sensitive to injuries
The breakout hit of the year—Tilly's Story—will change the way you look at opossums forever. Featuring Tilly and her eleven seedlings, each one unique, beautiful, and sweet. Enjoy Tilly's story and share with friends! Video and music by the amazing Melissa Irwin. For updates and more, follow The Opossum's Pouch rescue on Facebook. Consider sending them a treat of any amount (every penny counts!) via PayPal by visiting paypal.me/theopossumpouch.

Building a Winter Home for Your Outdoor OPossum Neighbors

Although Virginia opossums are found throughout the United States and even up into Canada, they are not generally fans of cold weather. Their furless fingers, tails, and ears are particularly ill-suited to chilly temperatures, and in some regions researchers use signs of frostbite to gauge how many winters an opossum has lived through. If you live in a chilly place, please be extra kind to the wild opossums—you can leave out some fresh water and fruits or nuts/snacks, and you can make an insulated wildlife den from the instructions above. Opossums do not migrate or hibernate, so helping them out does not mess with instinctual patterns like it might with other wildlife. 


Some of Our Favorite Rescues to Support!

Opossum advocacy allows us to support fantastic rescues worldwide!
In addition to providing crucial financial assistance through Sesame's Treat Fund,
we partner with rescues to accomplish educational and outreach goals.
A huge Thank You to Sesame's friends and fans,
who lovingly join with them to accomplish this mission of helping animals --
THANK YOU, FRIENDS!