Who says they're nocturnal?

[Midnight Reiter Too]

BTW, that dogwood tree is dead and needs to come out.

[LucyGoose]

[Gardentoad]

Amazing creatures.

[kHT]

He was hungry?

[Rocco]

Don't normally see them in daytime,could be rabid,be careful.
Rocco.

[Ginger]

I see them occasionally in the daytime... dead on the road

Years ago before we got big outside dogs, one was trying to eat the cat food on our porch. Let me tell ya those things are mean!! They will sit right up and hiss and try to attack you if you corner one.

I like them better dead on the road

Ginger

[Midnight Reiter Too]

Don't normally see them in daytime,could be rabid,be careful.
Rocco.

I thought they played possum if you scared them. The chance of rabies in a opossum is very rare due to their low body temperature. But I don't want to mess with it. It's kind of creepy looking!

[Midnight Reiter Too]

I see them occasionally in the daytime... dead on the road

Years ago before we got big outside dogs, one was trying to eat the cat food on our porch. Let me tell ya those things are mean!! They will sit right up and hiss and try to attack you if you corner one.

I like them better dead on the road

Ginger

If it plays dead, the gas it passes is really foul I heard. I may have to avoid it altogether or does my husband need to shoot it with his pellet gun?

BTW, this one returned to same spot beneath the birdfeeder this afternoon.

[Midnight Reiter Too]

He was hungry?

That's what I was thinking. Either that or it was blind. And then I found that my guesses weren't so dumb:

There are a number of reasons for opossum sightings during the day. If it is winter in an extremely cold area, usually covered with snow, then the opossum may be hungry. It is often difficult for an opossum to find food in extremely cold, snowy areas. During severe weather the opossum may stay in a den a few days until hunger drives it out of hiding. The opossum may have to forage for food during the day, often while it is warmer. During the spring or summer months a female opossum laden with young must spend more time foraging for food and may be seen during the day. Also, an opossum’s daytime hiding area may be disturbed, often by the presence of a dog or children throwing a ball into a bush. The frightened animal will run out and search for a new hiding place. Other possibilities include a blind opossum or a sick or injured opossum. If you suspect the opossum is not healthy then contact a local wildlife rehabilitator.

http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/frequen ... _questions

[Gardentoad]

I just want tro share these pictures of babies.

These are pics of a much smaller short tailed opossum that was being bred in captivity, but our larger local opossums care for their young the same way.


http://www.tabsite.net/animals/stopic1.html

These creatures are a good addition to the enviroment. Just like all wild animals, the shouldn't be approched by untrained handlers, but shouldn't be discouraged either.

[Ginger]

Cool, but it looks like a rat not a opossum! Girls, arn't you glad we don't have to carry our kids around that way I think after they are older, they will ride on the top side of mama. That would be a bit easier I think

Ginger

[Midnight Reiter Too]

I think newborn animals look bizarre without their fur.

[Annie]

Awww I think they are cute! I've seen lots of them during the day light hours. And yes they can be onrey if cornered, but so can many wild animals. We had one in our back yard one REALLY bad winter. He wouldn't leave so we lured him in a large cage, fed and watered him a couple of days in the cage inside a shed. Then took him out to a remote area and turned it loose. I wouldn't shoot the poor thing with a pellet gun, try and get a humane trap and then just move him

[Midnight Reiter Too]

It left after a couple of days. We didn't shoot it, but I have no problem with shooting varmits or setting mousetraps. I even kill mosquitoes that try to bite my arm! If they stay outdoors and don't try to bite me, they're free to come and go!