He looked like a little snowball.

Discussion in 'Wildlife in the Garden' started by Tooty2shoes, May 25, 2019.

  1. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    In the early spring when it was still really cold at night and food was probably scarer. We had this cute, and I know cute is only in the eye of the beholder. But we thought he/she was just so cute and unusually because of it's white color. I don't think he/she was a true albino as he/she had cute black ears. I also put out carrots for him/her to munch on.Once the weather warmed up he/she did not come to the feeders to clean up the spilled sunflower seeds anymore. But it was so fun seeing this unique little Possum.
    Here are some wonderful facts about Possums; they eat thousands of ticks and they are immune to many critter diseases. Especially rabies. It's because the have a lower body temp and a fantastic immune system. I think people need to rethink their dislike of them. I'll take these tick eaters over other wild critters any day.
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    Last edited by a moderator: May 27, 2019
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  3. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    We had 6 possums wandering through our front and back yards this past winter. I put out a mix of suet blocks, crunchy peanut butter and smashed hard boiled eggs for them every night and by morning all six had enjoyed a good meal. Most of them I watched from our living room window. They have a life expectancy of 3 years so I found the two oldest ones dead towards the end of winter.
    They also eat grubs that in Spring will become June Bugs and Cicadas.
     
  4. eileen

    eileen Resident Taxonomist Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    Aww isn't it adorable? I would love to have a few of these little guys over here.
     
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  5. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    I raised two babies a few years back but mine were the standard light gray color ! The mother had been killed by a car ! Another little known fact,, they do not nurse as mammals do,, from birth they lap milk ( or in my case,, formula) like dogs and cats do ! They are adorable when little !! I made them a bed in a big plastic tool box and after a month or so I thought they were being so good to stay in the tool box ! I had them out several times a day and after the last feeding put them in the box that I had fixed so the lid remained propped open ! I woke up one night about 1 am and since I couldn't go back to sleep I turned on the light to read ! I was a bit surprised to see my baby possums were awake too and were looking down at me from the top of my bedroom drapes ! They were right at home walking along the drapery rod ! I decided right then that it was time for them to go to a rehab and eventually back to the wild !
     



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  6. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    Wow Toni that is so wonderful of you to feed those little critters. Yes I think that many of them do not make it through our cold winters.
    Eileen maybe we could ship you a pair of possums. :like:
    Mart what fun that must have been. So glad you took them in and gave them a chance to be rehab back out into the wild.
     
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  7. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    The two who died were really huge, I called animal control to come get the bodies and the lady who came out verified that they were both between 3-4 yrs old so old age had taken them since our winter was really very mild. But they left 2 kids and 3 grandkids from looking at the sizes of the others. Have not seen them since the weather warmed up, guess they are out wandering the neighborhood looking for bird food and grubs in the neighbors yards. Strange but I really miss watching them at the feeding bowls.:(

    Oh, yeah, I am going to make a garden sign to put in the very shady corner of the back yard where i think they were hunkering down for the night....I have named that area Possum Holler.
     
  8. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    Toni that is really interesting and a cute name for the place those critters like to hang out. Ya that little possum didn't come around anymore one the weather warmed up. I hope that it is still alive and will have cute little snow colored babies. We name it Paco the Possum.
     
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  9. Frank

    Frank GardenStew Founder Staff Member Administrator

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    You have a good heart @Tooty2shoes. I concur, he IS cute :rosy:
     
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  10. mart

    mart Strong Ash

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    II had one older possum move in one year under my storage building ! At that time I was feeding a few stray cats on my deck ! Went out to feed one night and it was already dark so I could barely see ! I counted heads to make sure everyone was there but counted 5 instead of 4 ! That was odd I thought so I turned the light on and there was a big possum waiting, as the cats were, for dinner ! I had noticed the cats eating more than usual I thought but didn`t think about a new arrival ! So he became Pete the Possum ! I could tell he was an old guy,,he was not a bit afraid of me and fit right in with the cats !
     
  11. toni

    toni Mistress of Garden Junque Staff Member Moderator Plants Contributor

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    The first possum that showed up in our yard I named Poppy Possum. He/she is now the elder member of our Possum Passel.
     
  12. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    Thank all. I love hearing all the great possum stories. They can be a nuisance at times. But are such good little critters to have on ones property to eat all those nasty ticks.
     
  13. Gail-Steman

    Gail-Steman Young Pine

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    How cute Tooty2shoes...I could do with their immune system ;)
     
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  14. Tooty2shoes

    Tooty2shoes Hardy Maple

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    Yes Gail that is for sure. An immune system like superman.
     
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  15. Gail-Steman

    Gail-Steman Young Pine

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    Yes mate you've got it right :like:
     
  16. siamoli

    siamoli New Seed

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    Here are some wonderful facts about Possums; they eat thousands of ticks and they are immune to many critter diseases. Especially rabies. It's because the have a lower body temp and a fantastic immune system. I think people need to rethink their dislike of them. I'll take these tick eaters over other wild critters any day.
     
    Last edited: Oct 12, 2019

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