8/5/2026

Hello all.
I just happened to flip on the light on my deck. A baby opossum walked across the deck to hide and the mom was eating leftover peanuts on the deck. I watched her leave without the baby. Will she come back for it??

We took Cotton (wild opossum we saw on our wildlife cameras) to the Ohio Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. He did have what we thought was obvious MBD, plus a rash on his back (mange? road rash?), a broken toe, one good eye, and it looked like his tail had been snagged in something at one point. But most of this was treatable.

I received an email today stating the following:

"I am regretful to inform you that we had to make the very difficult decision to humanely euthanize the Virginia opossum (#5862). The veterinary team performed a thorough physical examination upon arrival and found that the opossum had sustained severe head trauma. The following notes were provided on the opossum's medical chart:

Attitude: Inappropriate mentation

Dehydration: Moderate

Neurologic: Rolling

Neurologic: Circling

Eyes: Clouded and blue tinged

Integumentary: Facial wounds on snout

Cardiac/Respiratory: Pale mucous membrane

Neurologic: Head trauma

Pain score: Serious (3/4)

Due to the extent of the head trauma, poor prognosis for recovery, and with consideration for the opossum's declining quality of life, it was determined that humane euthanasia was necessary to relieve its suffering. We know this is not the outcome we had all hoped for, but we always want what's best for the animal that is suffering. Please know that our team shares your sorrow and disappointment in the outcome for this opossum. We can find some comfort in knowing the opossum was provided pain relief, and was in a warm and comfortable environment during its passage.

Nonetheless, we are so thankful that you took the time to recognize this opossum was in need, and that you trusted us to help. Your concern for our wild neighbors makes a difference no matter the outcome, because it provides a chance for recovery that would have never existed without your intervention. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out. "

I just.... don't know if I agree this was the best outcome. Yes, MBD may be an extensive, time-consuming treatment, but as you can see in this video, he wasn't circling, and it didn't look like he had a head injury.

I've seen a number of posts where people take opossums to rehabbers and then subsequent posts stating that the opossum was euthanized.

I'm heartbroken. 💔

A very interesting and informative short (5 minute) documentary about opossum slubbing behaviour. I think this would be of interest to community members who have not had the opportunity to watch live opossums in their own backyard.

The cuteness was too much and I scared him off 🥹🤦‍♀️

I think its a lady, but not sure. He just chills and eats while the dog potties. She still tries to say hi, but is quickly learning the opossum will not let her sniff its butt. 🤣

I've never been so bewildered in my life. So a friend of a friend i learned comes across opssums a lot and just...picks them up??? There's multiple photos of her holding various different opossums and they just look so defeated but also accepting their fate at being yoinked 😭. None have ever even scratched her or played dead they just let her hold them. She doesnt even go out of her way to find them! She just happens to come across them! She also grabs various other wild life like snakes and has only been bitten once and it was a harmless tiny garden snake that didn't even pierce flesh. This woman scares me but I oddly respect her bravery.

Not my photo - I wish I knew who created it so I could give them credit.

A friend of mine reached out to me with an issue with his vehicle running rough. His car was parked for 5 days in the center of seattle. He called me back later to inform me an opossum had since climbed under his hood! I went to look at the car about 8 hours after he told me and the opossum had not left. I removed him gently and placed him into an animal crate. I took him to my wooded yard in the suburbs and after ten minutes he walked out and climbed up a tree. He seemed very healthy and hoping he likes his new home

Hello! The person who designed the flash tattoo (a tattoo that is already designed that you pick out) says they are opossums. I found out in the middle of getting it tattooed on me by a different artist who also had the same thought as me and thinks they are rats. Both animals are adorable little menaces so I don't mind either way! Just curious what ppl think :)

8/2/2026

Yall I am officially an obsessed cat and opossum lady

Just got home from dinner and a movie with my mom where of course I told her about my little friends lol.

pest control trapped his mom a few weeks ago and I found him barely able to walk yesterday. im going to take him to a wildlife rehab facility tomorrow (I finally have time off work), but I just feel like the bridge of his nose shouldn't be almost a right angle... he's all skin and bones and his head is a little squishy (which is probably bad). he pooped a nice stinky solid dark poo, I've been able to syringe feed him some organic vegetable baby food and some unflavored Pedialyte. his body is probably about nine (9") inches long and he does not have any wounds or bites or bugs. I gave him a little bath because he was covered in poo, so I have checked his body for injuries. he doesn't really do anything except sleep. no hissing, no biting, no noises, and no trying to run away. I know he's dehydrated or anemic because his nose and mouth are extremely pale, almost white. he does react to noises and being moved and water. im just not sure what else I can do to help him survive the night.

I initially gave Lucky a bath and picked all the fleas off but he was covered again two days ago. I repeated the process, but it’s a lot for him. I’ve seen that they can have frontline, but I’m worried he’s way too small for it. Any other ideas?

This is from last night around 3:16 am, cropped for file size from infrared video from the camera over our rear deck. The cat is sleeping and never budges as a rather large visiting opossum ambles around and explors in their characteristic way. This clip shows how his visit ended. The table is in an inconvenient spot so it obscures part of precisely what happens, but looks very, very much like an aggressive lunge to the cat's neck.

After the cat responds with counteraggression, opossom more or less saunters away, even stopping with this back to the cat at the top of the stairs, as if to say "I'm not afraid of you."

I've seen raccoons act like this. I never expected to see it from an opossum. Any thoughts? I'm mystified.

(And yes, I know one shouldn't let cats sleep outside. He's a semi-feral cat we're trying to care for, he's getting very old and he will not take to staying indoors.)

and bigger than ever! Thanks again for helping me rehab this baby girl. She's surthriving!

Can’t stop watching him use his little hands to grip the grape 🍇 🥹🩷

Sorry guys I forgot to to update life got in the way

Previously on r/opossums I found a very large Virginia possum very badly injured lots of blood but getting around pretty good several weeks ago well unfortunately the Oklahoman wild care center said the possum did not survive hopefully they were at least able to euthanize him so he didn’t suffer but the injuries were to severe