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SwampFlower · 31-35, F
Pokepos. Gotta catch 'em all! @SwampFlower @itsok
itsok · 31-35, F
@SwampFlower first I found a TWRA rehabilitator, and the one I was talking to has a list of people who rehabilitate under her. So she gives out care instructions, and they care for a lot of different kinds of animals. She had several with possum litters. We talked about me wanting one, and I got to meet a couple.
Then we did instruction hours a few times where we went over feeding, enclosures, exercise, how much sunlight they need each week, how to keep them busy with puzzles and toys- stuff like that. They did come check her enclosure. The biggest point they drive home is how important the calcium to phosphorus ratio in their food is, and the variety of food they need. It’s really not super difficult, because there’s a kibble called opossum complete, and there is a liquid calcium supplement that can be added to water. Other than that, it’s mostly fruits and vegetables.
Then it was really just waiting until one of the rehabilitators had an unreleasable possum. They knew Maple probably wouldn’t be able to be released when she was a couple months old. She was extremely easy to litter train (probably because she was so young). I got her when she was 130 grams. She was eating soft solids at the time. I did have to mix puppy formula in with yogurt and her kibble until she was like 250 or 300 grams. The rehabilitator was happy to keep her until she was fully off formula, but I was too impatient.
In Tennessee you can just get a possum from someone who has a license for possums though.
And you need a permit. It’s $31 per year. You just fill out a form on the tn wildlife website. It just asks how many you have and where you got them
A downside is that veterinarians won’t give them any care, other than if you want them euthanized, but the rehabilitators will help. And they only live a few years
Then we did instruction hours a few times where we went over feeding, enclosures, exercise, how much sunlight they need each week, how to keep them busy with puzzles and toys- stuff like that. They did come check her enclosure. The biggest point they drive home is how important the calcium to phosphorus ratio in their food is, and the variety of food they need. It’s really not super difficult, because there’s a kibble called opossum complete, and there is a liquid calcium supplement that can be added to water. Other than that, it’s mostly fruits and vegetables.
Then it was really just waiting until one of the rehabilitators had an unreleasable possum. They knew Maple probably wouldn’t be able to be released when she was a couple months old. She was extremely easy to litter train (probably because she was so young). I got her when she was 130 grams. She was eating soft solids at the time. I did have to mix puppy formula in with yogurt and her kibble until she was like 250 or 300 grams. The rehabilitator was happy to keep her until she was fully off formula, but I was too impatient.
In Tennessee you can just get a possum from someone who has a license for possums though.
And you need a permit. It’s $31 per year. You just fill out a form on the tn wildlife website. It just asks how many you have and where you got them
A downside is that veterinarians won’t give them any care, other than if you want them euthanized, but the rehabilitators will help. And they only live a few years
