(no subject)

[dsrmousey]

Still writing seven days into surgery!!!



One night I heard all this commotion outside of my backdoor. Thinking one of my dogs had escaped, I stepped out to look around, and not seeing anything, I turned to go back inside, then suddenly I spied this poor grey critter, with red eyes and pink nose, backing up into my freshly raked leaf pile. It had a ratty tail, razor teeth, and was hissing at me, then suddenly it plopped over on its side.

Everyone asked if I was afraid, and I said no, chuckling, it was more afraid of me, than I it, and if I had this little critter in my yard, I wanted keep it there!

It was an opossum, North America's only marsupial, and they play dead as a natural defense to scare off predators.

Marsupials are mammels, and like their cousins kangaroos they carry their 'joeys' (about six through eight babies) in a pouch in their stomachs until they're old enough to emerge and start learning how to survive from their mamas.

Do you know how beneficial to gardens opossums are? Let me tell you, because I'm a huge fan of these harmless super heroes!

And it truly should be wearing a super hero outfit too! With its prehensile tail allowing it to swing and grab onto things like a monkey, plus it's white head marked with a grey arrow, it already has its own costume.

Now opossums may seem scary, but if you have one in your yard, you're lucky.
They're omnivores, nocturnal, and are opportunistic.

Oposssums eat all kinds of pests, including cockroaches, rats, snakes, and mosquitoes, mice, dead animals, frogs and eggs, and of course, garbage.

I decided the next day I was going to make my new buddy its own burrow. It would have plenty of space to roam in (I had nearly an acre) and it would keep my vegetable garden free of pests. I'd call that a win/win situation wouldn't you?

Now this required a trip to my favorite plant nursery (always a plus), for a hollowed out log, some nice greenery, and a fresh water source. We had a brook right behind our property in case 'Bandit' wanted to meander, but we also had foxes, hawks, and coyotes too, and I didn't want the predators making off with my opossum friend.

So we made a cozy space in the South West corner of our yard, and there Bandit lived happily chomping on bugs for about three years!

Oh, and we found out our Bandit was a girl when we caught sight of little teeny opossums one night chasing after mama! Opossums can live on their own once they reach eight inches long, so try not to disturb what you might think is a baby.

If you you ever see an opossum trying to be fierce, please remember all these things I told you, and be kind! You'll be be doing the environment a favor!

Thanks for listening!

Comments

[roina_arwen]

Lots of fun facts!

[roina_arwen]

Only a very few minor edits (add the words in parentheses:)
it was more afraid of me, than I (of) it, and if I had one in my yard, I wanted (to) keep it there!

Remove the second “it”:
and it would it keep my vegetable garden free of pests.

Otherwise, it’s good to go. ❤️

[dsrmousey]

Thank you! ☺

[erulissedances]

How delightful!

- Erulisse (one L)

[adoptedwriter]

I love this! Thanks for all the info.

[dsrmousey]

You're welcome! P~~~Desiree

[bleodswean]

I love love love opossums and am so happy you do, too! Thanks for sharing the facts with folx!

[banana_galaxy]

Oh, this is super sweet! And reminded me that I saw an opossum in my backyard a couple of times about two years ago. I was so surprised. I'd known there were (and had seen) skunks and raccoons in the area, but I didn't know Oakland had opossums too!

I'm amazed that you keep managing to get these entries in while dealing with your surgery.

[ofearthandstars]

Awh, I love this! I have yet to find an opossum visiting my yard, but I keep hoping I'll be so lucky!

[dsrmousey]

I geared this for tweens. I'm hoping to possibly educate the kiddos so they're not afraid of these super environmental helpers, and won't kill them out of hand when they get older. They really are such a boon to the environment. Love you, peace ~~~Desiree

[dsrmousey]

If you see skunks and raccoons, opossums are quietly waddling around somewhere too. I do believe west coast has Possums though, not Opossums. (But don't hold me to that!)

Oh, and I'm amazed too that I keep writing, but it actually keeps my thoughts from the pain. So there is that and this prompt came at a perfect time, rehab is kicking my butt. Peacs~~~Desiree

[banana_galaxy]

Oh, honestly, I don't know the difference between possums and opossums in the U.S. I'm from Australia and our possums there are quite different!

[gunwithoutmusic]

I think possums are just so cute :) When I was in 4th grade, I was in the gifted program, and the teacher for that class called us her "Awesome Possums" - I didn't know about them at the time so I looked them up and I've liked them ever since.

Strangely I don't think I've run into one in person before, but I'm also pretty much the opposite of nocturnal!

[marlawentmad]

It always cracks me up that opossums are known to play dead as a defense, but the only one I ever met in person hissed, puffed up, bared its teeth, and took off running in a flying leap.

[tonithegreat]

I hope you're feeling good today! This was a delightful tale/tail.

Our neighborhood is full of opossums. One day last year as I was bringing the kids home from swimming, I realized that someone had hit a mamma opossum on our street and that she hadn't survived, but that some portion of her babies had. So my brave daughter and I found a shoebox and lined it with clean rags and collected as many little baby opossums as we could find on and around her body and took them to the wildlife rescue that operates out of one of the 24 hour vet clinics. The tech there seemed very hopeful for them. The saddest thing about having a green forest-y neighborhood is that sometimes critters get hit.

[mollywheezy]

I love this! And I didn't know any of this about opossums. Anything that eats roaches and mosquitoes is definitely my friend. :)

Hope you are recovering well from your surgery! *hugs*

[alycewilson]

That's so wonderful you made your possum friend at home. My brother loves them, because they eat deer ticks, which cause Lyme Disease.

[dadi]

I so wish we had them here in Germany! My vegetable garden would sorely need one :)

[drippedonpaper]

My dog hates an opossum that sometimes comes and sits on our back fence. I had no idea how helpful they are. I learned a lot from your entry! Thanks for sharing!