Carmel Farm

gross science lesson- dead opossum involved

Ok, you have been warned.

Did you know that opossums have pouches? Like, to carry their young in? And that baby opossums less than 1/2 pound will not, I repeat will not leave their mothers teat? Even if the momma opossum is dead. I mean dead as a doornail dead.

this info from Wild Rescue in TX

“Opossums do not leave their mothers voluntarily until they are at least ½ lb. in weight. The mother may have been hit by a car or killed/injured by a predator or frightened enough for the baby to have fallen off her back (she travels constantly with her babies on her back or in her pouch). There will usually be more babies, so searching for the mom will be critical to the lives of the other opossums, especially if the mother is dead. Neonate or eyes closed opossums will not disengage from their mother’s nipple (teat) even if she is dead. They will continue to nurse, thus absorbing toxins as time progresses and becoming slowly poisoned. “

You do not want to know how I know this is true, but since I spared you the picture I will tell you what we found in the yard today. Yes it is gross, very very gross, you can stop reading now if you don’t want to know.

For whomever is still here…. our dogs are supposed to keep away varmints, however they choose to do so works for me. Today they proved they are hard at work. One of them, who at this point is remaining anonymous, killed a opossum. And left it in the yard. But the weird part is we didn’t see it until all 5 babies (still attached) had squirmed halfway out of the pouch and were also demised. But still attached. It was 1 big stiff package. Very very gross, but as we always do even with gross stuff we made a lesson out of it. So next time somebody is playing trivia and the question is, “are opossums marsupials?” We can answer and elaborate. Did YOU know the correct answer?