Opossums are an interesting lot: they have an absurd name, are immune to venoms, play dead when in danger and are one of the most hated creatures in all of America. However, at its core, an opossum is just another animal which is vulnerable to all sorts of misfortunes that can plague other members of the animal kingdom.
One such misfortune is a baby opossum getting orphaned, lost or simply separated from its family. In each case, it is left to its own devices, and since it's immature, survival is going to be very difficult. It can be very tempting to spot such a creature and help it.
You might want to feed it, but it is very likely that unless you happen to be very knowledgeable about opossum diet and behavior, you might end up doing something completely wrong. Therefore, it helps to learn about opossum diet and how to feed them.
Hydrating an opossum
Baby opossums, when left on their own, are prone to dehydration as they can't access water sources on their own. You should immediately hydrate them, either by slowly introducing clean water or Pedialyte (or any other rehydration mixture) diluted with lukewarm water in a 1:2 ratio.
Feeding milk to an opossum
Once you are sure that the poor creature has been rehydrated, you may start feeding it milk over the course of the next 24 hours. Do not use cow milk. Instead, introduce milk substitutes like Esbilac via a dropper or syringe. An important thing to bear in mind is the fact that baby opossums don't suckle; they lap at fluids to consume them. Hence, you'll be better off placing the milk in a shallow bowl rather than using a baby bottle.
What do opossums eat?
Opossums are omnivores, so their diets tend to be diverse. They eat insects, snails, worms, frogs, and slugs as well as pet food and birdseed. They will also eat fruits, vegetables, and nuts.
However, if you plan to feed a baby opossum that you found somewhere, it's best to go with mashed fruits or fruit mixed with cereal simply. Fruit must never exceed more than 10% of the diet though. You should mostly provide it with milk, yoghurt, and other calcium supplements because baby opossums tend to have calcium deficiencies. You may also feed it with cheese and egg yolks.
Contact wildlife rehabilitators
Having said all that, when it comes to feeding any animal, it is always best to defer to a wildlife rehabilitator's expertise instead of attempting to do it yourself. You may feed a baby opossum initially by employing the aforementioned methods, but feeding it yourself over the long term might lead to dietary deficiencies, and there's only so much guidance you can get from the Internet. You may get in touch with organizations such as the Opossum Society of the United States (OSUS) for information regarding wildlife rehabilitation centers.
Go back to the Yorba Linda wildlife removal home page.