Baby Opossums!

[WildatHeart]

I found 5 baby opossums tonight. They were in the middle of the road in the rain. They have very little fur on them and their eyes have not opened yet. I have experience with squirrels and kittens but never opossums. I have them in a box with a warm sock of rice with a towel on top of it. I got pedialyte for them but i can't get them to take the syringe. Any tips would be greatly appreciated!

[Jackie in Tampa]

Omgosh, thank you..how did 5 eyes closed babies end up in the street?
I am not a possie person, but think they may need to be tube feed.
Keep them warm until we can get you some help.
Do you have a heating pad? it would be easier to control their temp with.
Place it half under container full of tshirts, set on low.
Are you using a syringe to try to feed them?
hold them upright, never tilted back, try to slip the syringe in the corner of their mouth...again, you may not be able to.
all fluids will need to be very warm, like their mother.
I will send out a few Private messages to find you help.
Will you relinquish them to a rehabber if one can be found?
:thankyou :bowdown

[WildatHeart]

I was baffled myself as to how they got there, a few were in the gutter and no momma in sight! I don't have a heating pad just yet but I'll be going out to get one in the AM. One has a little cut on his tail from something and it looks a little swollen. I would be willing to surrender them to someone who knows what they are doing. I want these babies to have their best shot.

[WildatHeart]

http://i49.tinypic.com/2zovz83.jpg

http://i49.tinypic.com/1e5k6x.jpg

Here is one of the little ones

[Jackie in Tampa]

oh my gosh...
precious little possies..:D
They are so lucky you found them..
and from the pics they appear good.
Triple Anti B can be put on that tail until they can be evaluated by a rehabber..
I have Private messaged Margie, she maybe closest.
The rice buddy will help keep them warm, maybe a couple rice buddies!
If they get cold, all organs will shut down, death WILL follow so for right now, warmth is a must!

:bowdown
I guess we wait until the world wakes up:thumbsup

[pappy1264]

Get them on heat immediately! Yes, they will most likely need tubing, which if you have not done it, can be tricky. Does nayone know if any rehabbers are near this person?

[jbtartell]

Yes they need to be tubed.. I did possoms before. cute when small but stinky when big..lol sheww.well not the possum its self just the poo and pee lol. any how get them to a rehabber who can tube or teach you to do it if you want to learn and keep them.. they are soo easy to do and to release. just got to have a strong stomache when the start on solids and dead things..lol :wahoo

[WildatHeart]

Okay I just watched some youtube videos on tube feeding opossums, yikes. I am so scared that I would hurt something. If someone could direct me to a rehabber in or around my area that would be great.

[Jackie in Tampa]

Get them on heat immediately! Yes, they will most likely need tubing, which if you have not done it, can be tricky. Does nayone know if any rehabbers are near this person?I think Margie, a newer member, yet seems to have rehab knowledge and vet access, is going to be the closest person that is known. I did PM her this AM early.
tinfoil anyone else??
We have members in Alabama, but not closer.
will ck the NW florida members too...:grouphug
WAH, can you get sub Q supplies?
do you have any RN friends?

[Jackie in Tampa]

found a few other members near by...how far are you willing to travel to get them to another rehabber?
will send out soem PMs now:thumbsup

[WildatHeart]

I can't travel very far, I could maybe meet someone halfway though

[Jackie in Tampa]

how far? I have peeps that can and will help yet not within minutes..I have a rehabber in NO that will take them if you can get them to NO...
hate to say this, but we need to step up the pace, they need fluids or will start dying as sson as tomorrow and that is fron what they look like now, which was good, but they will decline fast.
so how far? sorry, I am typing fast and trying alot of differennt sources..
have heard back from a few Pms and emails already, so far, no one close to you.
Hoping Margie logs on soon, I do not have her email addy.:peace to the best of my knowledge she will be the actual closest, she is disabled I believe...
HOW ARE THEY THIS AM????

[WildatHeart]

I'm in a situation right now where I am having to depend on other people to take me places, and sadly my husband isn't as fond of these little ones as I am. I have called around and department of natural resources is calling around for a rehabber in my area. They are still looking good and still on heat right now, I hope they can get in touch with someone soon. Thank you so much for your help!

[jacey]

I was given a number of the Mobile Environmental Center - 251-221-5000. A lady named Susan is the director there. You may have to leave a message. This information came from a rehab center in Biloxi that cannot take them because they are across state line. I am still trying to find others in the mobile area.

[Jackie in Tampa]

I was given a number of the Mobile Environmental Center - 251-221-5000. A lady named Susan is the director there. You may have to leave a message. This information came from a rehab center in Biloxi that cannot take them because they are across state line. I am still trying to find others in the mobile area.thank you J!
I knew I could count on you...:thankyou
blowing kisses to NO!:wave123

[2ndHandRanchRescue]

Hi there - thanks for rescuing. I've been doing lots of possums lately. Yes when tiny tubing is the best. Puppy formula - they also need humidity at that size - I think its 90% humidity and 85-90F constant temp
Here's a link of an incubator - http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/for_wildlife_rehabilitators_and_vets.htm


Momma has up to 15 babies but many fall out or off as she travels - not real good moms. I'm on Facebook and I've been working with a great possie rehabber in FLA this year and he's been wonderful with advice. let me know if I can help -I hope you have a rehabber close -


http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/

[Shawnsmommy19]

I know a lady in Lilburn Ga that i take all my possie babies to Her name is Elizabeth Hartman ill send you her number in a PM

[Rhapsody]

to ADORABLE........ hugs & kisses to the possums

[Margie]

I just got the message, but I have no idea about taking care of baby possums. Stormy lee was my first experience hand raising a baby. I sent a PM to a friend on Facebook that does a lot of rehabbing of babies in this area, but I haven't heard from her. She isn't a licensed rehabber, but the local vets call her when they have babies. If I hear back from her, I will pass along her answer. There should be someone near Mobile that could help, like the Gulf Coast Zoo? I really am at a loss. I know what it is like to have a tiny life in your hands and have no idea how to take care of it. With Stormy Lee, I was lucky. If she'd been a pinky, I don't think I'd been successful with my first try at hand raising. If I get more info of who to contact, I'll pass it along ASAP.

[Margie]

The gal I contacted said she would take them if it wasn't so far away. She has raised possums before. The Mobile region got 16 inches of rain today and it rained up this way all day and evening. Much of the area between our area and Mobile area is flooded. I don't know how it is where the baby possums are. I know they won't last long without fluids at least, it's a shame the finder didn't try a nipple with the syringe. Sorry I can't do more. I don't have a Vet connection. It is illegal in Alabama to keep pet wildlife. I was a licensed Vet Tech for many years and taught a vet asst course. In Calif, where I practiced, it was illegal to have pet ferrets or gerbils!

[skippy]

I wonder how Wildatheart made out today with these adorable babies?
I hope she found some help in her area. :)

[Chickenlegs]

Oh good lord--wish I was closer. Those are TINY babies--absolutely survivable but they need heat, humidity, hydration and FOOD--tube fed or with Paula's nips but that takes longer. If anybody can get help for those babies the good folks on TSB can. Put a little antibiotic on that tail. They'll need some amoxicillin too. Anybody headin towards Virginia? I'll meet ya.

[Jackie in Tampa]

I know a lady in Lilburn Ga that i take all my possie babies to Her name is Elizabeth Hartman ill send you her number in a PM :thankyou Thank you for offering some help, sadly lilburn is 7 hours away.
I am hoping that WAH found help.

Margie can you share supplies, or sub Q them until we can find them help?
I doubt she has a nipple or a syringe, she is not a rescuer per ce.

:thankyou Thank you Jacey for finding and passing on the number to possible help.
I hope that person was able to and close enough.

:grouphug

[Nancy in New York]

Any news about the littles???:dono

[Margie]

I hope WAH isn't in the area that is flooded. A lot of areas are without power. I don't have re hab supplies, since I'm not a rehabber. The Wildlife Refuge in NW Florida is flooded out, too. We had several inches of rain again today here, but luckily are on a hill. It's pretty bad down south though.

[Nancy in New York]

Praying for everyone in that area....and all of the littles...:shakehead

[WildatHeart]

Hello everyone, I am so sorry for the late update but I was able to find someone to take the little babies. It was hard to do since it was the weekend and all the rain we got, but a nice man was able to take care of them. Luckily I was not in an area that flooded! Thanks everyone for all your help, I'm glad I came to this site!