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Thread: Orphan opossum baby

  1. #1
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    Default Orphan opossum baby

    hi everyone,

    Well, I was just driving home and for some reason today i decided to take a different route and thank god I did, I found a dead opossum, a few meters away was the baby trying to cross the street, I just stopped my car and rapped the little one in my shirt and brought him/her home with me, he/she have fur and the eyes are open, he's just curled up in the shirt so I left him/her in it and put him in the bathroom tube, shut the light and closed the door..

    what do I do, it will be a couple of days until I can get him to a wildlife center, should I give water? some fruits???

    any help please, I dont have any of those special formulas...

  2. #2
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby

    There was only one? Did you look around well for any others? About how old do you think? At 4 weeks they are about 28 gr. First sign of skin pigmentation and fur growth. 6 weeks fur grows on neck and back. 9 weeks eyes open. At about 10 weeks soft foods like grapes or banana with formula poured on top. Cat chow with formula poured over top to soften it. Powdered Esbilac.

    I think he/sheshould also have a heat source, like a heating pad placed under half of a bin or box.

    I believe they need to be on Amoxicillin because they get all their immunity from their mothers milk. Especially important if they could have nursed on a dead momma.

    Thank you for helping this one. I pulled this info out of the wild mammal book. Someone with experience should be along soon.

  3. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Mel1959 from:

    Nancy in New York (04-23-2017)

  4. #3
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby

    Yes they need amoxy for 7 days as well as Nystatin (antifungal). They must still be on heat as they cannot thermoregulate yet on their own. They should be eating approx. every 2.5-3 hours (but do not need a night feeding at this point).
    President--Meemor Anonymous,
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    MISS YOU NUT, LOVE YOU FOREVER.
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  5. 2 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to pappy1264:

    Mel1959 (04-23-2017), Nancy in New York (04-23-2017)

  6. #4
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby










  7. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to Nancy in New York:

    gunpackingrandma (04-25-2017), Mel1959 (04-23-2017)

  8. #5
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby

    Romeo, it sounds like this little one is going to need some formula (powdered Esbilac) if you can't get it to a rehabber for a couple of days. I'm not sure if there is a homemade formula that you could substitute or not. But I'm certain it can't go 2 days without medicine or nutrition.

  9. Serious fuzzy thank you's to Mel1959 from:

    Nancy in New York (04-23-2017)

  10. #6
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby

    Quote Originally Posted by Mel1959 View Post
    Romeo, it sounds like this little one is going to need some formula (powdered Esbilac) if you can't get it to a rehabber for a couple of days. I'm not sure if there is a homemade formula that you could substitute or not. But I'm certain it can't go 2 days without medicine or nutrition.
    Guys I really appreciate the help, but I need to know what to go get him like right now please, what brand and from what store?

    like I said his eyes are open and has fur and ears are open..

  11. #7
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby

    Go get puppy esbilac. It is not the greatest but it is something. Nancy posted a recipe in the pages above, as well (copied pages), read through what she posted. Do you know what it weighs? You need a gram scale. Where are you located, maybe we can find you help?
    President--Meemor Anonymous,
    Mary...
    MISS YOU NUT, LOVE YOU FOREVER.
    BEAN, NOW IN HEAVEN BUT FOREVER IN MY HEART,
    I AM A BETTER PERSON FOR HAVING LOVED YOU.
    BUDDY...YOU WERE MY BEST FRIEND AND I WILL MISS YOU FOREVER.
    PEANUT...YOU CHANGED ME FOREVER..AND TOOK MY HEART WHEN YOU LEFT.
    I WILL MISS YOU FOREVER AND A DAY.

  12. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to pappy1264:

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  13. #8
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby

    OK, so I called Wildcare Oklahoma and they told me I can bring him in today, the are about 2 hours away but I am gonna try doing that this afternoon, they told me not to feed him anything.

    BTW, for those who asked if there were any other babies next to the dead mom, keep in mind I was stopped in the middle of the road past midnight and had my car and phone light on looking for more, also he is old enough to have been outside the mom's pouch, so I am almost sure he was the only one, again he was crawling away from the mom at the point I found him, so he can walk, and fast too.

    Thank you all for your help and advise, you guys and ladies are life savers.

    P.s-----> people have lost the part where they care about anything else but themselves since not one person stopped to help or be of any kind of assistance, instead they were mad beacuse I am blocking the road, yet again this is Oklahoma.

  14. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to RamiS:

    gunpackingrandma (04-25-2017), Mel1959 (04-23-2017), Nancy in New York (04-23-2017)

  15. #9
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby

    Thank you for caring enough to help. World needs more like you!! Keep us posted.
    President--Meemor Anonymous,
    Mary...
    MISS YOU NUT, LOVE YOU FOREVER.
    BEAN, NOW IN HEAVEN BUT FOREVER IN MY HEART,
    I AM A BETTER PERSON FOR HAVING LOVED YOU.
    BUDDY...YOU WERE MY BEST FRIEND AND I WILL MISS YOU FOREVER.
    PEANUT...YOU CHANGED ME FOREVER..AND TOOK MY HEART WHEN YOU LEFT.
    I WILL MISS YOU FOREVER AND A DAY.

  16. 3 TSBers pass along the fuzzy thanks to pappy1264:

    gunpackingrandma (04-25-2017), Mel1959 (04-23-2017), Nancy in New York (04-23-2017)

  17. #10
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    Default Re: Orphan opossum baby

    Quote Originally Posted by pappy1264 View Post
    Thank you for caring enough to help. World needs more like you!! Keep us posted.
    Quick Update:

    The little one made it to the Wildcare center and he is in good hands, I just called this morning and they said they are getting him ready for feeding

    Thank you all very much for your speedy responses and care

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