How do I feed my 2 week old possum?
You may offer Pedialyte diluted 1:2 with lukewarm water for the first two feedings 3-4 hours apart. Then you gradually introduce Esbilac (puppy milk substitute) over the next 24 hours. Feed with a dropper or syringe. Opossums do not suckle.
How long do baby possums stay together?
After only 13 days in the womb, the tiny babies climb up their mother’s body from the birth canal to her pouch, where they attach to a nipple and stay there for about 50 days. After that, they are old enough to leave the pouch and climb onto their mother’s back where they spend much of their time being ferried about.
Do baby opossums carry diseases?
Opossums carry diseases such as leptospirosis, tuberculosis, relapsing fever, tularemia, spotted fever, toxoplasmosis, coccidiosis, trichomoniasis, and Chagas disease.
How to take care of an orphaned opossum?
Caring for orphaned opossums ► Use an eye dropper to feed them infant formula (Esbilac) or soy milk as soon as you get them home. Ensure that the milk is slightly warm, but not too much. Feed them water in the same manner.
How often should you feed a baby possum?
Ensure that the milk is slightly warm, but not too much. Feed them water in the same manner. ► The frequency of these feeds should be once every 2 – 3 hours, and it should be done carefully, drop by drop. Would you like to write for us? Well, we’re looking for good writers who want to spread the word.
What can you give an opossum instead of milk?
Do not offer cow’s milk. You may offer Pedialyte diluted 1:2 with lukewarm water for the first two feedings 3-4 hours apart. Then you gradually introduce Esbilac (puppy milk substitute) over the next 24 hours.
How old are baby opossums when they come out of their pouch?
Opossums are North America’s only marsupial. The female carries and nurses her young (up to 13 at a time) in her pouch until they are about 2-3 months old. Then they are carried another 1-3 months on her back when they are outside their den. They are omnivores that have been around since the days of the dinosaurs.
What to do with an orphaned opossum baby?
Any opossum baby found wandering without its mother should be taken into rehabilitation. Opossum mothers will not retrieve lost youngsters. Until you are able to contact and place the orphan with a permitted Wildlife Rehabilitator, you can follow these CARE INSTRUCTIONS to give the infant the best chance for survival.
How old do opossums have to be before they can be released?
Opossums should be ready for release at 20 to 22 weeks of age. Prior to release, your opossums should have been in a large outdoor cage for at least two weeks, preferably longer. They should be acclimated to weather changes, outdoor noises and the sights and sounds of the world.
How often do you give an opossum formula?
Make the formula as indicated in the diet section. Offer diluted formula every 2 hours using a 1 cc syringe, eye-dropper, or pet nurser. Syringes are better because there is less chance of aspiration. Give three feedings of 1 part formula / 2 parts water, then three feedings of 1 part formula/ 1 part water.
What can I give an opossum that does not suckle?
Do not offer cow’s milk. You may offer Pedialyte diluted 1:2 with lukewarm water for the first two feedings 3-4 hours apart. Then you gradually introduce Esbilac (puppy milk substitute) over the next 24 hours. Feed with a dropper or syringe. Opossums do not suckle.
