A Momma Opossum and her 13 babies in care. She was found emaciated and weak but is improving everyday. The babies are also learning to drink and eat on their own. #marsupial #opossum #tickeaters | Wild West Wildlife Rehabilitation Center

Cold weather poses a very real threat to many of our native species, but opossums have it especially tough. They don’t hibernate. They don’t den in groups to conserve body heat. And they are still somewhat nomadic in the winter, changing den sites frequently. Their furless ears and tails are often lost to frostbite when temperatures drop below freezing. This is so common that our staff always note with excitement when an adult opossum comes into care with full ears and an undamaged tail! Though

Ollie eating his first chicken wing. People have asked about opossum diets. They eat mostly road kill, bugs, snakes, fish, dead birds in the wild (and of course free bird seed). Since they are only in our care for a short time, we do the best we can to provide them the most wholesome diet for their recovery that we can readily buy at the store. We don't feed them dead things found in the yard in case of poisoning, parasites or diseases. We boil all their meats for 30 seconds to kill any potentia