Physiological Zoology. That will contribute to a larger proportion of the diet. o Ensure there is an escape route if a possum falls in – e.g. Another study conducted in New York State in 1951 analyzed the stomach contents of 187 opossums. It involves a lot of delicate handling, patience, and a working knowledge of these marsupials. “Cercartetus lepidus(Diprotodontia: Burramyidae)”. For babies that are 10 to 25 grams, feed 1 cc and for babies weighing from 25 to 50 grams, feed 1.74 cc. For babies that are 10 to 25 grams, feed 1 cc and for babies weighing from 25 to 50 grams, feed 1.74 cc. CSIRO Publishing.Wellard GA, Hume ID (1981) “Nitrogen metabolism and nitrogen requirement of the brushtail possum, Trichosurus vulpecula (Kerr).” Australian Journal of Zoology 29:147-57.Harris, J.M. Baby opossum feces are yellowish brown. Brushtail possums are relatively small compared to humans, so even small portions of human food can be very unhealthy for them.Brushtail possums fed by humans may become less capable and adaptable foragers and dependent on humans for food.
This may last from 40 minutes to 4 hours. There are one or two available brands of commercial Short-tailed Opossum food, but these may be difficult to find at your local pet store. p. 88.I'm excited to share my passion for possums with you. Chopped grapes, melon, apple and berries will form a 5% portion of the meal. See the related eHow.com article "How to Feed a Pet Opossum" for additional details. Check out the nutrient content in the foods that Adapted from the book Wild Neighbors. Possums which inhabit denser, wetter forests tend to be darker in colour. Achieving good nutrition in the opossum is a difficult and evolving task. They normally eat leaves, flowers, fruits and insects. You can also feed your possum peanut butter which it probably loves to munch on. The Brushtail Possum has a pointed face and pink nose, with long oval ears and bushy black tail. They can “Play Possum” now! The opossum as a biological organism is not forgiving of a poor diet- they WILL get sick, lose mobility, or die if they are fed inappropriately. In the wild, possums will eat just about anything they can get their little paws on. After that, you can feed them a puppy formula, such as Esbilac. Menkhorst, Peter (2001). bricks placed on the top step of a pool, or a sturdy stack of bricks onto which a possum can climb to get out of a pond. In place of commercial food, you can successfully feed your pet using cat, ferret or even hedgehog food.
Use a warm, damp washcloth to gently massage over the baby’s lower abdominal and anal area. Current diet information, including the pathogenesis of MBD, is available with membership in the The newborn opossum will require around-the-clock attention and frequent feedings. The amount of formula given at each feeding will vary depending on the baby’s size. Do not remove possums from your property and release them elsewhere. Todd holds an associate degree in communications from the University of Phoenix, and a real estate brokers license in Washington State. Eating other food can cause life threatening illnesses and obesity.
A gentle wild neighbor, the opossum is our only backyard marsupial and is rarely guilty of more than "playing 'possum." – Possum Diet and Eating Habits 250-58.
They normally eat leaves, flowers, fruits and insects. If the babies are a little bigger, about 4-7 inches, the US Opossum Society suggests that you offer them moistened kitten chow and water in a shallow bowl. An important note regarding formulae: We are seeing increasing numbers of cases where infants fed "name brand" formula are resulting in hypocalcemic episodes. Various sources have advised to feed what is known as the Modified Jurgelski Diet (90% kitten chow and 10% raw beef liver) to juvenile opossums.