Metro to Mountain Journal

Saturday morning, we got up early and took Jake for his customary walk. On returning home, we began working on projects. It has been cool in the mornings, so we leave the doors open to help lower the house's temperature.

Jake sat by the door. We use a baby fence/gate leaned against the door opening to give Jake his boundaries.

Suddenly, Jake was disturbed and began barking. I went to the door and could not see anything, but there are chipmunks that live nearby that he loves to chase. He is not fast enough to catch the chipmunks but he always on guard.

Moving the fence, Jake bolted onto the porch and began sniffing. A critter was there, somewhere on the porch.

Amy joined me and we made Jake go back inside his gated doorway. We then began moving furniture to find the critter. Well, it was not the usual chipmunk, but instead a baby possum. All babies are cute, even possums - in their own sort of way.

We got a broom and tried to shoo the little fellow off of the porch. (We were not hitting of sweeping him - only using the broom to direct his movements.)

He moved until he got close to the edge of the porch. He seemed to be afraid of the two step drop. We tried to nudge him with the broom. He clung to the concrete with a death grip as he lay motionless - playing possum of course.

Amy, who was manning the broom, wanted a pair of gloves. I looked for a pair, but also said, you can't pick him up, look at his teeth. You'll get rabies.

She then informed me that possums did not get rabies. Now, I didn't know if possums carried rabies or not. I definitely knew that I didn't have time to Google - possum rabies. Regardless, the rubber gloves I started to hand her were not going to be enough protection for those sharp looking teeth.

I then spied a nearby horse blanket. Grabbing the blanket I picked up the little guy. Amy immediately began to pet him and commented on how soft he was.

We found a small hole in our fence and placed him on the ground so that the blanket would direct him back to where he probably came from. (We don't have critters living in our backyard. Jake defends his yard daily.)

We checked back a few hours later and the possum had left.

Jake did a double check to make sure the possum was gone and then laid back down to continue to do his duty - guard the yard.

 

Happy baby possum trails.

 

Oh, possums may have rabies, but usually don't. they have to low of a body temperature for the virus. Link to the Opossum Society.