Opossums, often referred to as possums, are fascinating creatures native to North America. With their distinctive pointed snouts, prehensile tails, and nocturnal habits, they play a unique role in our ecosystems. Their adaptability and resilience often lead people to encounter them in their backyards, sparking curiosity and questions about these animals. One common question that arises is: “Can You Pet A Possum?” While their seemingly docile nature might tempt you to approach and interact with them like a domestic pet, understanding their true nature is crucial. This article delves into why, despite their appearances, opossums are not animals you should consider petting or keeping as companions. We’ll explore their complex needs, the ethical considerations, and why admiring them from a distance is the best approach for both you and the opossum.
The Reality of Opossum Care: High Maintenance and Wild Needs
The idea of having a pet opossum might seem intriguing, especially given their sometimes calm demeanor when observed in the wild. However, this outward appearance drastically contrasts with the immense challenges and responsibilities that come with attempting to care for an opossum in captivity. The truth is, opossums are incredibly high-maintenance animals, and the vast majority of individuals are simply not equipped to meet their very specific needs.
Specialized Diet: A Delicate Balance
One of the most significant hurdles in caring for a captive opossum is their highly specialized diet. They require a precise balance of fresh foods and a strict calcium-to-phosphorus ratio. This isn’t a matter of simply providing commercial pet food; their diet must mimic what they would naturally consume in the wild to maintain their health. If this dietary balance is disrupted, opossums are highly susceptible to severe health issues, most notably metabolic bone disease. This debilitating condition can cripple their bones and teeth, and cause irreversible damage to their internal organs. Furthermore, opossums are prone to obesity, even on seemingly appropriate diets, which can trigger a cascade of other health problems, further shortening their already brief lifespans.
Exercise Requirements: Roaming Free is in Their Nature
Another critical aspect of opossum care that is virtually impossible to replicate in a domestic setting is their need for extensive exercise. In their natural habitat, opossums can roam up to half a mile each night in search of food and territory. Confining them to a cage, regardless of size, or even allowing them to roam within a house, cannot replicate this essential aspect of their wild existence. This lack of adequate exercise contributes significantly to stress and health problems in captive opossums.
Veterinary Care Challenges: Specialized Expertise Required
Should a captive opossum become ill, finding appropriate veterinary care presents another significant challenge. Many veterinarians, even those experienced with exotic pets, have limited knowledge of opossum physiology and their unique medical needs. Opossums possess a physiology that differs in significant ways from common domestic pets like dogs and cats. Finding a veterinarian with specialized expertise in opossum care can be incredibly difficult, and even if you do, the costs associated with specialized care, medications, and laboratory tests can be substantial and ongoing, as opossums are prone to various health issues in captivity. Female opossums, in particular, are especially vulnerable to bacterial infections of the urinary and genital tracts, requiring prompt and knowledgeable veterinary intervention. Any signs of discharge, frequent urination, or unusual odors in a female opossum are cause for immediate concern and necessitate expert veterinary attention.
Health Issues in Captivity: Why Captivity Stresses Opossums
Despite their adaptable nature in the wild, opossums are fundamentally unsuited to life in captivity. While they might appear to adjust to human environments, the constant stress of confinement takes a heavy toll on their health and well-being. This chronic stress suppresses their immune systems, making them highly vulnerable to a range of bacterial diseases. What might seem like a healthy opossum can quickly succumb to illness, and their condition can deteriorate rapidly.
Ethically, keeping a wild animal like an opossum as a pet raises serious concerns. By removing them from their natural habitat, you are essentially imprisoning them, denying them the ability to fulfill their natural instincts and behaviors. While an opossum may seem calm or even affectionate in captivity, this should not be mistaken for contentment. Their outward demeanor can be misleading, masking the underlying stress and compromised health they experience. The short natural lifespan of opossums is further shortened and often filled with suffering when they are kept in captivity due to the inevitable health complications arising from an unnatural environment.
Personal Experience: The Heartbreak of Keeping a Wild Possum
The stark realities of keeping an opossum as a pet are poignantly illustrated in the personal account shared by a member of the National Opossum Society:
“I hear that you are thinking about trying to keep a wild opossum baby as a pet and want to share with you my recent heartbreaking experiences. I, too, wanted to keep captive a healthy baby opossum – and since I volunteer at wildlife clinics – last year I took in an orphaned baby whose mother had been hit by a car and killed. It has been one of the most heart breaking, stressful, confusing and selfish mistakes I have made in my whole life. I didn’t listen to any of the people who told me to let them be free–as they were born to be. I thought that if I followed the expert advice of possum specialists, I could keep my baby alive and happy. Instead, I had to bury him after a long, hard death. I loved him dearly and it broke my heart. Opossums are not meant to be kept as pets, and I swear to you it is the most expensive, gut wrenching heart-breaking experience I have suffered thus far. I have rehabbed and kept many other domestic animals and some other species of injured wildlife, but opossums are only sure to suffer in human hands. Please spare yourself and these babies. I have spent over a thousand dollars just on vet bills so far, and now my Mickey is dead. Every day I wonder if he would still be alive chasing bugs and eating slugs and having a family if only I weren’t so selfish and could have let him be free like he was meant to be. I know they are cute and cuddly and adorable little critters to see and touch, but please don’t keep them — it will break your heart for sure-but most importantly, it is a very selfish thing to do. They only suffer in the hands of humans, and if they can be free, please don’t be selfish-let them have the life they were meant to live.”
This heartfelt account underscores the immense emotional and financial toll of attempting to keep a wild opossum as a pet, even for someone with experience in wildlife care. It serves as a powerful reminder that even with the best intentions, the inherent challenges of meeting an opossum’s complex needs in captivity often lead to heartbreak and suffering for both the animal and the caretaker.
Alternatives: How to Help Opossums Ethically
Instead of attempting to keep a healthy opossum as a pet, there are far more ethical and beneficial ways to interact with and help these animals. If you are passionate about opossum welfare, consider supporting your local wildlife rehabilitation centers. These organizations play a crucial role in rescuing, rehabilitating, and releasing injured and orphaned opossums back into the wild. Volunteering your time or donating to these centers directly contributes to the well-being of opossums in your community.
If you find an orphaned or injured opossum, the most helpful action you can take is to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator or animal control in your area. These professionals have the expertise and resources to properly care for the animal and determine the best course of action, whether it be rehabilitation and release or, in cases of non-releasable opossums, providing sanctuary care. Occasionally, wildlife rehabilitators may have non-releasable opossums that require long-term care. For individuals truly dedicated to opossum welfare and capable of meeting their complex needs, providing a home for a non-releasable opossum under the guidance and support of a licensed rehabilitator might be considered. However, this is a significant commitment and should only be undertaken after careful consideration and with expert guidance.
Ultimately, the most ethical and responsible approach to opossums is to appreciate them in their natural environment. Observing them from a distance, respecting their wild nature, and supporting their conservation are the most meaningful ways to coexist with these fascinating creatures. Choosing to leave them in the wild allows them to live the life they were meant to live, contributing to the biodiversity of our ecosystems and fulfilling their vital role in the natural world.
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