ADULT OPOSSUM(S)
Do not underestimate an injured adult.
1. OBSERVE
What is normal behavior?
Opossums hiss, drool, sway and/or open their mouths really wide showing all 50 teeth, as a bluff routine to scare off perceived danger.
Unfortunately, this bluff routine is often wrongly interpreted as rabies. Surprisingly, opossums rarely get rabies. Some scientists believe this natural resistance to rabies may be a result of their low body temperature.
3. CALL
Something is wrong.
If an opossum is hit by a vehicle and is deceased, look for a pouch and baby opossums inside. If found, contact a wildlife rehabilitator for assistance. Sometimes when a mother opossum is hit by a car her babies become scattered.
Stand quietly and listen for a clicking sound, because this is how opossums communicate. Also make sure the mother opossum is truly dead. Opossums “play dead” (faint) when scared. Look to see whether the opossum blinks his/her eyes. If they are alive, contact a wildlife rehabilitator for assistance.
