Other pets (pics and discussions)

[tress29]

So much for not getting attached

I would guess an opossum wouldn't domesticate, like a skunk would?

[guidofatherof5]

I would guess an opossum wouldn't domesticate, like a skunk would?

[ConcinusMan]

I would guess an opossum wouldn't domesticate, like a skunk would?

Depends on how you define domestication. Personally I don't think that simply taming a wild animal and keeping it as a pet qualifies, even if the animal is captive bred and born. But when it comes to opossums you're forgetting one thing: The reason they have spread far beyond their native habitat is because they were once widely kept domestically, both for food and as pets and they still are to a lesser degree. Pioneers brought live opossums (their pets) west with them where they soon escaped or were released so they could be hunted for food. Genetically speaking these "pets" were identical to their wild counterparts since there was no selective breeding as there has been with skunks and foxes.

EEEEWWW!!! She touched that nasty thing!! Someone call an exterminator or give me a baseball bat.

[d_virginiana]

Having raised them before, both for release and some that have become long-term captives due to serious injury, I can say that they are definitely not 'pets'. They tend to trust only one or two people who work with them daily, as opposed to truly domesticated animals that are pretty much okay around a lot of people. Of course, if you happen to be the person that they trust, they can be as sweet as a dog or cat. On the other hand, if a new person walks into the room, they may as well be dealing with a wild one because they will go nuts; and you do not want a lawsuit because your buddy decided to pet a 'tame' 25 pound possum while you weren't supervising.
Another reason they make really horrible pets is that they're very mobile and very smart (they actually rank above dogs, and on level with pigs in discrimination tests). It's kind of like having a small child (thumbs and all) that can climb into all the cabinets.

[guidofatherof5]

This is a comfortable 22 pound snapping turtle - Chelydra serpentina. Tank is cuddled in with his favorite goose down blanket. I hadn't seen him all day so I checked on him. He didn't want to get up and shortly after the photo retreated into the blanket.

[guidofatherof5]

Tank was fed last night and soon after went straight to bed.
I told him that he could sleep the entire day and that I wouldn't get him up until Sat. morning. This would usually happen but not tonight.
While I worked on my laptop on the living room floor Tank rushed out from under his bookcase and blankets.
It could only mean one thing. He had to go to the bathroom. Sure enough once he was in his water he went #1.
This was a quick bathroom break as he came right out of the water and went back to bed.
It is so nice to have a potty trained snapping turtle.

[d_virginiana]

Well, sad update on the baby possum. It died earlier this week very suddenly. It ate fine and curled up after its afternoon feeding, then four hours later when I came in to feed it again was dying. It died in my hand a few minutes later.
I'm almost certain the cause was systemic septicemia. (FYI for anyone else who ever has to deal with a marsupial of any sort) This sort of septicemia occurs in marsupials. It goes systemic with few-to-no symptoms for days, killing them suddenly. The only signs are blistering on the feet and ears that occur shortly before death. I saw one of these blisters had appeared on this one's foot in the hours right before he died.
I shouldn't have gotten my hopes up; my husband's sister kept him for almost 48 hours with no food, water, or heat source before we got him. I knew logically that it would be difficult for a pouch-baby to bounce back from that. (Though it baffles me as to why someone couldn't spend five minutes on the internet, to figure out that something as simple as a heater could save an animal's life).
Even though it's sad, I do feel better knowing that he had re-imprinted (I guess that's what you could call it) on me as his mother. At least he had three days of being warm and happy, with minimal stress on him.

It is so nice to have a potty trained snapping turtle.

Can he give my dog lessons?

[mikem]

Sorry for your loss of the little guy

[guidofatherof5]

Thanks for giving the possum a chance.

[Stefan-A]

Sorry to hear it.