2003-05-14

this page, When an opossum is attacked and can no longer defend itself through bluffing (baring his teeth/hissing nastily) or biting, it will go into a catatonic state known as “Thanatosis.” Thanatosis is a defense mechanism that apparently makes the attacking creature believe the animal is dead with the hopes of it losing interest in “killing” it. The opossum will actually appear dead when this happens. So maybe the possum wasn’t really dying, I suggested to Fred when he came upstairs to get ready for work. Fred smiled. “Maybe he’s playing possum!” Fred got ready for work, and I dozed off and on. We talked about the possum some more, and then he went back downstairs to find a cough drop and check on the possum. I had almost dropped off to sleep when he walked back into the room. “Houston,” he said. “We have a possum!” The dying possum was now up and moving around and occasionally opening his mouth threateningly. Fred went to wake up the spud so she could look at it. And let me just say, DAMN are possums stinky things. Possibly because one of their main sources of sustenance is roadkill (which would also explain why so many of them are roadkill themselves – they’re not fast enough to get out of the way of traffic). We discussed what to do with the possum. Fred was in favor of putting it in the next door neighbor’s yard, because we’re pretty sure that’s where it came from – that’s where the adult possum came from a few weeks ago, and the couple of times Fred’s seen a possum, it also came from that direction. I nixed that idea, though, because if we put it back where it came from, it would undoubtedly wander back into our yard, or Fancypants would find it in the neighbor’s yard and bring it into the house. Finally, Fred decided to take it over to Rainbow Mountain on his way to work and let it loose. He called when he got to work to let me know all had gone as planned. Let’s just hope there aren’t other adolescent possums next door ready to be snatched up and brought into the house. You knew there’d be a picture, right? Amusing possum links I found a few weeks ago and meant to link to: Fat Possum Records. Old Possum’s Book Store. The ‘Possum Pages. The Possum Cookbook. Possum Dixon. Doesn’t everyone need possum fur nipple warmers? Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats (thanks to reader Fitchypoo for reminding me of this one!)

Even shaved, he’s the fanciest thing around. ]]>

16 thoughts on “2003-05-14”

  1. my WORD – that’s hysterical. thank God my cats are indoor pets because lord knows what their bad asses would bring home. and LOVE fancypants’ new look – very slimmingy 🙂

  2. Do your kitties wear bells on their necks? Would that help ward off birds and such? The possum thing would have totally traumatized me!

  3. If I found a live possum in the house, the poo in my pants would match the possum poo on the floor. Although that isn’t quite true because I’d probably be tucked away quite safely in the back of my closet while the hubby took care of it. Hahaha.

  4. Robyn, once I witnessed a dog leaning over and barking at a possum for hours about an inch from its face. Hours! Hours on end! The possom just lay on its back and looked like the deadest thing I’ve ever seen, but eventually the dog gave up and the possum ran away. It was both grotesque and cool at the same time.

  5. That’s scare-larious.
    Our bigger dog has caught lizards, squirrels and cats before, but because we rarely let her out alone I’m there to stop her from killing them. Or collecting them inside the house.
    Just writing the words “possum poop” makes me shiver and want to play dead.

  6. Oh Robyn you are the bravest woman I’ve ever met! No, not for dealing with the little creature — for SMELLING what you were wiping up. Hee.
    The little guy is cute. Maybe you should let him stay — really piss off the cats.

  7. Robyn,
    We’ve had possums “renting” our garage for years! They were originally attracted to the cat food we kept in there for the half-feral cats we’ve managed to catch to get spayed/neutered but not managed to tame totally. From that first Mother possum and 2 babies, we’ve had generation after generation. I have tons of possum pics! We’ve even brought babies into the house! Currently we have 5 babies just about the same size as the one in your photo. Those half-feral cats will eat out of the same bowl at the same time as the possums! Scout who kills moles like crazy won’t harm a hair on a possum’s body! We love possums now! Poor things have no place to live with all the building going on throughout our area. If we can offer them a nice dry garage and some canned/dry cat food and a few leftovers, they are more than welcome here.

  8. Jen – He doesn’t (I say “he” because we suspect it’s Fancypants) have a bell on his collar, but he has a name tag that jingles when he moves. I think that the birds he gets are either sick or too young to know what’s going on. I think that the possum was just too young, which is how he got caught.
    Eliza – we thought the little guy was seriously hurt. I couldn’t believe it when I saw him moving around, sniffing. I guess there’s a reason they call it “playing possum.” 🙂
    Marcia – You gotta sniff it to figure out what it is! Heh. That’s one of my mottos in life.
    Fitchypoo – I did, didn’t I? I’ll have to go add it in.
    Ev – And they don’t hiss at or try to bite the cats? That’s kind of cool, actually!

  9. How cute!!! Mr. or Miss Possum looks like a hedgehog with fur and a tail instead of spikes and a nubbin!

  10. OK, this is why I’m a dog person and glad I don’t live in the south. That was just nasty.
    Although I’m sure my future mutts will find plenty of stuff to do that will gross me out. Dogs enjoying rolling in decomposed squirrel and everything. Stuff that the groomer can handle is fine- bringing dead animals in the house, not so much.

  11. Damn, if I hadn’t seen the photo of the baby possum I almost wouldn’t have believed it! That’s one fucked up story! Haa haa!!! Possums, birds, frogs….what’s next? A skunk?!!?

  12. Oowwee! The possum story freaked me out, but I loved the pic of Fancypants Lite. I’d forgotten that you’d had him shaved. He looks very chic indeed (especially with the plumed tail). Thanks for the grin!

  13. Oh my, poor little critter! Actually, in our pre-doggy days, our cats used to be “friends” with some of the possums hanging out in the backyard…that is, staring at each other through the sliding door glass for hours every night. Of course, once we adopted Cleo, she chased them out of the yard for good. Really hope that baby possum is okay and thriving!

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