We have babies - Short-tailed opossums

[firefox2]

Skittles (my female short-tailed opossum) finally came out of her nest for a bite to eat, after not eating anything yesterday, even passing up meal worms. Well, tonight she came out to get a bite to eat (baby food - sweet potato, her fave), and there were little pink squirmie things attached to her nipples, little pink Tic-tac's I can't count them unless I disturb her, as they are soooo tiny.
Keep your fingers crossed that nothing goes wrong, I am a nervous wreck right now, all that research, and I am still a basket case.
I am trying to keep everyone in the house quiet so she doesn't eat her babies. Here is a picture each of the proud parents

 

[Highlander]

Very,Very cool animal. I am suprised that anyone on the boards actually keeps them. I remember a while back I was considering getting one but for what ever reason I dedided against it. Do you think you could post some pics of the enclosure?Thanks for sharing the pics

 

[firefox2]

I don't currently have a picture of the enclosure, and can't disturb her with the babies or she will destroy them, but once she is in the clear I can do that. I keep her in a 20 gal. aquarium with a tight fitting screen top. Although a 10 gal. is sufficient for them, I decided to go one up with them . I have (normally) a lot of things in their habitats, a wheel, branches for climbing on, 3 or 4 "nests" as they like variety

 

[Stardust]

Gd luck firefox2

 

[Rourke]

These are very cool, and I wish you luck with the little ones!

Long ago, Bryant Capiz mixed up my order with someone else's, and I received a box with, among other things, 3 short-tailed opposums. My boss was quite pissed. She had no problem with spiders, but the opposums disturbed her. At the time, I was running the University of Florida's Transgenic Mouse Facility...you know, the kind of lab where you have to shower and don sterile garb to avoid passing pathogens on to the mice? I went home early that day, for a long chemical bath!!

Anyhow, I've liked the little critters ever since Bryant made the error, which was my first and only encounter with them. Hope it all goes well!

 

[emilsmee]

are they gonna be for sale??? they're absolutely adorable, what the care like compared to a glider or pygmy dormouse?

 

[firefox2]

Oh yes, they will be up for sale, provided they make it ok. It's touch and go for as long as they are with mom. They are still doing fine though.
I've never looked after a pygmy dormouse, nor a glider, but I have friends who have gliders and a possum, and the possum is easier to care for than a glider, somewhat. They still have a special diet, but basically consists of quality hedgehog food, quality (small bites) cat food, baby food, and crickets and mealworms, the occasional frozen pinkie mouse, fruit and veggies sometimes. So not as intense of a diet as a glider.
Also, these guys do bond with their owners, but will bond with new owners quickly, so it's not a lifetime commitment if something happens, and people can't keep them. Also, they are solitary animals, unlike gliders, so must be kept singly else they will kill each other.

 

[painslie310]

Short Tailed Possum (STO)

I was wondering if you still had short tailed possum's and how they were doing? I am waiting to get mine and have had one in the past that touched my heart. I hope all is well and take care. Penny

 

[equuskat]

did you notice that this thread is more than 4 years old? The original poster hasn't even logged in for about a year.