Possums as pets, Awsome.

[Lil Chirp]

Possums are my favorite things. And get this,if I toss fresh scraps out for the possums,THEY LEAVE MY CHICKENS ALONE.
Infact I caught a juvi possum that got stuck between the house and the compost box and kept her for three days.
I even fed,watered,and played with her and after I opened the cage to let her go and she crawled out and stared at me.
And after ten minutes of staring at each other she walked away.
And ever since I set live traps,catch possums,play with the small ones and let them go. Insaine,right?

 

[The Chicken Lady]

Quote:
Yes, extremely.

So far, it's working out for you, but it seems that all you're really doing is taming wild animals and taking away their natural fear of humans.

 

[ButtonQuailBoy]

yeah It seems cool now but wait until you get one with rabies...then the REAL problems start...I would leave the wildlife wild if I were you...not trying to be rude...

 

[fowltemptress]

These sorts of things are what cause a lot of the problems people start having with wildlife. Not to be mean, but not only are you potentially causing yourself future problems by taming an animal that is supposed to be wild, but you're causing the animals problems, as well. Not everyone will be as nice to them as you are, and a slightly tamed wild animal is just as likely to run up to a person with a gun as to one with treats.

 

[Lil Chirp]

Every thing has a down side in my life and no one can agree with the way I think.

Sorry.

Of course there are alot of people with pet possums and they even have clubs for it to.
But I should have mentioned that I do it to check them for Injuries and illnesses.
I found one that got hit by a car and the right hip was broken and the back legs were broken.
Then I took him to a wildlife rehab center and they took it from there.

 

[fowltemptress]

It's obvious you have good intentions. It would just be wiser to leave the opossums alone from now on. You didn't know, so don't be upset.

 

[fowltemptress]

Quote:
That was nice of you. But feeding them scraps is still not a good idea. I hope you can be persuaded to discontinue that part, at least.

 

[Guinea Goonie]

I dispatched a possum in my chicken barn just last night. He killed two of my nice white silkie hens. If you value your chickens, then you will get rid of the possums. It is not that possums like chickens, they LIKE CHICKEN !! Possums killing every one of the chickens you have is NOT uncommon. I presume, sometime down the road this will come back and bite you right in the ........

 

[monarc23]

sure you can get opossums (that's the true spelling btw lol) as pets, with a permit (in most states) and from a licensed breeder. Not wild animals. You can get in a world of trouble from the game commission for what you are doing.

Rescuing an injured wild animal and taking it to a rehabber is one thing, trapping opossums just to play with them and release them is another.

I mean you well saying these things, as I see the appeal they are adorable. However, they are a predator....the more you feed them in one area, the more they will commune there, the more wild animals who aren't vaccinated commune the more risk of disease (this is how deer get mass diseases from people who feed them in the winter forcing the deer to collonise in one area to rely on food).....if one comes in rabid or with distemper all the others have the potential of getting it and they'll all suffer a long and horrible death and so could any of your pet animals that are exposed to them including you.

Not only that, one night they may not like the food you have out for them but boy those chickens sure look tastey......don't feed the wild life.

 

[Dill]

I really like possums and plan on keeping some as pets one day (and yes, where i am you're allowed to without a permit). They're so cute and awesome. There is a type that is kept as pets, I forget what they're called but I plan on getting them unless i happen to find an orphaned baby wild possum.