We caught the varmint .. now what ..

[SurferchickinSB]

Y'all.

I had a broody hen that hatched out 9 adorable EE fluff balls for us on April 15. I shut mama bird and babies in our chicken run by themselves until the babies got a little bigger. Sunday night something climbed the post to our run, tore a 4" hole in the bird netting at the top and helped themselves to the buffet of 8 of the chicks. 3 years with this setup with no problems. Lesson learned the hard way. Don't get comfortable, folks. Mama .. my very best lovable broody hen .. appeared to try to fight off the attacker and initially survived. Didn't have a scratch on her, just missing feathers. She started going downhill Monday afternoon. I attempted all the supportive care I could, but sadly she passed last night. Remaining single baby is now out with the 4 week old birds trying to figure out its place among 20 new not friendly friends. I gave it plenty of hiding places till the bigger chicks lay off.

Meanwhile we set a trap and have the wildlife cameras out to catch this thing. Stinking opossum. Nights 1 and 2 it stole the bait. Last night we caught it ..
Currently SHE is still in the trap with at least 2 babies crawling all over her. First intent was to lethally dispose of the culprit. The little ones complicate the situation. What would you do??

Take it to Animal Control, and they will dispatch it. I have heard that when you catch an animal and release it in a different area it only has a 25% chance of survival.

 

[Peepsi]

I know this answer won't be popular, but I've done it before. KEEP THE BABIES AS PETS (if you are allowed to in your state)! They make great pets. I had a pet possum once, because a baby fell off momma and was left all alone. I raised her on a possum diet (look it up, they have special dietary needs), and taught her to use the litter box. Her name was Stinky, and she was the best pet I ever had. Loving, came when you called her, did not mess up the house at all, and faithfully used the litter box each time.

EDIT: Although, I don't know how having 2 of them for a pet would work. They're don't hang out in social groups. But I know having one for a pet works!

 

[chkva]

Some times you don't have to handle them to get rabies. A mother and her child were attacked here recently in Maine. Both now are being treated for rabies. It was a fox if I remember correctly.

My friend is from Maine and her son and his father were attacked near Gardiner Maine, I believe it was last year... Her child was outside playing and the fox attacked him for no reason, he never even saw the fox until it was biting him. The father stepped in and got the fox off. Both were being treated for rabies. There's a house by them that has a lot of trash and what not that they believe attracted several fox.

 

[danceswithronin]

I really wouldnt be so stupid to let one bite me or my son. Btw hes 22 so not much of a baby. But anyway. Animals are not "just animals". They are very important. Humans on the other hand!

I rescue wildlife all the time, I have moved armadillos out of the road and picked up injured possums barehanded, I have relocated raccoons and squirrels after catching them, I have raised up baby birds and mice and even a bat. If putting myself at the very, very minimal risk of rabies exposure is the price of business in dealing intimately with wildlife, then I consider it a price well paid. Other callings pose other kinds of farfetched risks, but animal husbandry is mine, and I embrace whatever risks come with that, farfetched or not.

 

[Tortoise]

I rescue wildlife all the time, I have moved armadillos out of the road and picked up injured possums barehanded, I have relocated raccoons and squirrels after catching them, I have raised up baby birds and mice and even a bat. If putting myself at the very, very minimal risk of rabies exposure is the price of business in dealing intimately with wildlife, then I consider it a price well paid. Other callings pose other kinds of farfetched risks, but animal husbandry is mine, and I embrace whatever risks come with that, farfetched or not.

Oh, I didnt mean to not take the risk. I haven't got to rehab/help as many as you however I have a few and will help an animal in need no matter what. I would just take the precautions to not get bitten. If it were to happen, and the scare of rabies is there, well, we have treatment for that.
My point of my original post, is that animals AREN'T "just" animals. As if they are of no importance. They are of great importance.

 

[RazorDuck]

I've never had problems with predators being a nuisance. They seem to get a disease when they come around here. I don't know the scientific name for it, but I think it's called lead poisoning.

 

[bobbi-j]

I've never had problems with predators being a nuisance. They seem to get a disease when they come around here. I don't know the scientific name for it, but I think it's called lead poisoning.

I've heard of that. I think it's airborne. For a short time, anyway.

 

[twendt]

Ummm... I'm an definitely am NOT an expert on armadillos, however, they can carry Leprosy, not something I would expose my family to....just saying

 

[Fishkeeper]

They can, but you have to touch them to get it. Even then, if you wash your hands really well, you'll be fine. It's treatable nowadays, anyway- you get a nasty rash, you go to the doctor and mention you touched an armadillo, they say "you have leprosy", they give you antibiotics, you're fine. It's not like you get exiled to an island while all your limbs fall off.

 

[gtaus]

I've never had problems with predators being a nuisance. They seem to get a disease when they come around here. I don't know the scientific name for it, but I think it's called lead poisoning.

I believe the scientific latin name is plumbum veneficii. Has reduced many varmints for years and years around here, too.