What the heck is this on my trail cam

[silly4buttons]

I get where people would say it's a possum, but from all of the possums I have ever seen, they are nearly as big as your kitty. This thing is just too small for me to guess it's an opossum. Even if it was a young one, shouldn't it still be nursing off its Momma? It would have to be an AWFULLY young possum, if that is truly the case.

I still say rat.

I thought the same thing. To be perfectly honest I never seen a rat before lol don’t judge. I showed a guy friend asked if he thought it was a rat he didn’t think so e said the chest on the thing looks muscular I thought the same thing the chest reminds me of a boxer or pit (dog) When he work in the chicken farm when he was a kid he the rats where huge I am also thinking that someone let there pet Guinea pig out and it found it’s way in my yard. It’s a thought

 

[silly4buttons]

Size
According to The Opposum Pages website, possums generally grow to about 15 to 20 inches long, which is about the size of a standard house cat. They weigh about 10 to 13 lbs. on average. However, depending on the individual possum's diet and level of activity, he may be bigger in terms of weight. The more well-fed a possum it is, the bigger he will be in terms of girth and the bigger he may seem overall.

https://sciencing.com/big-do-possums-8578534.html

Thank you but it’s so small don’t they need there mama at that age

 

[Peppercorngal]

I wouldn't be so worried about a possum, I'd be more concerned by the mountain lion you have snooping around. She's looking for a fresh chicken dinner. Be afraid, be very afraid. One of these critters tried to jump out of a tree on a neighbor of mine and eat him. It killed his prize breeding ram and some of his sheep. They are scary bad.

 

[PetesChicks]

Looks like a possum to me, pretty young. I'm not sure what that is under the coop. And I don't know what's up with everyone talking about cougars/mountain lions? The night vision picture I couldn't really tell what kind of cat, but you said it was your's right in the post, then the daytime color picture should have let people realize you don't have cougars going after your chickens. Beautiful cat, by the way!

 

[silly4buttons]

Looks like a possum to me, pretty young. I'm not sure what that is under the coop. And I don't know what's up with everyone talking about cougars/mountain lions? The night vision picture I couldn't really tell what kind of cat, but you said it was your's right in the post, then the daytime color picture should have let people realize you don't have cougars going after your chickens. Beautiful cat, by the way!

Thank you. I posted that the cat was mine then I put up The colored one to show that’s my tucker bear. Lol he so cute and fat

 

[keesmom]

I'm in the next town, and definitely no mountain lions around here! Bobcat, bear, fox, coyote, fisher, mink, weasel and coon for sure. The mystery critter could be an opossum but it's hard for me to see..

Are you infested with rodents this year? We have an insane number of chipmunks, red squirrels, grey squirrels, woodchucks, along with rabbits everywhere. It's bringing in an unusual barrage of daytime predators - fox, coyote, fisher, mink and a barred owl of all things.

 

[MROO]

I get where people would say it's a possum, but from all of the possums I have ever seen, they are nearly as big as your kitty. This thing is just too small for me to guess it's an opossum. Even if it was a young one, shouldn't it still be nursing off its Momma? It would have to be an AWFULLY young possum, if that is truly the case.

I still say rat.

A BIG rat, maybe! ICK!

 

[Zinjifrah]

Thank you but it’s so small don’t they need there mama at that age

Wrong head and ears for a rat. Possum. Young possums are frequently off by themselves. I've seen plenty of possums the same size as that on their own - and had them try to attack me. I've also seen them attack and injure feral cats. I've no doubt at all that they could do some serious damage to chickens, particularly chicks, though it's probably after eggs.

 

[silly4buttons]

I wouldn't be so worried about a possum, I'd be more concerned by the mountain lion you have snooping around. She's looking for a fresh chicken dinner. Be afraid, be very afraid. One of these critters tried to jump out of a tree on a neighbor of mine and eat him. It killed his prize breeding ram and some of his sheep. They are scary bad.

He my cat. Tucker bear

 

[silly4buttons]

I'm in the next town, and definitely no mountain lions around here! Bobcat, bear, fox, coyote, fisher, mink, weasel and coon for sure. The mystery critter could be an opossum but it's hard for me to see..

Are you infested with rodents this year? We have an insane number of chipmunks, red squirrels, grey squirrels, woodchucks, along with rabbits everywhere. It's bringing in an unusual barrage of daytime predators - fox, coyote, fisher, mink and a barred owl of all things.

I have a fox that has been around the neighborhood. Now that you mention it yes a lot more squirrels, chipmunks there was a very big red tail hawk a few years back I swear he everything and left my cats didn’t really bring me any presents for 2 summers