Oppie's Page
Last Update -

His 1st Week In Class
 Oppie.....our 1st arrival this season joined us on the 22nd of April. He came to us as the result of an encounter his mother had with an automobile. Unlike many inconsiderate motorist, Sherri realized that she had hit Oppie's mother and went back to check on her. Unfortunately the mother and all of Oppie's siblings perished, leaving him orphaned and alone.
A local Vet put Sherri in touch with one of our local Opossum Rehabilitators who, already having more orphans than she can manage, passed Sherri on to Dixie. Oppie is presently doing well in his studies and we expect him to graduate with honors later this season.
Isn't it time for recess yet ?
 Now there's a face only a mother could Love.... But give it time and it will grow on you.. Look close, doesn't he look a little like the boy that came to pick up your teen aged daughter last Friday night ???
Ahhh, Lunch Time !!
 Feeding these little critters takes extra effort, special feeding tubes for younger babies, and a syringe as they get older. Opossums require a special diet containing large amounts of calcium and protein to help bone development. Hang on to your stomach, one of Oppie's favorite snacks is a nice juicy Roach. We turn on our porch light and rush out to capture these little treats for our opossums.... Oh... such fun !!!
Progress Update
 Well, after eight weeks in the Nursery, Oppie has really grown. He's been living in the outside pen now for over a month but he still love his attention. Judging by his size now, he's going to be a very large opossum....

Wine in the makin. Look me in the eye... Oppie's Iguana impression














11th Week In the Nursery
 Oppie will soon be released back into the wild. Though he's physically large enough now to take care of himself.. we have to get Dixie emotionally ready to let him go... That could take another 2 or 3 weeks at the present rate....

Just another Lazy
Summer Day.		 To Big to hide
behind a tree!		 I used to be able to
sit on this hand.














Oppie's Release
 Well Oppie's time has come... On the night of 14 July, Dixie decided it was time for Oppie to experience life in the wild. We want to see if he will continue to return for visits so we can watch his progress as he continues to grow to an adult. This is a difficult time for us, but it is something we always knew would come.

Down the Ramp and
on with life.		 One last discussion
with Tiger!		 And off we go
to explore life....














Painful Last Note!
 After Oppie had only been free for five days, Dixie found a young opossum in the road leading to our house. Though it was badly crushed by a car, the color, size, and markings are those of Oppie. This is an extremely painful and sad irony, considering Oppie came to us the sole survivor when his mother and siblings died under the wheel of a car... I can't help but feel our decision to release him close to home was probably the primary contributing factor that led to his death... I also can't help but feel a bit of anger considering the fact that some heartless person crushed his little body in the middle of the turning lane where no traffic should have been.... We will look long and hard for safer release locations for our other Nursery members...