At first, the animal can adapt to living with people. If they are being kept as pets, they could become overweight and potentially unhealthy. (2015). When they behave like nature intended they can be not so nice "pets". Possums attack pets or even humans with massively pointed teeth. "If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it. You should go to a pet store and buy puppy milk to feed it. By rearing a possum in captivity, you are suppressing their natural instincts. Posted: (1 days ago) As many posts on r/Opossums will be quick to inform you, possums should only be kept as pets when they require rehabilitative care and couldn’t survive on their own in the wild. Based on your description of size, open eyes and behaviour it is at least 8 weeks old. This female possum lived happily in Ronnie Hitchen's shed in Kaitaia. McKenzie said he couldn't say how many cases he had come across, but it was part of his job as a regulator to remind people it's illegal to keep possums as pets. Use. Both need the care of a vet and treatment should basic health issues arise. Possums (Trichosurus vulpecula) were introduced to New Zealand from Australia in 1837 to establish a fur industry. This is something important when considering opossums as pets. Another important factor is that it is illegal to keep possums without a wildlife rehabilitation permit. In captivity, they may survive for longer, if proper nutrition and care are received from a qualified handler. When you notice that the opossum is lapping up it's puppy milk, you can offer solid foods in the form of baby food, Pay close attention for the first week when offering solid foods as the opossum has a tendency to take too much and choke. First Evidence of Gregarious Denning in Opossums (Didelphimorphia, Didelphidae), with Notes on Their Social Behaviour. Diets in captivity cannot hope to match the diversity of the animal's diet in the wild. The diet is varied including corn and poultry. But it happened to me. Their claws are sharper than a cats & are stronger too. Also, if you're in Australia its totally illegal to have a brushtail possum as a pet. This AnimalWised article explores the possibility of raising possums as pets and whether they should be released once they reach adulthood. Another black possum caused Hitchens disbelief when she found it playing with her cats. It's illegal to keep possums in captivity in Northland but possum lovers say they make "highly intelligent, lovely pets". The same goes for keeping possums as pets. They are not rodents! Opossums can be encountered in the backyard and pose a threat to pets and humans. "There are, however, strict criteria around breeding possums and putting them on public display." Omega Pet Food Product Background. So they work out to be pretty beneficial for combating household pests. They also seem to enjoy our companionship as they will wander around the house, then climb up on the couch where we are sitting, curl up against us, and take a nap. While the opossum is not generally an aggressive animal, this aspect should not be ignored. They are never referred to as an opossum, which is why many call the American kind the opossum and the antipodean variety simply the possum. Cold Case murder mystery: What happened to Marion Granville? But by then, possums were already living in 450 different parts of New Zealand. The trap holds the possum, which usually curls up and goes to sleep once it realises it can’t escape. Update: Ju5tin - I regret to inform you that youre wrong. In general, it is not recommended to keep possums as pets. If it is then captured and contained it is impossible to provide the animal with the quality of life it has learnt to expect. Others have become reliant on humans to the point that sending them to the wild will mean they have little chance of surviving. But far from being a nuisance, opossums can be beneficial for your garden, eating snails, slugs, insects and … Wildlife rehabilitators are people who dedicate their lives (or at least large parts of them) to helping wild animals in trouble. The possum reared three joeys in that time. Posted: (1 days ago) The possum is a beautiful animal, but there are many specific concerns regarding keeping them as a pet. Apply for a permit. 0 0 1 0 Breath. Possums that live longer than a year may suffer from cataracts, lose coordination and become obese. Once healthy, rehabilitated possums should be released into the wild where possible. In the southern rātā–kāmahi forests of Westland, many valleys lost more than 50% of canopy trees within 15–20 years of possums arriving. "They make highly intelligent lovely pets, but they can do a lot of damage.". In general, it is not recommended to keep possums as pets. These creatures steal chickens. Good Luck! earlier this year, we brought you the story of a very special possum, who lives in hamilton. Cannibalism is the consumption of another human's body matter, whether consensual or not. So it isn’t a good idea to have a possum if you have parrots. This is particularly the case with a baby possum as they are indeed vulnerable. Possums are also prone to disease, death, and infections in captivity. By contrast any adult native animal, including birds and possums, that has been reared in the wild, has learnt to fear humans, watch for other predators, find a diet of natural food and interact with other members of its own species. They are ment to be wild animals. READ MORE: *Temuka woman's beloved pet possum goes missing *Possum punch video 'animal cruelty': Environment Canterbury, SPCA *Luna the baby possum bids farewell to her 'mother' who saved her  *Pet possum safely home after lolly lure  *Secret possum rescuers: the people who love a hated New Zealand pest. It's illegal to keep possums in captivity in Northland but possum lovers say they make "highly intelligent, lovely pets". "But I wouldn't deliberately go out and find a possum to make a pet out of it.". Can we keep possums as pets? Can you keep a possum as a pet NZ? Now the woman has a bird sanctuary at her Kaitaia home, and while she said she still loves possums, she shoots them if they come onto her property. There is quite a lot of interest about possums as pets. The possum is the animal we are discussing in this article, but it is also known as the opossum. Temuka woman's beloved pet possum goes missing, Possum punch video 'animal cruelty': Environment Canterbury, SPCA, Luna the baby possum bids farewell to her 'mother' who saved her, Secret possum rescuers: the people who love a hated New Zealand pest. I sleep with mine and he has free run of the house. Possum Enrichment. They seem to understand and appreciate they are safe and more comfortable inside where they are free from predators, parasites, and the other elements of nature. Contact us for your local agent. By 1950 possums were found in over half of New Zealand and they kept spreading. These pets love to chew on wires and wires so search around to see to it that they are no place near your electric wiring as fires might be caused. Should I keep possums as pets? Purchase a humane possum trap. Possums have a voracious appetite for our native trees and plants. You need to find an animal doctor who is qualified to address this type of health problems if you are going to raise a possum. They have to deal with predators and human intrusions. They are quite gentle, as trapper Blake O’Laughlin demonstrates in the photo below by ‘trapping’ his hand in one. Use wax tags to find out if you have possums. & you dont have to find them all* but it would be cool if you could find as many as possible. Opossums are not meant to be kept as pets, and I swear to you it is the most expensive, gut wrenching heart-breaking experience I have suffered thus far. Even when confronted with a predator, they will use the infamous "playing possum" technique to appear dead and avoid an actual brawl. Transforming a possum into a pet can be an expensive proposition and one fraught with dangers for these animals. - 10 points to whoever finds out!? We rescued 3 infants whose mother and other siblings were killed on the road when they were about 8 weeks old. Possums can cause catastrophic dieback, the complete collapse of a forest canopy – especially tree species that possums prefer, such as rātā and kāmahi. A couple of news stories about pests as pets recently caught our attention and while we’re animal lovers too, the council’s focus is on protecting our native species from extinction as they can’t always defend themselves. It may even cuddle and form a relationship with you. Diego Astúa, R., et al. Common brushtail possum. Ronnie Hitchens fed a female possum for two years after it made a home between sheds at her Kaitaia farm. 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