Sunday, June 01, 2008


MISSION: POSSUMBLE
Consistency being the hobgoblin of small minds and all that, I retract what I said about possums in general to allow for my possum being the exception, and that perhaps there are one or two other adorable possums on the planet. My possum is cute. My possum came around after midnight and peered curiously at the light filtering through the blinds from my apartment. I pulled them back and it didn't ooch away or seem afraid, so I grabbed my phone and snapped a couple pics. I'd say this one's 2, mebbe 2.5 pounds. Ya know: fryer size. Anyhoo.
I leaned closer, my face a mere 8 or 10 inches from its head, and wondered why that chunk of dirt wouldn't fall off its nose. It seems to enjoy hanging around the pot with the pencil plant. More reports later, probably.

11 comments:

Barbara Bruederlin said...

I think it's pretty adorable. At least from this side of the glass.

Dedicated_Dad said...

I know you're a smart Lady, but I feel like I have to say this anyway...

Possums are mean by nature, will attack with little or no provocation if you get too close. Their bites are nasty, due to the bacteria they carry.

Worse yet, they carry rabies and even plague -- yes, really.

You'd be best advised to discourage him from coming around... You might want to contact your local "animal control" and see if they can trap/relocate him to an unpopulated area...

HTH...

DD

Dedicated_Dad said...

I know you're an intelligent Lady, but I feel like I have to say this anyway...

Possums are mean, and dirty. They carry Rabies, and possibly Plague.

Yes, plague.

That he's apparently unafraid is troubling -- could be a sign of rabies.

We have them around here, but they'll run away at the first sign of humans. If they don't, they're dead.

Call your local animal control -- they'll be able to trap him and relocate him to someplace less populated.

HTH...

DD

breda said...

everything I've read says that they can't carry rabies because their body temperatures are too low - but I get my info from the internet, so who knows?

I think he/she is very cute with his/her little roundy ears.

Alison said...

You might enjoy this...Contributing to the Deliquincy of a Possum

Peripatetic Engineer said...

Make sure that your drier vent has a flap that closes or put a screen around the vent where it exits the house. One of those little b***tards got into my drier and built a nest. Pine neeldes and dead leaves in the bottom of a gas drier. I was luck it didn't burn the house down. His brother dug big holes in my yard.

Rabbit said...

http://diy.despair.com/show.php?file=poster85404778.jpg

Regards,
Rabbit.

NotClauswitz said...

They might not ooch-away because they're fearless and their nasty snaggletooth grin gives them confidence - or it could be that they just have really bad vision and low-wattage brains.
One by our back porch wasn't even scared of a vacuum-cleaner...

none said...

Cute critter. I get them walking on my fence every night and the dogs go ape. Sometimes I have to shoo it along if it gets distracted.

Anonymous said...

Pogo for President! He's better than anyone else running!

SpeakerTweaker said...

"Fryer Size?!?!"

Wow, there's no question about your West Memphis roots now!

(says the guy from an equal distance south of Memphis)

:)



tweaker