Finding a baby opossum alone can be distressing, but knowing how to care for it is crucial for its survival. While it's always best to contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator, understanding what to feed a baby opossum in an emergency situation can make a critical difference before professional help arrives. Remember, attempting to raise a baby opossum yourself is difficult and should only be a temporary measure. Improper care can lead to illness and death.
What Do Baby Opossums Eat in the Wild?
Before we delve into what you can feed a foundling, let's understand their natural diet. Mother opossums primarily feed their young mother's milk for the first few months of life. Once weaned, their diet gradually shifts to include:
- Insects: Beetles, crickets, grasshoppers, and other insects make up a significant portion of their diet.
- Fruits: Berries, melons, and other fruits provide essential sugars and nutrients.
- Small vertebrates: They may also consume small rodents, lizards, birds' eggs, and occasionally carrion.
- Plants: They supplement their diet with leaves, roots, and other plant material.
What Can I Feed a Baby Opossum Temporarily?
If you find an orphaned baby opossum, your priority is contacting a wildlife rehabilitator immediately. However, while waiting for professional help, you may need to provide temporary sustenance. Do not attempt to feed the opossum human food.
Here's what's appropriate as a very temporary solution:
- Kitten milk replacement (KMR): Formulated for orphaned kittens, KMR provides essential nutrients but should be diluted with warm water according to package instructions. Do not use cow's milk; it can cause digestive upset and death.
- Esbilac: Another commercially available puppy milk replacer that is suitable, following dilution instructions.
How to Feed a Baby Opossum:
- Use a syringe or eyedropper: Gentle feeding is essential. Avoid forcing the milk down its throat.
- Small, frequent feedings: Offer small amounts frequently rather than large infrequent meals. Mimic the mother's nursing schedule.
- Keep it warm: Baby opossums are vulnerable to temperature changes. Provide a warm, safe environment.
What NOT to Feed a Baby Opossum:
Avoid the following, as they are detrimental to their health:
- Cow's milk: Lactose intolerance can lead to serious digestive issues.
- Dog or cat food: Too rich and may cause digestive upset.
- Human food: Most human foods are unsuitable and potentially toxic.
- Solid food: Their digestive system isn't ready for solid food until much later.
How Often Should I Feed a Baby Opossum?
The feeding frequency depends on the age and size of the opossum. Very young joeys need frequent feedings, potentially every 2-3 hours, while older ones may need fewer. A wildlife rehabilitator will provide specific feeding instructions.
How Do I Know if a Baby Opossum Needs Help?
- Alone and unaccompanied: If you find a baby opossum without its mother and siblings, it likely needs help.
- Injured or weak: Obvious injuries or signs of weakness (lethargy, inability to move) require immediate attention.
- Cold or hypothermic: A cold, unresponsive opossum needs immediate warming.
What to Do if You Find a Baby Opossum:
- Observe from a safe distance: Do not approach or touch the opossum if its mother is nearby; she may return.
- Contact a licensed wildlife rehabilitator: They are equipped to properly care for and release the opossum back into the wild.
- Keep pets away: Domestic animals can pose a serious threat to the baby opossum.
- Provide temporary shelter: Only if absolutely necessary, and only until a rehabilitator is available. Keep it warm and quiet.
Remember, caring for a baby opossum is challenging and requires specialized knowledge. Your best course of action is always to contact a wildlife professional. This guide serves only as temporary guidance while awaiting professional help. The welfare of the opossum is paramount.
