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nighttime visitor

lauram

By Lauram


nighttime visitor

The other night, about 2 AM, I was reading in bed and a couple of the cats kept looking out the window, so I looked out and saw this possum on the front porch. He comes up most evenings to eat. Sorry about the terrible photo, it was taken through the window.



Comments on this photo

 

He's gorgeous Lauram, can they be a pest ,or are they always welcome visitors ?

1 Apr, 2011

 

Well, they have fearsome teeth - long and sharp - but they're not aggressive; you don't want to try to play with them just like you shouldn't try to play with any wild animal. People are afraid of them and always want them trapped and removed, & I suppose they're considered a pest since they eat pet food and sometimes garden vegetables. But they don't carry rabies; their metabolism is just too slow or something like that, and they rarely live past 2 years old or so.

1 Apr, 2011

 

Have to agree he is gorgeous :)

1 Apr, 2011

 

A opossum ate a stray kitten underneath my shed :( I don't like them, and they can be aggressive if accidentally cornered (which happens as they like to hide in your sheds etc.) They also get into the garbage and compost at night. Definitely a pest in my area.

1 Apr, 2011

 

I've heard of them attacking cats but was never really sure whether that was a myth or not. If you mess with them they aren't happy but at least they aren't like raccoons that will chase you if they get mad. This particular possum doesn't even run away if I approach him - I suppose he realizes that I'm the food source!

1 Apr, 2011

 

Yeah, the bad ones give the whole lot a bad reputation. I'll have to admit that I have seen some cute baby ones while camping.

1 Apr, 2011

 

I love your night time visitor. I think they are cute too. They have cute little hands and feet. Not everyone shares our sentiments.

About 10 years ago we had a couple that visited our house each night at 8:00 P.M. like clockwork. They would eat hot dogs out of our hands.
They do have very sharp teeth, and will hiss when frightened. Because of their low body temperature they can not incubate rabies.
I posted a picture of one that visited my bird feeder in February. It was right outside my kitchen window, he didn't even flinch when I went out to take his picture, was much too interested in eating the bird's suet. The suet kept disappearing, I thought the gray squirrels were the culprits.. .

5 Apr, 2011



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