My story starts like all good beginnings.   I was born one of 10 brothers and sisters.  My mother was extremely caring and nurturing.  Never knew my Dad. Mom said he had a great smile.   Anyway, after being carried around in Mom’s pouch for about 6 weeks, I was getting used to putting my head out and checking my surroundings. (Did you know we live in a pouch like a kangaroo?)   The pouch  was getting a little crowded! One night Mom was taking us out for a stroll when there was THAT car. Mom couldn't

My brothers and sisters were scattered everywhere and Mom had died.   Why can’t humans be more careful?  I know we shouldn’t have been in the road but gee, we didn’t deserve to lose our Mom.  We were all terribly cold, scared,  and  hung on to Mom,  not really knowing what to do. Then there was another car.   Yikes, I thought we were goners for sure.  Only this car stopped, and a nice lady collected all ten of us and went about getting us warm.  She thought we were all dead, too.   She kept saying,”You feel like little furry ice cubes.” Crying,  she put Mom in a box, took us to her house, and  then  buried Mom for us.  She even held a little funeral service.  She was our 1st angel.

She started looking for someone who could help us.  She knew we needed  medical attention, needed to be kept warm, and would need a special diet.   She called the DFW Wildlife Coalition Hotline.  The volunteer on duty at the hotline attempted  to find a wildlife rehabilitator to take us.  Many wildlife babies are born at this time of the year, and all the rehabbers were overcrowded.  The hotline volunteer  told the Lady, that she would take us.  In  steps, angel #2.

They met after 10 pm at a truck stop, which for both of them was a 20-40 mile drive.  By the time we arrived at the truck stop, I had lost two of my siblings.  The Lady said she would take them back and bury them with our Mother. The rest of us were transferred to the volunteer’s car into a warm blanket; that sure felt good. Here we go again, another ride!  I was getting hungry.   The volunteer, who is also a subpermitted rehabilitator, took one look at us and started crying.  My nose was skimped up, my brother’s tail was hurt.  She knew we would need to be fed special  formula every 2 hours to survive. I thanked her the only way I knew how, by taking the formula and showing my brothers what to do.  I was warm and I was full, but I hurt.  We were awakened every two hours and fed.  Our 2nd angel was really tired, but steadfastly helped us survive.

Sadly, during the night two more of my brothers died.   We needed to be examined by a rehabilitator who was more experienced with our type of injuries.  Another car ride and, in steps, our 3rd angel.   In addition to the scrapes and bruises, we had a disease that Mom didn’t know about.  We had to get antibiotics which only permitted rehabbers or veterinarians can give.  I lost two more siblings due to their injuries.  The disease is  gone, but it left me with no ears, one brother has only half a tail, one brother has only one ear, and another brother has some fingers missing.    We look different, but we are healthy.   If it wasn’t for the loving care of each of our angels we wouldn’t be here at all, so I'm forever grateful. 

We will be released back to the wild.  My 1st angel would like us released on her property.  I can’t wait.  I’ll be in the neighborhood where I was born.  My 2nd angel is taking care of us until we can be released.   The 3rd angel keeps us supplied with mice, and we are thankful that he came into our lives.
 
I dream of the day when I will be able to roam wild, and maybe even become your night time gardener.  Yep, that’s what we do; we travel at night eating everything you don’t want in your yard.. mice, rats, snakes, roaches, slugs, grubs . . . ummm makes me hungry just thinking about it.  We do not tear up your yard or bother your plants. We do not carry rabies  and  would prefer to just be left alone.  We don’t attack your pets.  Now, if they attack us or one of our babies, we will try to defend ourselves, but we would rather play “possum” and not fight    We  look a little scary with our fifty sharp pearly whites.  Our  “smile” and a hiss is just our  way of scaring you so you will leave us alone. 

• Please learn more about opossums.
  
• We cannot be released just anywhere.  It is the law that property owners give permission to  release wildlife on their property (this is true for all wildlife).  Could I or some other opossums live on your property?
  
• Become a wildlife rehabilitator, or if that is not something you care to do, please consider making a donation for wildlife.  Wildlife requires special diets, cages, and medicines, and wildlife rehabilitators are volunteers who purchase most of these supplies on their own. All donations are appreciated.
  
• Volunteer for the DFW Wildlife Coalition hotline a couple of hours a week. For more information, just send an email to info@dfwwildlife.org.

Be a friend to wildlife. This opossum speaks for all wildlife. Give us a brake. . . .  Mom would wish that for all of us.    Thank you for reading my story.

Ima's disease was Dermal Septic Necrosis (DSN), also known as Crispy Ear, which causes tissue death resulting from a systemic infection. For Ima and her  brothers the disease was caught early and treated.  This disease cannot be transferred to humans from opossums.

• Angel 1: Lisbeth Rice, a courageous, caring animal lover from Denison.
  
  
• Angel 2: Pam Kallies, our very own hotline volunteer, wildlife subpermittee, and writer for the DFW Wildlife Coalition newsletter.
  
  
• Angel 3: Mark Branning, also a hotline volunteer, and a dedicated wildlife rehabilitator.