For Honey and Lilly, *BaRk, BaRk* :)
http://www.wonderfulwv.com/images/april02/opossum-1.jpg http://www.wonderfulwv.com/images/april02/opossum-2.jpg
Hey Logan, here's an idea for the next time your furbies tree a critter...
Silly 'Possums
by SCOTT SHALAWAY
Photographs by DAVID and STEVE MASLOWSKI
Sometimes the great outdoors gets a little too close for comfort. One morning a few years ago, I stepped into the pantry at the top of the cellar steps to get some dog food. As I scooped up some nuggets from the bag, I heard something growl. I thought nothing of it "The dog's just hungry," I figured. But a few minutes later, after I had put the dog outside, I stepped back into the pantry, and, again, I heard a growl. With no dog to blame, I got curious.
Peering into the dog food bag I noticed a clump of gray fur...a long naked tail...and a snarling mouthful of teeth that looked more like a stupid grin. It was a small opossum. Someone must have left the outside cellar door ajar, I surmised.
Coincidentally, that very morning I was scheduled to participate in West Virginia Heritage Day at my daughter's elementary school. Live subjects always keep kids' attention, so I donned a pair of heavy gloves, picked the opossum up by the tail, and put it in a cage. It turned out to be quite a hit. Most of the kids had never seen a live opossum up close. I pointed out the prehensile tail, which an opossum can easily wrap around a branch; the human-like rear feet; the naked ears; and the pouch on North America's only marsupial. (rest of the article can be found here: Silly 'possums )
The article calls 'em ugly, but I still think these guys are cute! Of course, after having a tame one, Ophelia, I'm not biased or anything... ;)
(FYI Ophelia Opossum lived free in the outdoors but (from what I remember--I was little at the time) seemed to crave human attention. The pics we have of her are when she was tiny...about the size of a full-grown hamster. Even after she grew to be a HUGE mommy 'possum, Grandma said Ophelia would still come around once in awhile.)
