Opossums are born anytime between March and August.  Opossums are marsupials and the mothers carry their young in a pouch while they forage for food at night.

A female opossum that has been hit by a car or caught by a dog during these months may have up to 13 babies still alive in her pouch.  The pouch appears as a vertical slit on the opossum’s abdomen and the babies attach themselves to a teat inside.  If the mother is dead, breaking the suction and gently parting the side of their lips with a fingernail can easily remove the babies. 

If You Have Found an Adult Opossum Hit By A Car or Caught By A Dog

Opossums are not aggressive by nature, but any animal that is scared or injured may bite. The normal reaction of a scared or injured opossum may be to hiss, bare its teeth, make itself appear larger than it is, and possibly drool to frighten away predators.

To secure the opossum, place a clothesbasket, trashcan or something similar over it. Using a thick towel, blanket, or jacket, cover the opossum. Using a firm but gentle approach, pick it up and place the opossum in a small kennel or a cardboard box slightly larger than the animal itself. Make sure there are air holes and that any openings are securely closed. If possible, wearing leather garden gloves will offer an additional source of protection from bites or scratches.

If a opossum is found to have babies in her pouch, please check the area where the injured mom was found for babies that may have been dislodged and scattered. Opossum babies can often be “heard” before “seen” as their cries sound like a hissing noise.

• You may offer a shallow dish of water (a small jar lid works well).
  
• Do not attempt to feed it, as wildlife requires specialized foods. 
  
• Keep the animal in a dark, quiet location away from pets and children until the animal can be transported. 
  

The sooner the injured animal gets the medical attention it needs, the better are its chances for survival.  Time is everything.  Bring it immediately to Carolina Wildlife Care or to a professional wildlife rehabilitator in your area.

If You Find a Young Opossum
Once babies become active and venture outside the pouch, this is the time when they may accidentally fall off and get “left behind” by mom.  Any opossum that is smaller than the size of a kitten is in need of rescue.  There is no reuniting it with the mother unless “mom” is still visible at the location. Mom must be in actual sight and still near the baby.

In this case, place the opossum close enough to the mother opossum, so that she can hear the baby’s cries (a hissing sound). If the mother can hear the baby, she will often circle back close enough that the baby will climb onto her. Please watch the baby from a safe distance so as not to deter mom, but to ensure the reunion is successful. If the reunion is unsuccessful, then the baby will need to be rescued.