The Opossum's Pouch Sanctuary, Rescue and Rehabilitation

06/25/2025

The heat is miserable for so many, wildlife included. I just pulled 14 of my guys from outdoor pens and brought indoors until the heat breaks a bit. In the wild they can find their own cooler places to sleep but in captivity they are limited in where they sleep.. I have fans and water misters to keep enclosures cooler and regardless of the shade and all I can provide, I felt it wasn't enough. It wasn't easy making room but we did it! lol. Please read below and provide water for outdoor animals of all species. If a deep dish is used, place rocks and sticks in the water so smaller animals can find their way out should they fall in.

06/22/2025

Augustus had x-rays of his jaw yesterday and he does have a break right below the hinge of the right lower jaw along with a pretty bad infection. It’s still undetermined how we’re going to handle the repair but we need to get the infection under control. He allows me to tube feed all of his medication and formula with vitamins and often times doesn’t even wake up. Augustus was also so overwhelmed with fleas, but we’ve treated and he's flea free now. He’s resting much more comfortably. I’ll update as the days go by. Right now he’s sleeping constantly, which is the best healer for his brain injuries. Thanks for all the messages and prayers!

06/19/2025

This is not the best photo, but I didn’t want to wake him up. This boy was hit by a car last night and although over an hour and a half away, the mst amazing lady was able to find someone to get him to me. Like most of them, he was struck in the face, and has a very bad compound fracture of the lower right jaw. Anytime they come in with severe Head trauma, you never want to sedate them. They need time for some of the brain swelling to go down. We have an appointment for Friday morning to see just how severe the bottom jaw actually is and how we can best repair it. Augustus has been sleeping all day as most do with the brain injury. We will be giving sub, Q fluids and I will probably tube feed him tomorrow to keep his strength up. He’s been very easy to work with and I pray his jaw can be repaired. ❤️

06/17/2025

I'm going to try this again for those of you asking for my Amazon Wish List in hopes the correct link will post.

06/16/2025

If any of you get a message from me asking for your address or anything weird, please report it to facebook! I have no clue what is going on but I get a lot of messages every day asking for my address and its an auto reply back. However I'm learning the same thing is being sent to some of you. Its such a busy time to try and figure out whats going on but I'll make time asap. So sorry if any of you are getting messages from me, I'd never do that!

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06/16/2025

These are a few of our intakes the past several days. We have orphans still coming in and some are already in the juvenile stage. Juveniles make some really bad choices that gets them into trouble. We have one that come from a swimming pool with a touch of pneumonia. We have two little juveniles that found themselves in a mop bucket unable to get out. They are underweight, but should be good candidates for release when they get older. I had a call on Tiny pinkies last night that were just too tiny to save so the second round of orphans has already gotten started.

Again, thank you all for the donations of formula, different items of supplements,  much needed potty pads, and other items from our wish list. Everything is very much appreciated and very much needed. Thank you for the monetary donations that helps so much with the vet bills. We’re almost at a point , I feel like we need to add on to the sanctuary. It’s already 2000 ft. But A
running out of space for more enclosures. My poor husband is as exhausted as I am so I think that’ll be a conversation for this winter when we’re both less tired. 😂

06/15/2025

Thank you all who donated formula, vitamins and other needed supplies... There's been a lot of intakes and will post ASAP

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06/12/2025

Another little youngster came in today with a big chunk bitten out of his back... Its not pleasant at all and I won't post a photo. I've had a number of you ask for me to post the Amazon Wish List... here it is and thank you all who have sent donations of all kinds!!

06/10/2025

I was asked a great question and maybe some others of you have been curious of the same. So I'm posting my answer to "why opossums have such a hard time finding food, especially in the summer"?

"There's several reason's opossum can't find food. First they aren't hunters like other mammals. They are opportunist and eat what they can find, which seems very little. Second, they have very poor eyesight and depend on their smell to find food, usually bad food but they eat whatever they can find. Third, they are bullied by other wildlife and should food be available if they don't find it first, others like raccoons will attack them for trying to grab a bite. And the biggest reason is many in housing developments only find what maybe some nice person puts out for the outdoor cats otherwise they are seen eating bird seed that drops from feeders which has no nutritional value for them at all. Dr. Anita Henness DVM did studies and would pick up hit by car dead opossums and research their stomach contents. Sadly it was often some insects and leaves, plant material, dirt, bird seeds... nothing with calories to maintain a healthy weight and provide for the babies if female. I can't tell you how many orphans and adults come to me and just skin and bones. We have paved, clear cut, and added 2 and 3 lane highways, taken wooded areas for more and more subdivisions where people hate them etc.... I have a hard time as a rehabber releasing them back to the wild knowing the hard life they endure. Hence why I work so hard to help as many as I can and give a place for those not able to return to the wild. They have a life free from fear and pain with me and I wish I could put a huge facility in every state!

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06/10/2025

This young mom was found laying in a nice man's yard soaking wet but laying over her babies so they were dry. She had just given up. Mom is very emaciated and all her nutrition was going to feed her babies. I held her up while she ate. She wasn't dehydrated so I can assume water was about all she was finding. Her babies do not appear to be unhealthy and mom is eating small meals of bland foods as not to upset her tummy with anything too rich for now. She is drinking formula and this will put some weight on her and very nutritious. I just checked on her and she was cuddling with one of her babies, it was too precious not to post tonight. The other 5 babies are under the blanket all safe and warm.

Raymie will be her name, its German for "protector". She was exhausting and couldn't go any further but she was still trying to protect her babies. Such a wonderful momma!!

06/07/2025

I took in this little boy today who has been grabbed across his shoulders or back area by possibly a cat. Bently has nerve damage and while there's feeling in his legs and tail, he's unable to walk. There is a touch treatment I took classes to learn 2 years ago, so I'll be working with him.

I had to drive past Pet Care of Newberry and wanted the staff there to meet this little guy. Kara held him for a photo and this little fellow melted a lot of hearts during his brief visit. He's a very sweet and gentle little boy. I wanted him to settle in today and get use to his surrounding before starting his touch therapy tomorrow. I hope he will walk again but probably won't be releaseable.

06/06/2025

I'm so glad I had my phone with me when this happened. This is one of my litters of 9. The 2 hanging by their back feet were asleep in their bed when they heard me pouring formula a bit ago. They were not going to waist time walking around to the dish, so here are two of my little "over-achievers". LOL

This is also one of my litters I raised from 8 and 9 grams. I tube fed them every 2 hours then to every 3. I was the first thing they saw when their eyes open. Breaking that bond when they see you as momma is so bitter sweet. Its so hard to walk way when they are chiching for me.