Facts or Falsehoods?

  My encounter with the possum the other day generated quite a bit of a buzz with a few folks.  First, they were concerned about my interacting with the critter.  "You are going to be attacked!"  My answer?  By what? What is going to attack me?  Some vicious animal?  Yeah, right! Possums are not vicious in any way, shape or form.  They may put up a big show if cornered but it is very rare to find someone who has been bitten by a possum.  They just prefer to avoid the effort unless you truly hurt them. I do not hurt them.  Even though a possum has fifty teeth, my chances of being "mauled by one" are slim to none.  So, I sort of believe that being attacked by a possum can be called a falsehood....or at least not a sure fact.

  Next I heard the claim that "Possums are dirty and carry disease!".  Again, this is a falsehood.  The fact of the matter is that possums are probably a lot cleaner than your average house cat or pet dog.  Anyone who has ever watched a possum will tell you that they bathe themselves like cats only a lot more.  Possums are meticulous about their cleanliness!  The same goes for their carrying and transmitting disease. My way of thinking is that you can just about get sick from being alive...it does not take a possum to bring you something.  Because their metabolism is so slow, most diseases fizzle out before even causing the possum to get ill.  The medical profession might ought to take a hint and study up on the possum's ability to ward off diseases.  It might be useful for humans as well.  Oh, and speaking of their cleanliness, a mama possum's nest is perhaps the neatest thing in the world!  She makes sure that all bedding in her burrow is neat and tidy.  Just as a side note...possums do not dig their own burrows because their paws are not made for digging.  They will inhabit abandoned burrows from other critters or will find a place under brush or trash piles.  We had one to live in our compost pile for quite some time!

  Last, but not least, was a remark that amused me.  It is NOT a fact that possums hang by their tail.  The sheer weight of the animal would make this impossible!  They do, however, have a fine prehensile tail that can indeed help them steady themselves once in a tree.  And a baby may be able to hang by its tail long enough to scramble to a safer place if it falls. That long, rat-like tail is a handy tool to help an otherwise clumsy, poor climber out in a pinch.

  One thing that is a fact is that all possums share a common trait with humans.  Possums have opposable thumbs.  This means that their thumbs can bend around to touch their other fingers making it easy for them to grasp things.  Strange enough...the possums' opposable thumbs are on their hind feet and are clawless!

   

 

Hungry Little Friend!

  I have just about decided against adopting any new pets...at least for a while.  Agreeably, it is the way to go.  Adopt some poor misfortunate animal that has never enjoyed life and give it peace of mind and a healthy place to live. This ensures you a lifetime (theirs) of pure bliss.  Rescued animals seem appreciative of the love, security of a home and attention that you give them. In return, they stand steadfast in their loyalty, return the love and protect you. (Even cats are protective.)  But, I am just not sure that I am ready at this point in time to make that commitment. We still are owned by two cats and I wish to leave it at that for the time being.

  Still, today, I would have been tempted to feed another critter had it been willing.  I was staring out the window when I spied said critter. Aww, what a cutie!  I had the sudden urge to not only photograph but feed the critter and I knew just what it would like!  I grabbed the camera and scurried down the hill to make friends!  The critter in question?  A possum!  Yep, a possum.  I am partial to the critters only because it seems that no one else feels they are adorable.  No one thinks twice of running over them with their car, of shooing them from the garden or killing them for getting in the garbage.  Me?  I feed them.  Possums are good to have around the place.  They are sort of like nature's garbage men. They clean up the place.  Anything edible is on the menu for a possum.

  The menu today was to be persimmons.  I knew that there were a few persimmons left on the tree but that they would have been difficult for the possum to reach.  The last remaining few were on tiny stems that would not support the weight of the critter.  I wished to snatch a few to feed my new-found friend.  When I reached the spot where the possum was munching a rancid persimmon that had fallen a few days earlier, I spoke softly to it.  I reassured the critter that I meant no harm.  The possum had no idea what I was trying to relate to it so it scampered a few feet from me.  It then attempted to make a slick escape by climbing up an oak tree.  It reached an entire height of two feet then stopped and stared at me.  There was no use in scaring the poor critter so I picked a few fresh persimmons and set them down near the base of the tree. After a few pictures, I eased back up the hill to let the little critter eat in peace.  

  Yep, I think if I adopt another critter any time soon, it will be a wild one. They need to eat as well and with winter breathing down our necks, food may become scarce.  A little tidbit now and again will not hurt and maybe will make life a bit easier for some of my wild friends on the Bayou.  Oh, and all I could think about while befriending the possum was how Ms. Ez, the old Bayou Dog, would have loved this.  For some strange reason, she adored possums!  Go figure!

Playing 'Possum!

This morning was almost unbearably hot so instead of cutting grass, I stayed inside and played in the Fall decorations. I trimmed out the stairway and put garlands up around the doors. Even if the seasons don't agree, I think it should be time for colored leaves, pumpkins and scarecrows! I am so ready for Fall..or maybe I am just ready for a bit of cooler weather! In the early afternoon, a thunderstorm blew in and cooled the temperatures down a good bit. After much lightning, thunder and two inches of rain, the storm ended and I headed outside. I get a bit stir crazy if I am cooped up too long and I have to make my escape to the Bayou. The air outside smelled so fresh and clean!

I headed toward the marsh edge and soon found myself under the persimmon tree. My footsteps were muffled by the wet grass and I could almost sense that something was near..something that was not my usual encounters of rabbits, squirrels or birds. I just was not sure what to expect. After quietly standing there for a few minutes, my eyes focused on a movement to my right. There ambling along was an opossum. Not that seeing a 'possum was unusual around the Bayou..they are everywhere but most of the time, they are nocturnal. They will climb about in the persimmon tree, dig in the compost or dump over the garbage can but more likely than not, it is during the night hours. The 'possum saw me but did not scurry away..she went about her business as if ignoring me. I was thrilled to get a picture of the 'possum and even more thrilled to see that this was a mother 'possum! A young one was catching a piggyback ride on its mama's back! In this case, the young one was quite large and probably should have been on its own already. Perhaps Mama 'Possum was trying to find a nice spot to park this little one so she could make her escape. I watched for a bit until she ventured into the thicket. I will check the compost pile tonight just to see if the juvenile marsupial has taken up residency there. Usually, Mama 'Possum will find some place that has a decent food supply to abandon her little ones when they should be weaned. I have a feeling that Mama thinks Junior should be on his own...now!

The thrill of the 'possum hunt was over so I meandered to the pier. I tried fishing but had no luck whatsoever so decided it was time to head to the house. Another dark cloud was threatening and I did not want to be caught on the pier in a lightning storm! Just as I was stepping back on shore from the pier, something in the marsh edge caught my eye. Again it was a 'possum! Three in one day?? I watched this one as it poked its head out of the marsh. Was it the same one..er..two..that I had seen earlier? The 'possum kept coming toward me. This was a large male and he had no fear of me. He waddled right out of the marsh, poked and prodded around in the grass clumps hunting for anything he could find to eat. Eventually, he wandered under the pier and I lost sight of him. It must have been "Opossum Day" or something!