What should I do if I find a nest of baby opossums

When a baby Tennessee Opossums are just a few days born, their eyes are closed and they may not survive on their own especially when there is no mother.

If you look closer on the surrounding and you see that the infants are all alone, it is best to voluntarily keep the babies at least until they gain weight. There can be many factors why the mothers aren’t there. they could be killed by predators or the babies have fallen back. These babies are usually carried in the mother’s pouch.



The lives of these baby Tennessee Opossums are critical and they need the presence of mothers because they need to nurse. When Opossum eyes are open, they usually stay where their mother lies dead. What you need to do is to check if the infant has injuries or bruises. Opt for a cardboard with lid and place a clean cloth inside the box. Make some air circulation by punching the holes and make sure that the lid is secured with tapes. Otherwise they will come out and make a mess inside your house. Opossums are smart Clarksville animals that can escape anytime unexpectedly.

Mother opossums may not coming back to take their babies so it is best to find a shelter or wildlife service that can cater the Clarksville animals. if you find that the mother is dead, you can transport the babies somewhere safer but if they are still attached to the teat of their mothers, you have to disengage because there could be poison. There is a special tube to feed these animals in a rehabilitator sites.

Baby Tennessee Opossums are not resistant to cold so it is best to keep them warm. use cloth or shirt to keep the temperature warm until someone from the rescuer fetches them. Beware when you ask your dog to carry the opossum because the babies are fragile and the dog’s teeth may crush their bones accidentally. Rescuing baby in nest is absolute necessity. And they must stay warm too.

To learn more about our services, visit the Clarksville wildlife removal home page.