Opossums have the shortest life span for mammals of their size.  They typically only live for two to four years, so it is no surprise that orphaned opossums are a common sight at MVH.  On May 27^th, a Good Samaritan found a deceased opossum under a tool shed on 2^nd Avenue in Oakland.  Upon turning the opossum over, he discovered a pouch full of babies and brought them to MVH. Baby opossums don’t leave their mother’s pouch until about 1-2 months of age, so this helps us with estimating their age. All eleven babies were luckily found alive upon arrival at the hospital. Simon administered fluids and made sure they were kept warm before heading home for the evening. One did not survive through the night, but the rest were found to be very active and maintaining a normal body temperature.  After Jessica and Courtney administered a tube feeding, they were picked up by Yggdrasil Urban Wildlife Center. Let’s hope they find their way back to the wild after they’ve had some time to grow.

Written by Lindsey H.