Pet possum is changing perceptions in Citrus County

[@stephaniegonewild5857]

I help feed the wild ones and they are not trouble makers. They are kind and compassionate. They have more manners than most people. They like cheerios and fruits

[@dubsydabster]

Stephanie gone Wild Sounds crazy but true. A way to a possums heart is through its stomach 😉

[@Katya_Lastochka]

Seriously. Theyre so peaceable with my cats.

[@Boredchinchilla]

Possums love to eat ticks, which is a great thing

[@fenixcreciente8576]

Stephanie gone Wild - Nice to hear of yoyr exoerience w/opossums... but may I suggest that if you care about their health & want them to live as long as possible, you not feed them processed, sugary food items like Cheerios & yoghurt (except raw, non-sugared varieties). Veggies & fruits are a better choice.

[@Number-bj1yn]

@@Boredchinchilla They're also immune to snake venom and can eat rats, so they make good pest deterent.

[@bruce7259]

Thank you so much for saving the possum's life .. Many people think that possums are mean creatures . Possums are so loving and amazing mammals ... I have a possum named Frizzy and he is so much fun !

[@genetlair5999]

junior paul What's Frizzy like? :)

[@jimbothefox9417]

possums are gr8

[@user-ue3pl2gf4o]

it’s opossum

[@HerrinSchadenfreude]

Yeah noticing that plays dead rather than run or fight qualifies as mean. They area adorable and people are horrible to them. It's sad. All animals deserve to live in peace.

[@moisheshucklegruber2982]

Only outside the US. All species native to the US are properly referred to as possums.

[@MrJerryUrt]

agree 100 percent, rescue an opossum and its a life altering experience. Clean,smart, very affectionate Opossums hate other opossums, but they love human companions. Keep the yogurt and grapes coming.

[@LisaMings1959]

We rescued our Opossum from 2 dogs trying to get her when she was about 3 months old. Her name is Blossom and she is now almost 4 years old and she is also the love of our lives. I didn't know anything about them until my husband and I started reading on the Internet and joining the North American Opossum Society. They do have special dietary needs to keep them healthy but the love they give makes it worth the trouble. Blossom loves to swim! She even goes under water, it's so cute. Thanks for the video.

[@kittywampusdrums4963]

Ewwe! Blosseum!

[@aaaaaaaaaa97]

Protect your local possums, they are amazing marsupials. They eat tonnes of ticks so you want one under your shed in the backyard.

[@reign6of6e6terror]

OntarioStorms Thats why when people hold this critters as pets they MUST feed insectivores ( Tics worms beetles ) to When they don t do that ,they will be get sick quickly ,become to big tail & crosseyed eyes

[@user-ue3pl2gf4o]

It’s o possum

[@koreyb]

@@reign6of6e6terror insectivore pellets such as hedgehog food pellets

[@AVengefulSoul]

I have released, rehabilitated and kept them for pets for over 20 years. To me they are THE best pets to have. They are affectionate, very docile, love to be held and babied. They truly ARE a great and I enjoy changing people's perspectives on them.

[@rayburns2338]

I don't think I will be able to release mine, they think the dog is their mama. What is the best way to toilet train them and can I keep them on a screened in porch? They are already spoiled rotten and they are the size of mice.

[@Nessmess001]

he's cross-eyed i love him!!

[@fdtguru6673]

That happens when they get overweight.

[@reign6of6e6terror]

Is not healthy, thats why its crosseyed and have a to big tail

[@LizzieBennet86]

He is the most ridiculously cute possum I've ever seen in my life, it's so cute I'm teary eye!!!😢

[@joshuagonzales1587]

He's so cute I would like to run him over with my Buick...and I won't hesitate to run over an old person either...

[@Reeothec]

@@joshuagonzales1587 we have a future murderer here. reported.

[@moisheshucklegruber2982]

They have a sweet spot when they're not babies but not fully grown where they look like giant sugar gliders. I had an adult possum that used to hang out on my porch with me, it was hit by a car and now a young one is coming by instead. They're great

[@MakoRuu]

Opossum actually make really good pets in spite of what people may think or believe.

[@Lajuun]

You are correct sir! XD

[@npaul4171]

+MakoRuu I disagree completely. You may have the ability to care for an opossum, and you may have a friendly opossum as an outcome of YOUR ability to care for it, but that does NOT make them "really good pets" overall. Most people are not going to be willing to put the massive amount of effort forward and they need to have managed expectations of what the relationship will be like. Further, they need to understand the care & diet, and financial commitment, and the implications of having other pets and children. They also need to understand local/State laws on ownership. I'm sure you are aware of the heartbreaking stories to go along with the outcome of people attempting to raise wild opossums and domesticate them, only for them to wind up in a shelter (or as dinner should a semi-domesticated opossum be re-released into the wild.). As of 2016, proper diet, proper medical care, proper physical activity, and understanding behaviors are all going to present massive difficulties that would not be present with common domesticated mammals. That's a LOT more considerations versus other domesticated animals.

[@MakoRuu]

Then you're a terrible human being and you don't know what you're doing. Or you're lying.

[@Oldbmwr100rs]

Have You raised one? I did, it was the only survivor of a dog attack on it's mother. They eat almost anything, are a bit slow, very comfortable around people and for an exotic pet, very easy to care for. Unlike most exotics, Mine wasn't noisy, destructive or easily spooked at all. From what I've seen in other people's experiences with them, they're pretty much the same. One very easy to deal with pet. Also they're not smelly, a big plus. Cats and dogs are far more work to care for than an opossum.

[@MakoRuu]

I have rescued several possums, yes. Never kept one as a permanent pet, but I know people who have.

[@MsArrika]

This can pretty much apply to any animal. People are generally the mean ones.

[@paulakay1952]

In July 2011, I rescued a baby possum on my morning walk after is two siblings were killed and mom had to be put down with a broken back from a car. I took Coco to the Sonoma Wildlife for rehab. 8 weeks later they gave me Coco and three other possums his age and got to release them back into the wild. I would have loved to have been able to keep him as a pet. You are so lucky.

[@carolinamontoya6029]

What a good heart this lady has, so sweet 💖

[@koslisted9458]

Easiest way to keep them in shape is make them climb for their food. All My cats and the Opossum I feed have to use stairs or jump to the food dish. "Saving one animal won't change the world, but it will change the world for that one animal." ❤️❤️❤️

[@prestoncheapbtheadphoneste3010]

Nice. Thanks. Good information!

[@cha4ya4ya70]

We have a "pet" possum that loves our backyard that we have named Freddy. I'm always happy to see him/her(?). It's sweet to see how this possum has been rescued and loved!

[@joseluislopez2748]

Opossums are nice pets

[@Th3fac31]

when you don't piss them off

[@Oldbmwr100rs]

I don't think it's possible to piss a pet opossum off to be honest. Mine was so docile and laid back, he was great.

[@GenScinmore]

RIP Barley :(

[@lordvegetal]

It's so fluffy im gonna die!

[@richardcouturier4447]

Possums are super gentle. If they feel threatened they will show their teeth and immediately roll over and play dead.

[@23t22]

Last month I stopped 2 lanes of highway traffic to help get a little opossum out of the road. Poor thing was stuck on the divider so I pulled over and carried him or her over to the treeline off the shoulder. I hope it's doing ok

[@karencox3360]

they never get into my garbage and another thing just throw out your scraps people need to stop and think there is not much food left for the animals farms picks up every grain of corn beans and elc they have to scavage every little piece of food they can get ,god bless the animals and every person that helps them !!!

[@Keepskatin]

Gullible White females

[@fenixcreciente8576]

Keepskatin - Why are you presuming what race she is, or making blanket racist, misogynistic remarks?

[@ordinarysnowflake4756]

"Best friend ever" too bad they only live for 2-4 years...

[@Defensive_Wounds]

This Opossum is probably dead by now - nearly 4 years after this video was uploaded...

[@AviationNut]

ordinary snowflake They can live in captivity for up to 10 years.

[@ordinarysnowflake4756]

Aviation Nut oh damn

[@Snovishvishbvat]

"Yesterday would have been Barley's 5th birthday. We received so many thoughtful messages. Thank you, friends!!! Barley's life will be eternal through each and every one of us" Posted on 1 February.

[@LisaMings1959]

Snovishvishbvat , I am so sorry, Do you think you will get another one?

[@mbenjamin292]

You are a fantastic person wow 100 thumbs up thanks.

[@rosec8069]

Aww I'm so glad she adopted him he's a cutie

[@tesserisfour]

the eyes the eyes just look at the eyes

[@heather8697]

What an awesome story:) Just precious:)

[@lawngaiyi]

Can grow goosebump.

[@therombaro]

At the end of the video, Barley totally winks at the reporter. My man. 😎

[@stefaniyatarannik1277]

u ppl have no idea how nice they r...

[@rudytaneloruxy9491]

Everybody knows possums are nice, they hang out with my outside cats and come around for feeding. The cats like them and they never quarrel or start shit. Very polite mellow fellows. Possums are chilled out muther fuckers. I love shark rats.

[@andy3576]

Barley is an angel! I wish I had a pet opossum. :) Thanks for sharing.

[@douglasberard8664]

I have a Opossum living under my shed, I feed her cat food every day, she's such a cutie.

[@rockspoon6528]

Birthday parties must be freaking terrifying to an animal that will only see two or three of them.

[@garycrowder]

That's a cute & cuddly critter right there! 😍🤗😄

[@ShadeSlayer1911]

I actually didn't know that people thought Possums were scary and still don't know why. My best guess is those canines that stick outside of their mouth all the time. But they're so tiny and every other part of them is adorable. Or maybe the tail reminds them of a giant rat.

[@gab3963]

HIS EYES 😍😍😍😍

[@stefielove]

I have 2 pet possums, Agatha and medusa.. they are the greatest and most unique pets to have..

[@AVengefulSoul]

Yogurt is one of their favorites to eat. Cat food wet/dry. Hot-dogs, hamburger meat. Endless menu. Yogurt is important because it contains the live cultures they need.

[@fenixcreciente8576]

玄同太子 - Sugar-free, such as Greek, yoghurt is best--& leaving off heavily processed foods such as hot dogs, for their longterm health.

[@asinineaesthetic9383]

That's pretty awesome oppossum

[@hanajinks1044]

She's a Professional and yet feeds an animal Fruit Loops as opposed to actual fruit.

[@jonalarcon8564]

They are great pets

[@MJKarkoska]

I live in Texas and since I was a kid I've heard that people kill them. I have one that has been coming up for a few years now, and although he is not a pet I put food out for him to keep him away from the trash cans, and he will let me pet him. He likes catfood the best. They don't really carry rabies because their bodies are too cold, and they are great for keeping pests away. They usually make a circuit rather than stay in one place, as mine will be gone for a week or so, then will stick around for a few days, and then I won't see him, and it just stays that way. I saved him from a dog once, and he played dead. I put some medicine on a bite mark he had and he healed up nicely.

[@amargokli8546]

That’s #1 opossum

[@zdravkobuljan6931]

1:37 He know how to email? ^^

[@fenixcreciente8576]

Zdravko Buljan - :)

[@lass-inangeles7564]

Great story! Great human.

[@lastcommodore9651]

Raising an orphaned baby possum is on my bucket list.

[@KindCountsDeb3773]

It's 4/2021 and I just removed a baby possum from my HOUSE over the weekend that walked in and I had to hunt for him. Took a day 1/2 and a lot of looking. Finally saw him walking from his hiding place behind oven and grabbed him with a towel. He was non aggressive, cute and didn't put up a fight. I've saved several possums over the years and took him to a Vet Office where a girl there does rehabilitation of wild animals. She said he was a baby and she'd keep him for a couple of weeks till he was ready, then release on acreage she owned. Some look like babies but are juveniles and can live on their own. I live in the suburbs and one had been killed next door by a dog and it's a danger around in my neighborhood, even though they like to get food from a populated area at times. BTW : better than keeping, let someone release to the wild. And, they can get a metastatic bone disease if not on a proper diet. 💕

[@boobella899]

Cute but there's something weird about owning one because in the wild they are devoted scavengers and spend days looking for food, so when everything is just provided for them in a center, will they still feel the same? well they only live a couple years long anyway

[@microsoftpainenthusiast8096]

lyuoook at that baby face 😍00:33

[@wheelinthesky300]

Possums are good Americans.

[@JarOfRats]

Possums are the most gentle creature on the planet. It is virtually impossible to get a possum to bite you. All they will do when they are scared is open their jaws to a ridiculous degree and faint.

[@chewface]

his eyes are super cute

[@AMGLOCK572]

I just found one in my deck looks like 2 months old. The mom is not around I have been feeding it blueberry and strawberries. I’m kind of scared of it but it looks lonely and lost. It does look adorable❤️

[@jamesroyal1739]

You go girl ,I love them too

[@benjamincresswell3713]

Where can I find a vet who'll see a wild Opossum?

[@Thefishingplumber]

ive killed plenty of possums as a youngster most time they scared me when theyd hiss eating my dogs food...... i really feel bad for those critters now🙈 i will never hurt one again i promise 😞!!! forgive me possum spirits!!!

[@undeadcatz6305]

Once i saw a possum on the road that got ran over and it was so sad. I saw it still breathing hard :(

[@kittywampusdrums4963]

Noooooo

[@VitalExistence]

Poor lady, she's just like me. Forcing kisses, so in love you can;t stand it, she must have been broken when the little sweetheart died.

[@DaniFox10000]

I just relized that this dude is sadly gone because opssoms only live for 4-5 years in captivity.

[@FedorMachida]

Pretty cool. That Opossum is huge! P.S. Alex Hobson looks like a little like Marilyn Manson, imo.

[@zsazsatitus9956]

I'm happy for her. I hope he doesn't bite.

[@christophercifuentes4036]

He look like my three pet possums princess sherlock and banjo

[@sheilamore3261]

Awwww awesome I think that’s awesome🥰💕

[@nillathrilla]

the opossum in my backyard likes tater tots and really any leftover i need to throw out lol

[@fenixcreciente8576]

nillathrilla - May I suggest not feeding junk food to wildlife.

[@nillathrilla]

You can suggest that but i dont think it hurts him, opossums eat practically anything including road kill. Also, its not "junk food", more like dinner leftovers, & bones.

[@newvoice1935]

The lady looks so scared with her hand on him

[@chrisoutdoors333]

Awesome. Very misunderstood animals.

[@idaliapena]

I found a baby possum but I don't know how to care ,somebody can help me please ,I know this animals eat fruit but how I star to touched ?

[@CanineArachnid]

+lacuchyyys what happened to the baby opossum?

[@fenixcreciente8576]

lacuchyyys - You may not need this anymore, but if anyone else is in this situation you can do an online search; there are a number of organizations that teach opossum care. I applaud you for wanting to learn how to properly care for vulnerable wildlife!

[@chloejennings5861]

I love opossum

[@42luke93]

Lemara Lavender WHAT THE HECK IS AN OPOSSUM?!? XD!

[@fenixcreciente8576]

42luke roblox - Try Google.

[@Katya_Lastochka]

I hate how easily misinformation gets spread around and people act like it's normal. It's not normal to be ignorant and definitely not to be presumbptuous.

[@crimsonstar9445]

Do Possums bite???? Where I live, they thrive in the wild... They seem scared of humans but can be aggressive if they're bothered... I'm scared of them.

[@JohnFernau]

A C Can they bite? Sure. Will they? Probably not. They bare their teeth and hiss as a defense mechanism. If that doesn’t work, they play dead. My 6 year old daughter saw one in our back yard last summer and called to him like a dog. He came over and let her pet him. My wife went out and fed him grapes. We lost him this winter, but he changed my life. Amazing animals.

[@el.vicho.de.la.sierra]

Damn cuh

[@JoseRamirez-vz6zh]

No kema cuh lmao 😂

[@Bobbotov]

I had a family of opossums living in my yard for awhile. One time during a severe rain storm a small river formed in the easement in my backyard and I saw the momma opossum wading the river with all of her babies on her back. It was such a beautiful site to behold. Then I got an asshole neighbor who moved in and killed them all thinking they were big rats. I cried.

[@fenixcreciente8576]

Bobbotov - So sorry :(

[@QuantumRift]

The opossum lifespan is unusually short for a mammal of its size, usually only two to four years. Senescence is rapid. Meaning they grow old and die pretty quick, unless they get hit by a car first.

[@goldendragon68]

They age significantly slower in captivity thanks to people giving them a better diet than in the wild, but yes, they still don't live as long as say, a dog.

[@icewaterfall101]

Cool dog.

[@ShadowMosses]

Cute eyes

[@charliedallachie3539]

Unfortunately they have short life spans (4-6 years) so something to keep in mind if you want one as a pet.

[@liekiokling3552]

越看越可爱的负鼠 你们好帮 热爱所以动物 祝福你们如意安康 善哉

[@peperruti]

Very cute.

[@Stand_By_For_Mind_Control]

Huh. I wonder if this thing is still alive 7 years later.

[@isaiahz.7747]

No kema cuhhh!!!

[@sunnyskye1106]

I have wanted a possum for a loooooong time. Can’t seem to find any.

[@lcoop5497]

When you can safely check a opossum whose been run over is a good way to find one. Look to see if there is a pouch, most likely if it's a older female she'll have babies in there. Take the baby's and if their eyes are closed you can feed them with a dropper with puppy replacement milk.

[@bluliite]

It's an Opossum.

[@marieclairemampinda5188]

Are can you carry that think

[@isabelledaopossum5495]

her name was sprinkles

[@lastonejoe8846]

Looks like its on tranquilizer

[@rottytherottski522]

Possums aren’t really an uncommon pet, just depends where in the country you are. I hear some people litterbox train them but they aren’t smart for much more than that.

[@ksoundkaiju9256]

1:06 Is it me or is that thing cross-eyed?

[@reign6of6e6terror]

Its crosseyed cause of wrong feeding

[@johncats5903]

HE DIDNT DO ANYTHING TO ANYONE ID KEEP'MMM TOO, HE LOOKS SWEET = LIKE" THE FEW HERE ON KZbin AS HOUSE PETS. THX

[@citronquartz2779]

hey this opossum is very overweight. the cross eyes is the result of the eyes bulging from fat deposits behind the eyeballs. also the tail is very fat and the opossum is very stationary.

[@bokitosilva5591]

Best pets ever they are funny!?ya Digg!.

[@福田徳明]

可愛いなぁ😃💕

[@Juan-ko7ey]

do you have to give up alot of your time and is it expensive to get a possum to be like this one? i thought they are wild animals

[@npaul4171]

+Juan Dias Yes. Getting a domesticated animal used to people takes a lot of time. For example, domesticated rabbits can be litter trained, command trained, and become as friendly towards people (and other animals) as friendly dogs - however, rabbits have a reputation for being nasty and this is frequently because the amount of time and effort devoted to the relationship is far too little (and the care provided is commonly sub par as many people see them as more disposable animals than cats or dogs.) Domesticating a wild animal takes even longer, and finding the proper diet, and ensuring the animal moves enough to avoid cardiovascular disease (that is very common with mammals that do not move enough, including people) is a timely process. Further, finding proper Vet care can be difficult and may be hours away given most Vets will not prefer to see exotics - diagnosing, treating, and dosing is all hard to do properly. In this particular instance, the profession of the lady who adopted the possum means she can probably give it as good a care as anyone can - this situation likely came about because the time it took to treat the injured possum, and perhaps the severity of injuries, meant it could not survive in the wild. In summary, it is expensive, and you have to put a lot of time & heart into it to get love out of it. Like any other companion animal, purchase/adoption fees are a drop in the bucket compared to the thousands that good nutrition and good medical care will likely be. Finally, you will likely need to make the food yourself, and as opossums are generally NOT social animals, expectations for the degree of companionship should be managed, with an understanding that this particular instance may be an opossum that is unusually social - even with the best of care, reaching such a point may not be possible.

[@AhNee]

I have two that were orphaned. The girl is nasty and bitey, the boy is sweet, and I carry him around on my shoulders a lot in the evening while I do other things, so he's used to me.

[@willowwrenacres274]

That's so funny, I currently have 2 orphaned opossums and it's the exact same scenario. The girl is very nasty, growls, hisses and attempts to bite every chance she gets but the boy is a little darling. I know it's not all females, we use to have a disabled girl who was sweet as sugar. Her favorite spot in the world was sleeping flat on her back, 4 paws in the air, on my husband's lap in the recliner. Penelope was a wonderful educational ambassador and changed many a person's perception of opossums. They're marvelous animals.

[@AhNee]

Stephanie Hicks Aw, that is awesome to hear! Yeah, my friend's two females are great, too...Jezebel just apparently has issues.

[@noodlesflawed4800]

He's a fat Possum :) I've had Brushtail Possums as Pets and they are awesome animals!

[@modeljetjuggernaut4864]

I don't know man. They seem docile enough, but there doesn't seem to be any personality traits or quirks like you get with a dog. And there's that blank stare never looking you in the eyes. All they seem to express is 'any more food?' and nothing more. But what else can you expect for such a short lifespan.

[@fenixcreciente8576]

Model Jet Juggernaut - You would benefit from looking at some of the comments on KZbin opossom-keeping videos--because from what I've read, they make delightful pets w/unique personalities just like any other higher animal.

[@samuelstalcup732]

Helloooooooooooo Nurse!

[@lydiaminx666]

lil bby

[@joshyallen4956]

I have a pet raccoon and a mole and I saved them from death too.

[@elmarino6235]

Es el Cuhhh!!!!!

[@isabelledaopossum5495]

i used to havr a opossum

[@jamesboeling7499]

She has found clever feeding tricks... Yogurt and fruit loops... what the F?