You must have a permit to capture, release or kill a possum. This leads to many kind-hearted animal lovers wanting to take the animal in and raise them as a pet. Keeping Possums as Pets: Why Possums Are Good for Nature. A wild one would tear you to pieces! But far from being a nuisance, opossums can be beneficial for your garden, eating snails, slugs, insects and … Possums as Pets: General Guidelines and Tips. Another black possum caused Hitchens disbelief when she found it playing with her cats. They eat the berries and flowers that are food for our native birds and insects. Can you keep a possum as a pet NZ? But my critters seem to have a different opinion on wanting to be returned to the wild as we originally intended to do. The possum returned every night around dusk to play with the cats for two months. While the opossum is not generally an aggressive animal, this aspect should not be ignored. Possums are also prone to disease, death, and infections in captivity. "I do understand why you aren't allowed to keep them - they are an introduced animal and they do create a lot of damage. Then expect to pay a heck of a lot more than that on a suitable enclosure, diet, toys and furniture for them. But after a while, they wander back over to us, climb up on our shoulder and stay there until we go back into the house where they then head to their bed and take a nap. those that are native to Australia, it is illegal to keep any possum as a pet: thus, the answer is "no" - a possum cannot be a pet. They are ment to be wild animals. Like all marsupials, possums have a pouch, or a marsupium. If it is then captured and contained it is impossible to provide the animal with the quality of life it has learnt to expect. Even when confronted with a predator, they will use the infamous "playing possum" technique to appear dead and avoid an actual brawl. Although there are mixed opinions about the issue, you’ll still hear conservationists and the New Zealand government push for possum eradication. Yes you can. Possums have natural habits and behaviors they need to carry out. Possums rarely earn positive reactions and begs of "Can I hold him one more time?" Another important factor is that it is illegal to keep possums without a wildlife rehabilitation permit. Pygmy possums are not opossums, but the kind found in Australia we discussed above. Even though some people to it, more often than not, it turns out bad for the animal. READ MORE: *Temuka woman's beloved pet possum goes missing *Possum punch video 'animal cruelty': Environment Canterbury, SPCA *Luna the baby possum bids farewell to her 'mother' who saved her  *Pet possum safely home after lolly lure  *Secret possum rescuers: the people who love a hated New Zealand pest. McKenzie said he couldn't say how many cases he had come across, but it was part of his job as a regulator to remind people it's illegal to keep possums as pets. As many posts on r/Opossums will be quick to inform you, possums should only be kept as pets when they require rehabilitative care and couldn’t survive on their own in the wild. dawsonfurs@callplus.net.nz. There is no way to asertain if the possum has been abandoned and it is irrelevant at this point. They have long snouts and small, sharp teeth. Symptoms of Labor, Teaching a Child to Care for a Pet: Guidelines and Tips, Caring for Puppy Dogs: Guidelines and Tips, How to Get a Dog to Sleep - Tips and Home Remedies, How to Take Care of a Short-Haired Guinea Pig. I just found a baby possum,it has it`s eyes open but is so weak it has trouble walking,or maybe it`s still learning? They are marsupials with prehensile tails, making them very good climbers. They are found in North, South and Central America, but mainly in the North. Possums are also a threat to native wildlife such as Kiwis in New Zealand. "They compete directly for food for native birds, they like to eat bird chicks and eggs, and dine out on insects, they are real omnivores.". "There are, however, strict criteria around breeding possums and putting them on public display." Possums as Pets: General Guidelines and Tips, Kiwis as Pets: General Guidelines and Tips. On the other hand, there are still many advocates for the possum, with some Kiwis keeping possums as pets and others objecting to the methods used to eradicate possums in New Zealand. They make very poor pets. Their scientific name is Didelphimorphia. Do not litter train them if they can be. Grey possums are more common in … "While we can understand they are cute and cuddly, rules around these species for a reason. The tips provided in this article are the ones used to help care for sick or injured possums. It's an offence to breed, knowingly communicate, exhibit, multiply, propagate, release, or sell a pest except under certain circumstances (see section 52 and section 53 of the Biosecurity Act 1993). It used to meet her at the bus stop after school, and was fed bits of fruit. They are Northland's number one animal pest, according to the Northland Regional Council. It's illegal to keep possums in captivity in Northland but possum lovers say they make "highly intelligent, lovely pets". 0 0 1 0 Both need the care of a vet and treatment should basic health issues arise. In our need to be connected to nature, many people are looking to exotic pets to keep in the home. Instead, I had to bury him after a long, hard death. They are not rodents! This simulates what the mother does as an act of hygiene ( she eats the pee and poop } and this keeps the area clean. The opossum is an omnivore. Don't Edit. When you notice that the opossum is lapping up it's puppy milk, you can offer solid foods in the form of baby food, Pay close attention for the first week when offering solid foods as the opossum has a tendency to take too much and choke. So far he is growing rapidly and seems to be doing well. Now the woman has a bird sanctuary at her Kaitaia home, and while she said she still loves possums, she shoots them if they come onto her property. Some animals are simply not healthy enough to ever return to the wild. Keep in mind possums have 52 teeth designed to crush bones for a reason. Diego Astúa, R., et al. Possum meat is particularly high in Linoleic Acid, an essential fatty acid which is important for skin health. Contact us for your local agent. Possums are established over more than 90% of New Zealand and are a very serious problem. Purchase a humane possum trap. Ensure they are safe from pets on your property Keep cats indoors, or confined to outdoor enclosures. Possums also have a short lifespan; around three years or less in the wild. If not, then they may attack you our of frustration or in defense of being locked up. In captivity, they may survive for longer, if proper nutrition and care are received from a qualified handler. "I never pushed the relationship but she would let me stroke her and I would feed her grain twice a day and willow when it started to sprout," Hitchens said. "They make highly intelligent lovely pets, but they can do a lot of damage.". While the opossum is not generally an aggressive animal, this aspect should not be ignored. According to the article "keeping him in captivity" will make him aggressive and is not the best choice? This article made me worried...we found a baby possum in the garage who looked lost so we brought him in. There is quite a lot of interest about possums as pets. By contrast any adult native animal, including birds and possums, that has been reared in the wild, has learnt to fear humans, watch for other predators, find a diet of natural food and interact with other members of its own species. We also need to consider kindness. By 1950 possums were found in over half of New Zealand and they kept spreading. I work in a wildlife shelter with brushtail possums & can tell you that as babies they are so cute but as they mature become aggressive. In addition, opossums are solitary animals and may not get along with other animals. Their claws are sharper than a cats & are stronger too. Virginia possums are nocturnal and enjoy a slow paced, calmer household as they are timid and frightened. A possums size can be little and computer mouse like yet various other types such as the Australian Brush rear can show up to be the dimension of your pet cat. However, possums come in grey and dark forms and there also are occasional albino animals. They will wander around and snoop at everything eating bugs and such. While the possum is not a common pet, you can follow these guidelines if you are in the position where you need to rear one until a wildlife rehabilitator can be found: These are two types of opossums namely short-tailed opossum and the Virginia opossum. Opossums and many other wild animals will be attracted to the food, and you may even be putting your pet in danger by causing fights over the food. They do not like to be held captive and will need to seriously bond with a human when they are young if you can expect them to co-habitate peacefully. They are never referred to as an opossum, which is why many call the American kind the opossum and the antipodean variety simply the possum. Posted: (1 days ago) As many posts on r/Opossums will be quick to inform you, possums should only be kept as pets when they require rehabilitative care and couldn’t survive on their own in the wild. They are not on the DWA list either, so a license is not necessary. earlier this year, we brought you the story of a very special possum, who lives in hamilton. There are two colour forms of the species - grey and black, with many vari… Domestication is a process which takes centuries. Northland Regional Council biosecurity manager Don McKenzie said the council recently posted a warning to social media, after seeing people discuss keeping possums as pets. If your dog or cat spends most of its time outside, stick to a feeding schedule rather than leaving food outside around the clock. While many consider opossums solitary animals, recent studies have shown them to be more gregarious than previously thought[1]. But, as it grows, your will notice that it is turning into a wild animal, and that it starts displaying some animal instincts. Permits must be obtained before trapping possums. it is about 4" long not counting tail,I gave it some orange Gator Aid and some apple sauce,very,very little of both,I put heating pad and a very soft blanket in a lower part of a cage,made sure she is in dark, I will try and feed it in two hours or so,I also rub her back and tummy with my fingers, is there any way of knowing if she was lost or abandoned? What can you do? We use minced possum meat in our Lamb and Possum adult dog food as wild caught NZ Possum is an excellent source of omega 3 and 6 fatty acids. Mysterious metal monolith pops up in Christchurch, the latest home to the global phenomenon, Mystery surrounds boat ordered to leave Fiordland, Questions raised after police officers stop youths to take their photos. The worst part about keeping an opossum for a pet is that they don't have a long lifespan..... Other than that they make Awesome pets! They also seem to enjoy our companionship as they will wander around the house, then climb up on the couch where we are sitting, curl up against us, and take a nap. Sometimes, an orphaned possum may be found abandoned. In general, it is not recommended to keep possums as pets. Since the arrival of people 750 years ago 75 plant and animal species have gone extinct and many, many more are at risk of disappearing. Catching a live possum can reap a handsome reward. "If another one turned up like she did, I would feed it - it's almost a compliment to have a wild animal stay there. While there may be many examples of wild animals creating bonds with human beings, the circumstances where this happens are unique. Opossum’s lifespan can vary in the wild and in captivity. Take a look at our article whether Possums dangerous for humans or pets? The New Zealand Government spends over $110 million* per year on possum control. Use wax tags to find out if you have possums. But, is it truly right to keep a possum as a pet? The same goes for keeping possums as pets. So now we obtain to the great stuff. The possum is a beautiful animal, but there are many specific concerns regarding keeping them as a pet. Opossums can be encountered in the backyard and pose a threat to pets and humans. So they work out to be pretty beneficial for combating household pests. The stress of lost freedom, being close to humans … They also have great dexterity, making them able to open drawers, cabinets and other things they shouldn't. This is particularly the case with a baby possum as they are indeed vulnerable. Wibowo Djatmiko. "If I hadn't seen it, I wouldn't have believed it. The possum is a beautiful animal, but there are many specific concerns regarding keeping them as a pet. As with any non-domesticated animal, we need to start with a question. These pets love to chew on wires and wires so search around to see to it that they are no place near your electric wiring as fires might be caused. More directly, they can cause a wide range of far more dangerous diseases, such as tuberculosis, spotted fever, leptospirosis, and others. They rarely last more than a year or two because they are food for other animals. This is something important when considering opossums as pets. ... especially the fact that keeping an opossum as a pet will bring a lot of serious challenges for the owner. ... No pet possum either. Keep the possum away from horses. Possums as pets dangers. Diets in captivity cannot hope to match the diversity of the animal's diet in the wild. Unfortunately, many introduced species, such as possum, are threatening those native species. However. Opossums, however, are more commonly referred to simply as possums in the South and Midwest of the USA. 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