One thing to remember, is that Possums wouldn't normally need our help. For them to need our care in the first place, something dramatic has happened in their life.
Things that can lead to a possum being in care include; Severe weather events (Storms, strong winds, wild fires etc), Tree damage (either natural or through human intervention), Animal attack (other possums including their own siblings, birds, dogs, humans or by far the most common; cat attack), Human interaction (Hit by cars, demolishing buildings, vandalism or physical attack.) lastly there's factors like Natural Selection, Disease, Abandonment etc.
The Million Dollar Question:
With any possum entering into care the first thing we need to consider is: Will this possum survive?
Is it going to be able to live a normal life? If we answer No or Unlikely at that early stage, then 99.9% of the time the possum will be taken for euthanasia (put to sleep humanely).
Why?
We feel it is kinder to the possum not to make it suffer any longer than necessary, (despite what our vanity or feelings of wanting to give it a chance) as in most cases the possum will pass away despite our efforts and we would have just extended it's pain and suffering. It is also the view of many Vets, animal advocacy groups, the D.E.H and Fauna Rescue, that No animal should suffer un-necessarily.
Our experience:
In the last 12 months my wife and I have had many possums enter our care, about one half of these have been injured or ill and have not survived or were euthanased. One had an unknown infection, one was injured by a vehicle and the rest were cat attack victims.
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| Ring-tail attacked by a cat. |
The injuries inflicted by cats are severe and if not treated within an hour or so of the attack, the possum is unlikely to survive due to the bacteria cats harbour in their claws and teeth. Cats (and dogs) will grab and shake the possum, causing neck and spinal injuries as well as punctures from teeth and claws.
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| This Ring-tail died in our arms from it's injuries. |
The trauma of an attack (if the possum survives) can also manifest itself later as hair loss and mange infection, which if not treated can kill the possum.
How to treat a possum?
We are not going to give specific treatment information here, rather state that the first and best answer is always consult with a specialist; either a Vet or very experienced carer (call Fauna Rescue). These people will have seen or know how to treat most ailments you'll come across, and will also give you an independant view on a possum's chance of survival.
Vets should always be the ones to put any animal to sleep, they can do so quickly, humanely and painlessly.
Many vets will offer cheap or free services to registered animal carers, animal welfare or rescue groups etc. and will often only charge for medicines, giving their time for free. Wildlife in South Australia can also be 'surrendered' to a vet if the vet insists on charging you a fee for euthanasia as they are then legally bound to care for the creature (including euthanasia).
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