How do you take care of a baby opossum?

We just found a baby opossum near our house and next to it was its dead mother.I knew its mother was dead because its head was crushed and it was covered with blood,so i took the baby opossum home so can someone give me some ideas on how to take care of the opossum,note well the opossum is 6 inches long including the tail.The most important thing i would like to know is how to feed it and don't worry it is legal to keep an opossum where i live.How do you take care of a baby opossum?
I don't think it's legal for anyone without a permit to raise/rehab any wild animal. I also would advise against it as opossums especially have extremely delicate metabolism and require specialized formula that only a vet hospital or wildlife rehabilitator would have access to. As well as opossums don't use nipples like other animals they have to be tube fed with a vet grade tube that you wouldn't be able to get. I'm glad that you care for it but please get it to a wildlife rehabilitator :o) The other concern I have is where are it's brothers and sisters? Did anyone check mom's pouch for them? they could be in there slowly dieing.How do you take care of a baby opossum?
it maybe legal but it isnt wise cuz it is a wild animal n itll revert back to the wild n it carry a host of diseases like rabies. turn it into a forestry or wildlife management office
Sorry, I don't know how you should take care of it, but I just wanted to say that its really nice of you to take him under your wing!
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Offer the orphaned opossum an electrolyte solution such as pedialyte diluted in distilled water--1/2 cup of electrolyte solution mixed with 1 cup of water is a good rule of thumb. Make sure the fluids are lukewarm, not cold, before you attempt giving it to the opossum. You can try to dispense the fluids from an eye dropper or if the opossum is older and has fur you can try to offer it in a small bowl. It is important not to give too much fluid; offering a little amount frequently is far better than too much at one time.





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Help the animal eliminate waste to prevent bloating, ruptured bladder and other serious problems caused by not urinating or having a bowel movement. To do this, use a soft cloth or cotton ball dampened in warm water. Gently rub the opossum's genital area and anus to stimulate the elimination response. This might take a while but don鈥檛 give up; this step is imperative for the animal鈥檚 survival.





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Contact an animal rehabilitator who specializes in caring for orphaned opossums. An experienced rehabilitator will give the animal the best chance for survival. Your local humane society or veterinarian may be able to put you in contact with a rehabilitator. You can also do an Internet search for opossum wildlife rehabilitators in your immediate vicinity





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Try to feed the orphaned opossum with a homemade formula while waiting for the rehabilitator. Make the formula by mixing 1 egg yolk, 陆 cup of milk, 1 tablespoon of honey and a pinch of salt. Feed the baby possum frequently at about 2 hour intervals. It is important to continue frequent feedings at night to prevent dehydration. If the orphaned opossum is very small it should be fed more frequently at 1 hour intervals, the same goes for animals that appear weak. If the baby opossum is older, weighing a pound or more you can add either canned dog food or cat food to the formula. Don鈥檛 force feed.