text: any advice on what to do with the little opossum in the trash can?
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  Posted August 14, 2006 at 6:06 pm | Permalink
  (And keep your analysis of our trash to yourself.)
  Posted August 14, 2006 at 6:27 pm | Permalink
  I had a similar little guy exploring beneath my bird feeders around 11PM last night. Cute little guys and gals.
  I think they're cousins to raccoons and that group, which are closer to cats than rats, right? They're not genus rodentia, are they?
  Posted August 14, 2006 at 6:50 pm | Permalink
  Why did you throw it away in the first place?
  Just kidding. Wasn't there a CWUSA article about someone having a mystery creature in their laundry room that was possibly a baby opossum?
  Opossums are marsupials. Rats, cats, rodents, raccoons, and humans are all placental mammals and more related to each other than to an opossum.
  Posted August 14, 2006 at 6:53 pm | Permalink
  You're familiar with the proper treatment for fish in a barrel, right? I wouldn't think 'possums in a trash can would be much different.
  Posted August 14, 2006 at 6:56 pm | Permalink
  (Alternately, have you got a length of scrap 2×4 or plywood sitting around? Stick it down in there to make a ramp.)
  Posted August 14, 2006 at 7:12 pm | Permalink
  Anon: Thanks for the information. Googled to find the following link:
  kaweahoaks.com/html/opossum.htm
  Great photos! Note in the write-up that they are great for cleaning up our neighjborhoods of trash … especially huge amounts like Mark Maynard produces and has to store in tall cylindrical containers.
  And they asre resistant to rabies. Though, I wouldn't corner one in the garage.
  Posted August 14, 2006 at 7:35 pm | Permalink
  Yes, it looks adorable in the photo, but I wouldn't want to get anywhere near it. It has sharp teeth and claws, which can do enough damage even if it doesn't carry disease.
  What's Freeda's opinion, Mark?
  Posted August 14, 2006 at 9:58 pm | Permalink
  Oppossums, when cornered, it is reported, will curl up and go into a catatonic state … hence, playing 'Possum. At that point they could be picked up and taken away or scooped up and dropped in a nearby wood.
  Sounds like the Democrats these past few years … time for a new crop of Dems to take the party forward. Al's busy on his tour. Hillary has absolutely no idea of what to say next … Waffle Queen at the NY State Fair. Barak Obama, perhaps … who knows?
  Posted August 14, 2006 at 10:13 pm | Permalink
  mmmmmm…slow cooking, one word… crockpot
  Posted August 15, 2006 at 7:45 am | Permalink
  Posted August 15, 2006 at 7:56 am | Permalink
  Don't shave it. Oppossum hides were once prized as bath sponges because the fur is very soft.
  Recipies for opossum have been in Joy of Cooking since it was first published. Yum.
  Par boil or, yes, crock pot. Well done … or the gaminess will cause you and yours some distress.
  Kez is absolutely right about the crockpot. Just be sure to skin it first. (That's a mistake you don't make twice!) My favorite recipe for baby opossum calls for a can of (American) beer and about a dozen katsup packs (preferrably from McDonald's).
  Posted August 15, 2006 at 9:53 am | Permalink
  I would say "cuddle it" but you'd probably get rabies. It's a good thing I don't take my own advice. The ramp idea sounds good to me. That and sending it in to Cute Overload.
  Posted August 15, 2006 at 1:07 pm | Permalink
  "Joy of Cooking" says that you should feed it on milk and cereal for 10 days, presumably to purge it of the taste of garbage. Be careful, because opossums do bite, and also release a foul-smelling fluid when threatened. Then kill it, wearing gloves to avoid tularemia infection; boil and scrape it, and remove the red stink glands. Then parblanch it, changing water repeatedly, and then roast it.
  Bon appetit! Bon tularemia!
  Posted August 15, 2006 at 1:17 pm | Permalink
  Breastfeed it in public.
  Posted August 17, 2006 at 10:19 am | Permalink
  Make it into a hat for Clementine (the Ypsi version of a coonskin cap).
  Posted August 20, 2006 at 11:58 pm | Permalink
  Thanks for all the great ideas… We ended up sneaking it into one of the beautiful homes in this year's Ypsilanti Herritage Fest Home Tour and letting it go in a closet. (Sorry Andy and Patti.)