Introducing “Thelma and Louise”
Drum roll please… I’d like to introduce to you our newest education animals at Operation Orphan Wildlife Rehabilitation, Inc., Thelma and Louise!
These two opossum sisters came to us earlier in the week from The Ohio Wildlife Center in Columbus. Their center has a program at the local Marysville prison where inmates help to raise orphaned baby wildlife. Thelma and Louise were in a litter of six; the mother was killed on the road outside of the prison. Four opossums from the litter were able to be released, but Thelma and Louise were unreleasable. 
Thelma suffers from neurological issues and her head shakes all the time, while Louise is missing at least a third of her tail. Because these two babies had problems, the inmates had to handle them above what a rehabilitator would do. The result is that these two are overly friendly and cannot be released back into the wild. For Thelma, even if she were not friendly, her neurological problem would prevent her from being released.
OPOSSUM FACTS
Some people think the opossum is ugly. If you are one of those people, look beyond what they look like and remember you are a healthier person because of the opossum. Here are a few facts about the opossum and what to do if you see one hit by a car.
- Opossum are North America’s only marsupial.
- Opossum are one of the most beneficial animals in the wild.
- They live on other animals that have died, and by doing so, help to keep us and other animals healthy.
- Their immune system is unlike any other animal. They can eat a diseased animal and not get the disease.
- An opossum can deliver as many as 20 babies but the most that will survive will be 13.
- The babies are no larger than a honey bee at birth.
- Once born, the babies will find their way to the mother’s pouch located on the underside and attach to a nipple. The nipple will swell to prevent them from losing it. The babies remain on the nipple and in the pouch for the first two months of their lives.
- When the babies are first old enough to come out of the pouch they will move back and forth from the pouch to riding on the mother’s back. By the time they are three months old they are usually on their own.
- Opossum have 50 teeth; four sets of teeth are to bite with.
- When threatened, opossum will lie down and play dead, but will stand their ground and fight if cornered.
- Opossum will recover from injuries that would normally kill other animals.
- Ticks are going to be a big problem this year and they eat a lot of ticks.
- They have many enemies and I believe man is their greatest one.
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