The garbage can in the barn had been empty since I used up the last of the kindling. I just happened to look in it this afternoon, I’m not even sure why.
Hugging the side of the can, trying to blend in, was an opossum.
She was still as a statue, and my first thought was that maybe she was hurt. But when I moved the can she moved, and to me she looked healthy and whole.
She must have fallen into the garbage can and couldn’t climb up the slippery metal side.
“It’s okay,” I said out loud, as I picked up the garbage can, “I’m not going to hurt you.” I passed Zip engrossed in eating his dinner on the hay bales. He completely ignored us as I carried the can out of the barn.
I thought the opossum would run the first chance she got, but when I laid the pail on its side, she just sat there. So I fed the sheep and donkeys and took a walk thinking if I left her alone she’d come out.
On my walk I found these tracks in the marsh. I think they may belong to the opossum, with those little star feet and line between them made by her tail.
When I got back to the farm the opossum was still hiding in the garbage can.
I imagine she was pretty frightened, and probably smelled the dogs too. I left the can on its side so she could come out when she feels safe. Maybe she’ll wait till it gets dark.
I don’t know if she lives in the barn, or maybe was trying to find a home of the winter and was checking it out. She’s about the same size as Zip, so if she does live there already, I imagine they’re used to each other.
Just because I’ve never seen an opossum in the barn before, doesn’t mean they’re not there. I’m just glad I looked in the garbage can and found her alive.
Maria thank you for liberating the sweet opossum. I have no doubt she/he was hoping to find food. We had a visiting possum for many years – in the winter I left out a bowl of kibbles and at night I often saw my cats and the opossum eating from the same bowl. They all seemed to be fine with it – I never saw any of my cats chase or threaten the opossum – in fact they were quite happy to co-exist. One winter the possum spent most of the time in our basement window well hunkering down under the leaves.
Great picture of the prints in the snow!
That’s good to hear Peg. I love that you cat and the opossum ate together. What a thing to see!