Opossum Orphan Care Products Reference Material

The below listed products used in orphan opossum care are either mentioned in our presentations, educational handouts, newsletter articles, website, or mentioned in the Orphan Opossum Care Manual we sell.  Websites change, are moved or run out of product frequently.  If you find a website that is no longer functioning, please contact us via our website and let us know so we can keep this list updated.

NOTE: Many of the following products are available to order from www.Amazon.com If you have no other designated charity, we would greatly appreciate you clicking the following link to begin shopping: link to Amazon Smile. (Amazon Smile link is also available on every page of the Opossum Society of the United States {OSUS} website on the right margin).  Amazon will then donate a percentage of your purchase to OSUS and you will get a reminder each time you return to shop at Amazon Smile that a portion of your donation will go to the Opossum Society of California (OSUS). You can change your registered charity affiliation any time you wish.

Advantage II Flea & Tick repellant (CAT DOSAGE)
www.Amazon.com
PetSmart, PetCo, WalMart, Pet supply stores

Bach’s Rescue Remedy for calming rescued opossums. Place 2-3 drops on a Kleenex and place next to opossum

Bioplasma cell salts (Hyland’s homeopathic) for restoring strength & energy to aged/down opossums.  Dissolve one tablet in a small amount of water and mix the water into their food for at least a week.  Use tweezers to remove a tablet from its container, don’t touch with your fingers.
www.Amazon.com
Vitamin & Health Food Stores

Bulb Syringe for aspirated formula
Drug stores/Walmart

Burlap bags  “Burlap potato sack” 23” x 40” for storing branches before placing in runs
www.Amazon.com

Cages (need 11 gauge ½” x 1” wire) Check with your state for cage size requirements

Calcium Carbonate 600 mg (no vitamin D added) Swanson’s vitamins (adjust dose to equal 700-800 mg daily
https://www.allstarhealth.com/de_p_ref/13684/bing13684/Now_Calcium_Carbonate_-_Pure_Powder.htm?msclkid=4c615f924a6e1ecdc8493eda977f85d2

Capstar use at cat dosage
www.amazon.com
www.1800PetMeds.com

Ensure®
Original Nutritional Shake (made for humans, good for wildlife) Recommend vanilla or strawberry flavored – quick, palatable way to get balanced combination of vitamins and minerals into the animal or animals with loose teeth or injured jaws.
www.Amazon.com
Pharmacies, grocery stores, WalMart, Target

Ferret hammocks – good for use as opossum den box/sleeping area
https://www.ferret.com/sleepers-and-hideouts/hammocks/207/

Flea Repellent
Advantage II, Frontline Spray, Revolution, Capstar – All cat doses
Veterinary office or:
• Pet Meds www.1800petmeds.com 800 738-6337
• Pet supply stores

#3½ & #5 French Feeding Tubes
Chris’s Squirrels & More https://www.squirrelsandmore.com/ 860-749-1129
Ask your vet to place an order for you with his/her next order.  For tube feeding and/or providing a soft tip to your syringe feeding.

Food containers
www.amazon.com search “air tight dog food containers”

 

 

Formula
Fox Valley Formula https://www.foxvalleynutrition.com/ 708-683-9802

32/40 For opossums under 45g

25/30 For opossums 45g to weaning

  • Water temperature thermometer to have correct temperature at time of mixing powder/water
    https://www.amazon.com
  • Plug in formula by brand name or homemade formula to view nutritional value for your species- for those adjusting their packaged formula to better match opossum formula needs.
    http://www.ewildagain.org/calculator.html
  • Kcal calculation:  for determining the daily nutritional needs of an animal by its age/condition
  • https://www.ewildagain.org/wildlife-formula-calculator
  • Formula Warming Device Don’t use microwave, use human baby milk warmer
    Walmart or Kmart for under $20.00 (have to use one for humans)

Gram scales weighing opossums.
www.amazon.com

Hill’s Prescription Diet – Feline a/d
Veterinary Office

Homeopathic Remedies Plug in homeopathic remedy name and search

(local health food or vitamin stores)

https://www.vitaminshoppe.com

https://www.amazon.com

https://www.botanicchoice.com

Homeopathy Information

http://www.ewildagain.org/health.html

www.abchomeopathy.com (search by remedy name)

Illumination

Irrigation flags (wire) – See video on our website on “Adding Water Bottle Support in Opossum Cage”  https://opossumsocietyus.org/water-bottle-support-opossum-cage/

Lowes, Home Depot, ACE Hardware

Kaopectate Antidiarrheal Liquid (for humans)

Opossum dose = 0.25-0.5 ml/kg PO q 4-6 hrs prn
www.Amazon.com
Pharmacies, grocery stores

Manuka Honey -internally for upset stomach, externally for wounds, burns
Manuka Honey USA https://manukahoneyusa.com/ 800 395-2196

Metamucil Fiber Supplement – Laxative.  Opossum dose = 1/8 to ¼ tsp/kg q 12 hrs disguised in food.

Better choice for a laxative = CANNED PUMPKIN, not canned Pumpkin Pie Filling. 1/8 c. per lb of body weight, twice a day.  WAIT 24 HOURS, then repeat, if necessary.
www.Amazon.com
Pharmacies, most grocery stores

Mirror (searching underneath and up objects to locate opossums; cages, furniture, cars) Choose a telescoping, lighted mirror.

https://smile.amazon.com/s?k=tactical+mirror+for+searching+for+bombs&ref=nb_sb_noss

O-ring syringes O-ring syringes glide smoother to prevent sticking followed by “squirts”.  Last longer than regular.
Fox Valley Nutrition www.foxvalleynutrition.com 800 679-4666
Chris’s Squirrels & More https://www.miraclenurser.com/collections/miracle-oring-syringe   860-749-1129

Pedialyte Pops already frozen, easy to store in freezer, handy for a quick meltdown to administer via syringe (needs to be fed at room temperature after meltdown)
Walmart and most supermarkets in the baby food section

Pedialyte Powder packs – keeps longer than bottles of Pedialyte liquid, ready to mix into a liquid.  Allow to dissolve completely before feeding.
Most supermarkets in the baby food section

Pet-Tinic – B-Complex and Iron in a meat-flavored base.  For iron deficiency anemia and flea anemia or depression.  Opossum dose = 1ml per 10 lbs PO BID

1800PetMeds.com, Amazon.com, PetSmart

Pool Rescue Ramps – read information on our website on protecting opossums from pools:

https://opossumsocietyus.org/keeping-opossums-safe-from-pools-and-spas/

https://www.skamper-ramp-store.com/regular-skamper-ramp.html

Also available at PetSmart and many other pet stores

Probiocin
KPAD Soothables Kaolin Pectin Anti-Diarrheal
Jeffers Pet  800 533-3377

Rag Lady
Clean ravel-free rags to wrap babies in while syringe feeding 866 724-7787

Toxiban suspension – for poisonings, except inorganic salt and heavy metal poisoning.  Will turn feces black.  Will stain fabrics black.    Follow label instructions for dosing.

JeffersPet https://www.jefferspet.com/products/toxiban-240ml, WalMart, Amazon.com

Universal Animal Antidote gel –  Poisonings. Comes in tube, less messy.  Follow label instruction for dosing

PetCo, Tractor Supply Store, Amazon.com

Warmers (More insulation will be needed between the heat source and babies’ sleeping pouch as their max temperatures always exceed the opossum norm of 95°)

  • Snuggle safe heating disk
  • Amazon.com, WalMart
  • Hot hands warmers (average temp. 135°, max. 156°- lasts 7+ hours https://warmers.com/collections/hothands
  • Heating Pads
    Kmart –
    Make sure it’s not on a timer to shut off automatically. Never use higher than “LOW” setting.
    ________________________________________________________________________

Waterbator construction – on OSUS website at: https://opossumsocietyus.org/critter-care-waterbator/

Wheels, exercise
Contact Opossum Society of U.S. for wheel plans to build it yourself

 

 

References:

Centers for Disease Control, National Center for Infectious Diseases

Fires

Humane Society of the United States

Opossum Society of the United States

Rabies

https://www.cdc.gov/rabies/resources/contacts.html

USGS National Wildlife Health Center (medical personnel alert wallet cards for wildlife rehabilitators)

Weather

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National weather

Rev. 09/20/2021