An opossum's normal body temperature is  94 - 97 degrees F. It is  IMPERATIVE   that the baby's body core temperature be at an acceptable level  BEFORE  attempting to feed.  Trying to feed a cold orphan may result in death.  Put the baby/babies in a plastic or cardboard box with a soft material as a base and a soft covering for the baby/babies to crawl under simulating a pouch. We use a cotton t-shirt for the covering so the babies can crawl into it.  NO  toweling material as the baby's toenails could snag causing harm.  Place a heating pad, set on  LOW, underneath  HALF  the box and keep in a warm, dark place until the baby has stabilized.  Place a warm moistened sponge, remoisten after each feeding, inside the box.  This will simulate the humid conditions of the birth Mother's pouch.  Once the baby has calmed and stabilized, usually within several hours, offer a hydrating solution such as warmed children's Pedialyte or warmed distilled water  SLOWLY  with a syringe or an eye dropper and then again in a few hours.  Due to low body core temperature, orphaned opossum chill rapidly.  Handle as little as possible and keep the baby/babies covered and WARM in a dark, quiet place.

NEVER TRY TO HYDRATE OR FEED A COLD ANIMAL !

Once the baby is warmed, calmed and accepting the hydrating solution, begin offering a powder Puppy Milk Replacer mixture. We use PetAg's  Esbilac powder , but any quality Puppy Milk Replacer will do.  DO NOT   offer whole milk, raw eggs,  or honey.  Wildlife cannot tolerate whole milk or honey and either could cause a deadly digestive bacterial infection. PetAg's Puppy Milk Replacer, Esbilac, may be obtained and delivered to your home by calling Revival Animal Health at  1-800-786-4751  or visit their website:
Revival Animal Health   The basic formula we use is:

Eyes Closed:
1 part Esbilac powder or any quality Puppy Milk Replacer
1 1/2 parts Pedialyte
1/2 part distilled water

Eyes Opened:
1 part Esbilac powder or any quality Puppy Milk Replacer
1 part human baby rice or oatmeal cereal
1 part Applesauce (Pure, NO preservatives)
1 1/2 parts Pedialyte
1/2 part distilled water

Joeys under 2 weeks of age are nearly impossible to save. Any formula offered at this critical time  MUST  be given a drop at a time if any success is to be expected.  As they are so tiny, if any are to survive, a gram scale to determine weight is almost mandatory.

Feeding Chart Reference:
10 grams      .52 cc's every 4 hours
25 grams    1.03 cc's every 4 hours
50 grams    1.74 - 2.35 cc's every 4 hours
100 grams  5.0 cc's every 4 hours
Gradually increase the amount of formula offered as the babies appetite increases.

Feed only in an UPRIGHT position to avoid aspiration, pneumonia and potential death.  Babies will have to be slowly fed with an eyedropper or syringe as opossum wee ones do not "suck" as other babies do and then weaned to a shallow saucer as soon as possible. Older opossum orphans (eyes opened) may be initially fed by offering the formula in a small, shallow saucer by placing one or two at most babies in the saucer.  After feeding it is IMPERATIVE  that you encourage the baby to urinate and move their bowels. This is done by placing the fed opossum in a VERY shallow pan with a VERY small amount of warm water in it. The touch of warm water on their paws encourages urination and bowel movements.  What goes in  MUST COME OUT. This is best done in a sink or other convenient place for proper hygenic clean up. Please be cautious that the baby/babies do not get chilled !  Proper hygienge for  BOTH   you and the orphan  MUST be practiced at all times due to parasites that all wildlife are common to carry.  Wildlife can and do present harmful parasites thru their stool. Due to their low body core temperature, Opossum chills rapidly !  Wrap them and feed them as quickly as possible and return them to the warmth of the nest you have made for them, remembering to re moisten the sponge with warm water. Avoid any drafts, air conditioning, fans blowing, etc.

It is important to raise orphaned Wildlife in groups of their own kind so they may develop normal socialization skills. A single orphan will attach itself to you in lieu of others of it's species. Wildlife orphans raised together teach each other and mature more quickly and more naturally. When release time comes they will also have the comfort and security of each other and not be "out there" alone. Please find an experienced Wildlife Rehabilitator as soon as possible to ensure a successful rehabilitation.

This information is offered as an absolute EMERGENCY resource only.  Please do not rely on this or any other information on this web site to properly raise and release any orphaned Wildlife if you are not formally trained to do so, that baby's life and health is at stake.

Those who wish to pet and baby wildlife love them,  but those who respect
their natures and wish to let them live their natural lives, love them more.
~ Edwin Way Teal ~

Crawdad Creek Wildlife Rehab Home

PLEASE keep any orphaned Wildlife warm and quiet while you are locating a Wildlife Rehabilitator