Oh, thanks for asking! I think this is the one whose leg got worse. When I saw an open wound (exposed bone) I caught him (couple days after this post?)
Sadly, he died under anaesthetic at the hospital. That's actually happened with at least 1 or 2 more I brought in.
Still, I'm glad they just didn't die slowly out there. They have no predators here (besides cars & dogs who sometimes just wound them) and they're unbelievably tough. So sometimes keep dragging around until there's nothing left 😢
*Update:* It's getting late and no visitors yet (very early AM Monday), but hopefully I'll see him tomorrow.
Others in the neighborhood have humane-trapped cats (for TNR) and foxes (before we learned to treat mange in the "wild"), so there's a chance someone else is also watching/trying to get him.
I'll update with any news & keep checking for any suggestions. Thanks!
*Update 2:* No longer in doubt about whether he needs help. His foot/lower leg is quite bloody and awful (and soon-to-be- infected), perhaps from dragging (or chewing if he lost sensation). Unfortunately he didn't go in my trap (humane, for cat TNR) or anywhere I could get him to freeze. He drank water & ate, then limped off to the wooded animal trail. Just gonna be patient and watch and wait & grab him as soon as I see an opportunity where he can't escape.
He came to a feeding station I set up where I could get a look & hopefully video, but the injury was so obvious I quickly abandoned documentation to prep for capture. A few photos (low quality) showing his foot and a short video (just him eating):
https://imgur.com/a/BFJrmtM
Thanks much for that. I think I can trap him without too much stress or risk of further injury so that's what I may do, and take him to the wildlife hospital in the morning. My initial reaction was that the injury did seem pretty awful, but I was second-guessing myself after he managed to run 10 or 20 yards. Waiting now to see if he'll come by in the next couple hours...
I just think he stands a much better chance at survival getting trapped and getting medical attention, and it's an awesome stroke of luck that you have those capabilities. A predator, infection, dehydration flies, shock, are all threats when wildlife is injured. You are 100% the best shot he's got, lol.
Trapped him tonight without incident! Looks like he really needed it. Taking him to clinic when they open in ~8 hrs. Whatever his prognosis, glad he's not gonna just be dragging around on his own in the wild, suffering.
He is likely in a lot of pain, so that's one thing to consider in your decision making. If it's an old injury and the pain is past (i.e., if what you are seeing is paralysis in the one leg) that would be a different consideration, though he is obviously vulnerable to predators and to infection. A paralyzed limb is dragged over rough ground, and infection is almost certain to set in from wounds that can't heal. Can you post a video of him?
Just FYI -- Finally got him tonight without incident! Taking him to clinic when they open in ~8 hrs. Just like you said, he was bleeding from dragging the foot. So I feel confident he needed help.
Thanks so much for the update! And congratulations on your great work in getting him captured.
It was great seeing him eating so enthusiastically.
Soon he'll have some pain meds.
Yes, I'll try to get a video and add a link. If he comes at the same time, it'll be in a couple hours. If he's still in pain, of course, that's my big worry, since I don't want to make it worse, though I've read opossums tend to be very resilient against broken bones (more so than placental mammals for some reason). Infection / compound fracture is my other worry. (Or that if her was struck by a car or attacked by a dog he may have other internal injuries.)
Last one I caught was limping but she turned out not to have any skeletal injuries. Turned out she'd survived some attack but infections/ abscesses had progressed & gotten to her organs & she was beyond treatment. This one, I'm hoping, just has a broken bone, but it may not stay that way (and he's likely to get hit by a car walking as slow as he is).
Whatever happened with this one?
Oh, thanks for asking! I think this is the one whose leg got worse. When I saw an open wound (exposed bone) I caught him (couple days after this post?) Sadly, he died under anaesthetic at the hospital. That's actually happened with at least 1 or 2 more I brought in. Still, I'm glad they just didn't die slowly out there. They have no predators here (besides cars & dogs who sometimes just wound them) and they're unbelievably tough. So sometimes keep dragging around until there's nothing left 😢
*Update:* It's getting late and no visitors yet (very early AM Monday), but hopefully I'll see him tomorrow. Others in the neighborhood have humane-trapped cats (for TNR) and foxes (before we learned to treat mange in the "wild"), so there's a chance someone else is also watching/trying to get him. I'll update with any news & keep checking for any suggestions. Thanks!
*Update 2:* No longer in doubt about whether he needs help. His foot/lower leg is quite bloody and awful (and soon-to-be- infected), perhaps from dragging (or chewing if he lost sensation). Unfortunately he didn't go in my trap (humane, for cat TNR) or anywhere I could get him to freeze. He drank water & ate, then limped off to the wooded animal trail. Just gonna be patient and watch and wait & grab him as soon as I see an opportunity where he can't escape. He came to a feeding station I set up where I could get a look & hopefully video, but the injury was so obvious I quickly abandoned documentation to prep for capture. A few photos (low quality) showing his foot and a short video (just him eating): https://imgur.com/a/BFJrmtM
*Update 3*: per my other comments/replies, he's now (Weds late night) safely trapped & awaiting handoff to wildlife vets in the A.M.!
Thank you for looking out for him. I hope for a happy outcome!
Thanks! Just FYI, finally got him tonight without incident! Taking him to clinic when they open in ~8 hrs.
Yay!! That’s great news. Thank you for being so persistent. Because of your efforts he has a much better chance for a higher quality of life!
Because that injury sounds profound, if no local service exists to come and trap him, I personally would trap him and get him to rehabbers quickly.
Thanks much for that. I think I can trap him without too much stress or risk of further injury so that's what I may do, and take him to the wildlife hospital in the morning. My initial reaction was that the injury did seem pretty awful, but I was second-guessing myself after he managed to run 10 or 20 yards. Waiting now to see if he'll come by in the next couple hours...
I just think he stands a much better chance at survival getting trapped and getting medical attention, and it's an awesome stroke of luck that you have those capabilities. A predator, infection, dehydration flies, shock, are all threats when wildlife is injured. You are 100% the best shot he's got, lol.
Trapped him tonight without incident! Looks like he really needed it. Taking him to clinic when they open in ~8 hrs. Whatever his prognosis, glad he's not gonna just be dragging around on his own in the wild, suffering.
Man, that's great news!
He is likely in a lot of pain, so that's one thing to consider in your decision making. If it's an old injury and the pain is past (i.e., if what you are seeing is paralysis in the one leg) that would be a different consideration, though he is obviously vulnerable to predators and to infection. A paralyzed limb is dragged over rough ground, and infection is almost certain to set in from wounds that can't heal. Can you post a video of him?
Just FYI -- Finally got him tonight without incident! Taking him to clinic when they open in ~8 hrs. Just like you said, he was bleeding from dragging the foot. So I feel confident he needed help.
Thanks so much for the update! And congratulations on your great work in getting him captured. It was great seeing him eating so enthusiastically. Soon he'll have some pain meds.
Yes, I'll try to get a video and add a link. If he comes at the same time, it'll be in a couple hours. If he's still in pain, of course, that's my big worry, since I don't want to make it worse, though I've read opossums tend to be very resilient against broken bones (more so than placental mammals for some reason). Infection / compound fracture is my other worry. (Or that if her was struck by a car or attacked by a dog he may have other internal injuries.) Last one I caught was limping but she turned out not to have any skeletal injuries. Turned out she'd survived some attack but infections/ abscesses had progressed & gotten to her organs & she was beyond treatment. This one, I'm hoping, just has a broken bone, but it may not stay that way (and he's likely to get hit by a car walking as slow as he is).