[OT] Horrible Experience - Rabid Possum

On May 4, 1:28*am, Pat wrote:
While I was trying to go to sleep about an hour ago, I heard loud
noises in the carport. I went out with a flashlight and found a huge
possum, frothing at the mouth with a very hostile demeanor. Normally
possums in the carport do not act this way, they just sort of ignore
me or run off. Not this one, it was spoiling for a fight!

I woke Dave up to help me figure out how to deal with it. We have
firearms but it is illegal to discharge them in town. We tried to
drive it into a 5-gallon bucket head first so we could slap the lid on
it and then turn it over to the sheriff. That didn't work. Finally
Dave made a noose and attached it to a long stick, and I drove it in
the right direction. We soon had it by the neck.

At least asphyxiation is one of the less unpleasant ways to die. I
would have preferred to shoot it, or hand it off to the sheriff, but
this was the only choice we really had. I feel bad about it, and will
have trouble sleeping tonight. But what else could we do?

I know you feel horrible about it because you're compassionate. The
alternative would have been to let it go and infect other animals.
You did what you had to do.

Sherry

In article , Pat wrote:
While I was trying to go to sleep about an hour ago, I heard loud
noises in the carport. I went out with a flashlight and found a huge
possum, frothing at the mouth with a very hostile demeanor.

As others have said, rabies is just short of unknown in possums.

I think you acted rashly; perhaps it had just had an encounter with a
potential predator and was still upset. They don't have many defenses other
than baring teeth and looking fierce. It's easy for me to say at a distance,
without being present, but I'm sorry you killed the poor creature.

Art (former member of the Oppossum Society of the United States)

hopitus wrote:

I thought maybe it was angry because it was trapped in there and
couldn't get out.

The carport door is missing, so it is always open.

Arthur Shapiro wrote:

While I was trying to go to sleep about an hour ago, I heard loud
noises in the carport. I went out with a flashlight and found a huge
possum, frothing at the mouth with a very hostile demeanor.

As others have said, rabies is just short of unknown in possums.

I think you acted rashly; perhaps it had just had an encounter with a
potential predator and was still upset. *They don't have many defenses other
than baring teeth and looking fierce. *It's easy for me to say at a distance,
without being present, but I'm sorry you killed the poor creature.

So am I. But I think the alternative would have been worse. This just
wasn't a normal possum. (I've encountered plenty of those.) There's no
way it had "just" had an encounter with a predator, as it was in the
carport for quite some time before I went out, and there are no
animals living in or visiting my carport aside from the occasional
possum..We are smack in the middle of town here, no wildlife running
about so to speak, except for these possums and a few armadillos, and
no dogs running loose.

I didn't go into much detail in my OP, but I did try to run it off
before I even woke up Dave. I used a long broom handle to prod it
toward the door. Ordinarily they leave when asked. This one wouldn't
budge. I am about 99% sure that it was very sick.

"Pat" wrote in message
...

At least asphyxiation is one of the less unpleasant ways to die. I
would have preferred to shoot it, or hand it off to the sheriff, but
this was the only choice we really had. I feel bad about it, and will
have trouble sleeping tonight. But what else could we do?


You could have gotten it into the 5 g bucket and called the Police or for
further information.

Kelly Greene wrote:


"Pat" wrote in message

At least asphyxiation is one of the less unpleasant ways to die. I
would have preferred to shoot it, or hand it off to the sheriff, but
this was the only choice we really had. I feel bad about it, and will
have trouble sleeping tonight. But what else could we do?

You could have gotten it into the 5 g bucket and called the Police or for
further information.

I think you need to reread the post. They *tried* to do that, but weren't
successful. Since the possum was rabid (or appeared to be), they weren't
about to take any chances on having contact with it. That put a few limits
on how they could approach that problem. They probably don't have a couple
of hazmat suits just hanging around the house.

Joyce


--
- Mommy loves you too my sweaty litter baby fire
- Ummm what mom?
- MY SWEET LITTLE BABY GIRL!! sorry honey!
-- damnyouautocorrect.com

On May 6, 8:35*pm, "Kelly Greene" wrote:
"Pat" wrote in message

...

At least asphyxiation is one of the less unpleasant ways to die. I
would have preferred to shoot it, or hand it off to the sheriff, but
this was the only choice we really had. I feel bad about it, and will
have trouble sleeping tonight. But what else could we do?

You could have gotten it into the 5 g bucket and called the Police or for
further information.

Coud have, would have, should have. Hindsight is crystal clear, and
even
clearer when we are judging others and weren't even there. I can't
even
imagine trying to herd a *hostile* oppossum into a 5-gallon bucket.
They
have some wicked teeth. I'm all about protecting wildlife, but I would
not try it.
Come on, Kelly. Don't make her feel worse than she already does, okay?

Sherry

On May 6, 8:46*pm, wrote:
Kelly Greene wrote:

* "Pat" wrote in message

* At least asphyxiation is one of the less unpleasant ways to die. I
* would have preferred to shoot it, or hand it off to the sheriff, but
* this was the only choice we really had. I feel bad about it, and will
* have trouble sleeping tonight. But what else could we do?

* You could have gotten it into the 5 g bucket and called the Police or for
* further information.

I think you need to reread the post. They *tried* to do that, but weren't
successful. Since the possum was rabid (or appeared to be), they weren't
about to take any chances on having contact with it. That put a few limits
on how they could approach that problem. They probably don't have a couple
of hazmat suits just hanging around the house.

They managed to choke the poor thing to death with no problem. If they
could do that they could have gotten it into a bucket or even a
carrier. I read the original post and Pat stated that before she went
outside she heard loud noises. That is a clear indicator that there
was some sort of incident as opossums are not known to run around
making loud noises. Just because she didn't see another animal doesn't
mean that there wasn't one- it probably bolted when it heard her door
open. If an opossum can get in her carport, then any animal can get in
and just because she might not see it doesn't mean it wasn't there.
There are a lot of animals that roam in backyards, etc. at night that
we never see but they are certainly there. The behavior of the opossum
falls right in line with how it would respond when threatened and
AFAIC it was killed for no good reason, and in a horrific and
unnecessary way.

On May 6, 9:07*pm, catlady wrote:
On May 6, 8:46*pm, wrote:



Kelly Greene wrote:

* "Pat" wrote in message

* At least asphyxiation is one of the less unpleasant ways to die. I
* would have preferred to shoot it, or hand it off to the sheriff, but
* this was the only choice we really had. I feel bad about it, and will
* have trouble sleeping tonight. But what else could we do?

* You could have gotten it into the 5 g bucket and called the Police or for
* further information.

I think you need to reread the post. They *tried* to do that, but weren't
successful. Since the possum was rabid (or appeared to be), they weren't
about to take any chances on having contact with it. That put a few limits
on how they could approach that problem. They probably don't have a couple
of hazmat suits just hanging around the house.

They managed to choke the poor thing to death with no problem. If they
could do that they could have gotten it into a bucket or even a
carrier. I read the original post and Pat stated that before she went
outside she heard loud noises. That is a clear indicator that there
was some sort of incident as opossums are not known to run around
making loud noises. Just because she didn't see another animal doesn't
mean that there wasn't one- it probably bolted when it heard her door
open. If an opossum can get in her carport, then any animal can get in
and just because she might not see it doesn't mean it wasn't there.
There are a lot of animals that roam in backyards, etc. at night that
we never see but they are certainly there. The behavior of the opossum
falls right in line with how it would respond when threatened and
AFAIC it was killed for no good reason, and in a horrific and
unnecessary way.

But you haven't seen my carport. There's no car in it. It's been
enclosed (except there is no door). And it's stuffed, in haphazard
fashion, with junk. So much junk that you can't find the bottom of it
all, without unloading the whole mess into the yard. This would take
two people the best part of a day... But there are plenty gaps between
the pieces of junk. Possum was crawling around in the piles of junk,
and causing things to fall over. The same sound as if a person were
out there rooting for something to steal. That's really why I went
out, I thought it was a thief. And I made no noise in my approach, so
as to CATCH the thief in the act.

As to choking the possum, Dave made a noose, attached to a long stick.
With another long stick, I herded the possum toward the noose. Dave
then picked up the stick, and the possum's own weight slowly cut off
its air supply.

Neglected to mention that in addition to making no noise as I
approached, I came from outside of the door, so as to prevent a
possible thief from escaping. There is only the one exit. Nothing ran
out as I approached. There was no one in the carport except the
possum.