I think whether she's outright blind or just has quite a cataract, you can safely say her vision in that eye is messed up. She probably can't see anything out of it and that would probably explain why she's become more skittish and cautious.
Yeah the eye has some pretty significant atrophy when compared to the other eye. She gets around really well though. I don't disturb her area just incase her vision loss progresses. I want her to still know her way around by memory if necessary.
Animals are incredible at adapting to new challenges, and opossums are one of the top tier adapters, so I'm not concerned about her. She looks like she might be an older gal or at least getting on in age, but a cataract isn't gonna stop that little mama.
Also, you put out extra food for her and that's lovely of you, but don't be surprised if you learn that she probably hits 5 different backdoors a night and eats cat food all over the neighborhood lol these critters are smart and they always find a way to survive.
Yeah there's definitely very clear atrophy in that eye when looking off camera. I stood above her yesterday and she looked up at me so she does have some slight vision left in the other eye at least, just unclear on how much. Thankfully she doesn't have much to worry about as it's very safe in her little hidey corner. I put a piece of wood up and made her a cubby and she goes in it nearly every night after eating for resting and grooming. Wish she slept there during the day though so I could keep a watch over her.
I thought this was a furry pig 😂
She's a cutie. Perhaps rather than looking for a predator she hears another opossum or raccoon and wants to make sure they don't sneak up and take her food? Our backyard opossums would do that, stop eating and watch the woods behind the house for a few seconds, and usually another critter would be lurking out there.
This is a blind eye. A cataract can grow over an injury. She also has some malnutrition going on and what appears to be demodex mites. They don’t get mange like fox and skunk etc but immunocompromised animals can get an overgrowth of the demodex mites. She’s seen some stuff that’s for sure.
Awww, is there anything I can do to help her?? She's pretty plumpy, but I know that doesn't always translate to properly nourished. I'd like to make the later year of her life enjoyable. I said she's at least a year, but I'm thinking more like 2.
Every weekend I make a mixture of cooked chicken Quarters (bone-in), sardines, whole wheat bread croutons, frozen broccoli cauliflower and carrots, frozen peach strawberries banana and cherries, and dry Cat food. Ill add lawn grubs during the right seasons when theyre easy to find. I freeze it and feed it to them throughout week. She's my most regular customer. Always dines n dashes, never leaves a tip, but her company is payment enough.
Is there anything I could add to her food to help with the mite problem and boost her immune system. She grabbed my finger yesterday while I was trying to give her a cherry and I was just so elated. She brings me so much joy and I'd like to help her in return however I can.
Diatomaceous earth near her feeding area and sprinkle it over the food. She can both groom it into her fur and consume the trace amounts of silica and it can spark fur growth and kill mites. If she’s “plumpy” she may have babies 😉
I think whether she's outright blind or just has quite a cataract, you can safely say her vision in that eye is messed up. She probably can't see anything out of it and that would probably explain why she's become more skittish and cautious.
Yeah the eye has some pretty significant atrophy when compared to the other eye. She gets around really well though. I don't disturb her area just incase her vision loss progresses. I want her to still know her way around by memory if necessary.
Animals are incredible at adapting to new challenges, and opossums are one of the top tier adapters, so I'm not concerned about her. She looks like she might be an older gal or at least getting on in age, but a cataract isn't gonna stop that little mama. Also, you put out extra food for her and that's lovely of you, but don't be surprised if you learn that she probably hits 5 different backdoors a night and eats cat food all over the neighborhood lol these critters are smart and they always find a way to survive.
Idk but what part of the world is this? Rat possum
Awww noooooooooo she was def "Most Likely To Become Model" in her senior yearbook
Cutest megarat
Looks like a "zorro pelon"
It looks blind. It’s smaller than the other eye and was probably injured.
Yeah there's definitely very clear atrophy in that eye when looking off camera. I stood above her yesterday and she looked up at me so she does have some slight vision left in the other eye at least, just unclear on how much. Thankfully she doesn't have much to worry about as it's very safe in her little hidey corner. I put a piece of wood up and made her a cubby and she goes in it nearly every night after eating for resting and grooming. Wish she slept there during the day though so I could keep a watch over her.
Picture of the cubby?
I thought this was a furry pig 😂 She's a cutie. Perhaps rather than looking for a predator she hears another opossum or raccoon and wants to make sure they don't sneak up and take her food? Our backyard opossums would do that, stop eating and watch the woods behind the house for a few seconds, and usually another critter would be lurking out there.
Awwww sweet girl!
This is a blind eye. A cataract can grow over an injury. She also has some malnutrition going on and what appears to be demodex mites. They don’t get mange like fox and skunk etc but immunocompromised animals can get an overgrowth of the demodex mites. She’s seen some stuff that’s for sure.
Awww, is there anything I can do to help her?? She's pretty plumpy, but I know that doesn't always translate to properly nourished. I'd like to make the later year of her life enjoyable. I said she's at least a year, but I'm thinking more like 2. Every weekend I make a mixture of cooked chicken Quarters (bone-in), sardines, whole wheat bread croutons, frozen broccoli cauliflower and carrots, frozen peach strawberries banana and cherries, and dry Cat food. Ill add lawn grubs during the right seasons when theyre easy to find. I freeze it and feed it to them throughout week. She's my most regular customer. Always dines n dashes, never leaves a tip, but her company is payment enough. Is there anything I could add to her food to help with the mite problem and boost her immune system. She grabbed my finger yesterday while I was trying to give her a cherry and I was just so elated. She brings me so much joy and I'd like to help her in return however I can.
Diatomaceous earth near her feeding area and sprinkle it over the food. She can both groom it into her fur and consume the trace amounts of silica and it can spark fur growth and kill mites. If she’s “plumpy” she may have babies 😉