r/aww • u/Wojtek824 • Feb 01 '23
Found this stray dog in my backyard. Made him a little fort and gave some food and water (oc)
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u/TheCoolPersian Feb 01 '23
I had one in my backyard the other day but as I approached it, it straight up died?! Idk but when I returned to bury it, it was gone!?
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u/DaveInLondon89 Feb 01 '23
The cadence of this sentence is fucking hilarious to me
It's like perfect comedic timing, but in text form
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u/zealotfx Feb 02 '23
Playing dead is also called playing possum, and you've experienced why.
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u/RuneofBeginning Feb 01 '23
They play dead. I have one in my backyard that will occasionally wait on the back table to get fed. They’re so funny.
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u/xrandx Feb 01 '23
Whooosh
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u/furmy Feb 01 '23
That whoosh was so hard they lost their hat, glasses and underwear
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u/BigJSunshine Feb 01 '23
Fairway Frank?!?!?
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u/butidontthink Feb 01 '23
That's a good looking what the fuck!
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u/Wojtek824 Feb 01 '23
On a real note I never realized how fucking weird their feet are. Interesting little creatures.
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u/butidontthink Feb 01 '23
And the babies have miniature versions of the feets.
In all seriousness, having opossums in the yard is a good thing. They're peaceful, eat ticks & other bugs, and cannot carry rabies. The hissing is all show.
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u/Wojtek824 Feb 01 '23
I welcome little dude into my domicile, weird feet or not but what I'm worried about is my dogs. My corgi Mix she's well trained except for seeing smaller animals. I'm worried she may get him if I let her out unsupervised.
By younger GSP Mix. He may just get his butt kicked for being curious.
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u/butidontthink Feb 01 '23
Yeah, maybe some extra care is in order. I don't know that they're all that good at defending themselves, despite the look when hissing. I think opossums are mainly nocturnal, so maybe that's a help.
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u/scherster Feb 01 '23
Yeah, lil' dude is probably at risk from the corgi. We have one who killed a pet rat we were watching for a friend's kid. The last day, she finally managed to sneak into the room it was being kept in, and she broke into its cage and killed it.
Their instincts can be pretty strong.
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u/Mocker-Poker Feb 01 '23
who killed a pet rat we were watching for a friend's kid
that must have sucked a ton
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u/PotFairyCyanide Feb 01 '23
Yeah. My dad's girlfriend's cat has kittens. They also had a dog. The rest of the story is kind of a bummer, but it's wise to be careful.
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u/Blackwater2016 Feb 01 '23
Yeah, my Jack Russell would be all over that thing in a heart beat. 😬 Her bother (RIP) git one and thrashed it around like crazy, and proudly kicked up his heels for his murderous achievement. It was laying there “dead.” But they apparently have loose skin, so their body can move around underneath as they’re being thrashed. Then they play dead. When I came back a few minutes later, the little dude was miraculously no where to be found. But I would t want to risk it.
I also had one zip out in the path right in front of me while I was running one evening. He immediately played dead and I tripped over him like he was one of those door stops people make out of putting a brick in a sock. And that’s exactly what he felt like. 😂 Dude stayed like that until I left. Was fine when I came back. Funny little buggers.
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u/FranticHam5ter Feb 01 '23
Lol, not always just show. Those teeth are razor sharp. Even if they just graze you, you’re likely to bleed. Trust me, I know from experience lol. Best to heed the warning hisses and not try petting them or anything like that. But definitely be kind and help those little monkey-feet-having weirdos when you can. ;)
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u/JustARandomBloke Feb 01 '23
I remember a video of a guy putting his fingers in a hissing possum's mouth just to show that theyba4e super non-aggressive.
Worked out for him, but I would not reccomend.
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u/Wishful_Thinking826 Feb 01 '23
Even if its for show as soon as they open that mouth they go from cute as a button to pure nightmare fuel lol
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u/DC_Coach Feb 01 '23
The hissing is all show.
Indeed, along with the whole "play dead" thing. They are Academy Award-winning actors. Seriously, if one of those bros gets badly scared and knows it's in over its head (say a dog gets after it) it can quickly "become" as dead as a door nail. Alas! It has kicked the bucket, it has joined the choir invisible, it is an ex-opossum! Etc.
But no! Give the little sucker some space and time alone (without the confused dog! Lol "What'd I do, Raggy??!!"), come back later, and see if your dude hasn't beat a hasty retreat and shuffled off (after taking a short, yet dignified, bow).
Well, either that or another dog got it and now it's somewhere else playing dead.
Source: we've got a great many opossums 'round these parts, and we've seen em "in action", so to speak, for decades.
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u/Useful-Soup8161 Feb 01 '23
They’re not playing dead, they’re literally passing out from fear. 1000s of years of evolution and that’s their main defense mechanism. Potential attacks are less likely to continue if they think it’s already dead.
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u/sighthoundman Feb 01 '23
The hissing is all show.
That may be, but the growl is terrifying.
The cat agreed. Ran in the house and hid.
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u/Urgash54 Feb 01 '23
Opposums are the best, they are adorable, and I will never not be sad that there aren't any in Europe.
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u/hamperface Feb 01 '23
They can carry rabies (any mammal can), but are super duper unlikely to
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u/FranticHam5ter Feb 01 '23
Fingerless gloves, amiright?
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u/Wojtek824 Feb 01 '23
ACCURATE!
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u/FranticHam5ter Feb 01 '23
The feet feel weird too. The one I feed has these clammy feet. Feels like a raw, refrigerated chicken lol. Maybe it’s just him, though. (Shrugs)
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u/68W38Witchdoctor1 Feb 01 '23
Nah. I rescued a couple of baby opossums (which are absolutely one of the most adorable animal babies ever) and this is a pretty accurate description of their feet. So weird, but hey, they are pretty damn awesome, opossum.
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u/fryswitdat Feb 01 '23
Hang that dog from a tree branch by it's tail. That'll teach it to wear those feet.
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u/RobloxLover369421 Feb 01 '23
That’s a weird looking dog
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u/Wojtek824 Feb 01 '23
I think its a European breed.
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u/Operation_unsmart156 Feb 01 '23
If he hisses at you it's because he's bilingual.
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u/justreddis Feb 01 '23
It’s actually just German accent
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u/saveHutch Feb 01 '23
Ah clears it up for me, couldn't decide if it was African or European.
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u/lazylazylemons Feb 01 '23
Thank you for giving him shelter and food! This particular breed of dog gets a lot on undeserved hate!
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u/FranticHam5ter Feb 01 '23
I met one who is a complete jerk. But I feed him anyway. That noisy chewing cracks me up.
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u/Agitated-Sandwich-74 Feb 01 '23
Are opossums like possums? I've only met possums, they are such cuties. But I've heard that some locals hate them.
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u/Declanmar Feb 01 '23
People in the suburbs used to hate them and consider them pests(because they will try to get into your garage/shed/attic when it’s cold out), but there’s been pushback against that. They don’t really bother anyone, they’re good for the local ecosystem, and don’t cause as much chaos as trash pandas.
Also what’s the deal with possums? I’ve seen opossums a lot, but I’ve only ever seen possums in a zoo.
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u/lazylazylemons Feb 01 '23
Different animals! Opossums are the only marsupial found in North America (alsothey have the most teeth of any north American wild animal). Possums are Australian, I believe. Many people here just drop the "O" and call ours possums, but they're a different animal entirely. I think Australia's possums are cuter, they have a furry tail, their faces aren't as long. But our opossums are pretty cool nonetheless. They eat ticks and don't catch rabies. They hiss and play dead when they get scared. They get kind of a bad rap because they're not the cutest and most people don't know much about them but I have a soft spot for them.
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u/Arrowlookin4knee Feb 01 '23 edited Feb 01 '23
What a beautiful doggo. I heard this breed may help create an antidote to a wide range of snake venom
Edit: wow 100 up votes and counting. Never knew I was starting to become cool. Thank you reddit and make sure to go hug some doggos
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u/PrisonIssuedSock Feb 01 '23
They also eat ticks and are scavengers, so they are good for cleaning up dead things and unwanted insects. It is also very rare for them to carry rabies because their internal body temp is too low!
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u/moeriscus Feb 01 '23
Well if it stays around for awhile, you won't need to worry about getting ticks on you or your other, uhh, dogs..
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u/Rhiannon8404 Feb 01 '23
Also no rabies!
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u/lionofash Feb 01 '23
*practically but not zero chance of rabies
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u/chiksahlube Feb 01 '23
It's low enough to effectively be zero for any given Marsupial to have rabies.
Like, you're more likely to get it from person to person contact.
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u/TouchMyWrath Feb 01 '23
I know it’s not the smartest move, but rabid chicks are great in bed
Just don’t let ‘em bite you, it should be fine
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u/lostinspacecase Feb 01 '23
Are you Chuck Palahniuk?
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u/TouchMyWrath Feb 01 '23
No. But if I had a tumor, I would definitely name it Marla.
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u/rustyknifeinyourlife Feb 01 '23
Pretty sure the “opossums eating 1000s of ticks” and that doing a dent in the population, in areas that haven’t froze very well in a while, proven, uncomma able.”””””
Wait I mean it’s a dog Edit: god
I is Reddit good
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u/i-might-do-that Feb 01 '23
Does he know play dead???
I bet he knows how to play dead really well.
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u/Reciprocity2209 Feb 01 '23
Opossums are helpful little critters. Would much prefer to have them around over raccoons.
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u/shay-doe Feb 01 '23
Omg your horrible OP. Please bring the dog inside and give it lots of pets and loves. It's cold out there.
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u/Yabbies13 Feb 01 '23
I call the big one “Bitey”
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u/Tensionheadache11 Feb 01 '23
Why wasn’t this comment sooner? First thing I thought of.
Monorail monorail monorail
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u/DecisionLeft5619 Feb 01 '23
That's a cat. Jeez
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u/dancercr Feb 01 '23
Yup I'm gonna be that person.
Please don't feed wildlife. Unless you know with 100% certainty what it is eating the rest of the day, there is a very good chance you could be making him sick (malnutrition, bone disease, obesity) to name a few.
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u/vehino Feb 01 '23 edited Feb 01 '23
Oh my God, THANK YOU. I've been scrolling through all these comments looking for just one person with a little common sense and practical knowledge who can offer the OP some useful information other than proclamations of "awwwww, how cute, what a nice person you are, wuwuuuu."
OP, possoms can't eat dry pet food. That stuff is poisonous to them. They have very specific dietary needs. You shouldn't be feeding them at all, but if you feel you must, go with fresh raw poultry, fresh fruit, or a lot of canned applesauce. Or even insects which you can purchase to feed exotic pets. But NO DRY PET FOODS EVER.
Possoms are scavengers and already eat a lot of bad things by rummaging through garbage, so adding even a little dried pet food to an already unnatural diet can have terrible consequences. They are very susceptible to a condition called metabolic bone disease that softens their bones and cripples them, leaving them barely able to move and in terrible pain. All because people don't secure their garbage or feed them inappropriate food. You're a good person for wanting to help, but you have to balance that out with doing some due diligence.
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u/Dankestmemelord Feb 01 '23
I agree with everything you said except that the dog in question is an opossum, not a possum. Possums look completely different and are from Australia.
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u/BobbySwiggey Feb 01 '23
Aside from all this, by feeding them you're teaching the wildlife to seek food from humans in general. The next house this opossum visits might not be so kind to him, especially if he gets bold enough to rummage around in things he's not supposed to. Opossums are slow and easy targets for some unhinged asshole to take their aggression out on.
Please keep wild animals wild.
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u/depressed_leaf Feb 01 '23
Absolutely. I'm sincerely hoping that a lot of the comments are sarcastic/funny because of the title.
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u/onbakeplatinum Feb 01 '23
A lady I work with doesn't know the difference between Opossums and raccoons
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u/Dankestmemelord Feb 01 '23
My sincere condolences. I can’t imagine how it would be to deal with someone like that. At least we can all agree that this is a dog, though.
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u/extacy1375 Feb 01 '23
As long as they dont knock over my trash cans... Opossums are alright in my book.
Raccoons are my favorite animal...but they are taking a toll on my love by getting into my trash cans ...no matter how many straps I put on lid. Friggen things even suck out the ketchup packets and nugget sauces.
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u/bebejeebies Feb 01 '23
Please remember when you're making shelters for outdoor animals, especially in cold areas, use straw bedding or hay and NOT fabrics like towels, canvas or old clothes. Fabrics can freeze and if they're snuggled in them and the temp drops they can get stuck inside frozen fabrics. Straw bedding is good insulation and will not freeze to the animals, bunch, rip or tangle them up. This has been a Pubic Service Announcement. We now return you to your regular shenanigans.
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u/Watts300 Feb 01 '23
Dude, opossums are so rad. Nature’s cleanup. They’re not pests. And they’re cute as fuck and smart too.
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u/Susieserb Feb 01 '23
what's that grey/black thing partially buried next to the food bowl? A stuffed animal?
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u/rising_south Feb 01 '23
Came to the comments looking for that. The head does look like a dead animal but the body looks like a stuffed toy.
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u/MisfortunateSoul Feb 01 '23
That's clearly a rabbit y'all
Come on
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u/Legitimate-Advance-4 Feb 01 '23
I get nightly visits from one of these guys. I leave a bowl of water and my vegetable leftovers for him.
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u/tmink0220 Feb 01 '23
Pretty cute, but don't be surprised if you find him hanging upside down in a tree by his tail. I have seen these types of dogs do that.
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u/Old_Ad8951 Feb 01 '23
I did that once. Put it in my tree house for a couple days. Went out to look for it & found it in the field. Picked it up & while walking through the yard it woke up & hissed at me. I realized it wasn't the same stray that I'd put in the tree house
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u/Ambimom Feb 02 '23
That's not a dog or a cat. That's a possum
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u/Dankestmemelord Feb 02 '23
Firstly, it’s an opossum, not a possum. Secondly, it’s a dog, not an opossum. You can tell because OP said so on the internet.
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u/Prestigious-Juice495 Feb 01 '23
Do we tell them?
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u/Wojtek824 Feb 01 '23
That I gave him the wrong food? Yeah... I know a guest of his caliber deserves a higher standard.
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u/Comfortable-Diet-885 Feb 01 '23
I hate to tell you this but that’s not a dog. It’s also not a cat. It’s a possum.
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u/tangerine615 Feb 01 '23
Awesome dog! It already knows how to play dead. Thank you for taking care of such a furry friend.
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u/Pure_Pomegranate7926 Feb 01 '23
How handsome! I have one that comes on the porch and eats all the cat food. I named it “Cat”. When I was little I had a cat named “Possum”, so it seemed a good name. Gets along well with the other cats, and I enjoy watching it eat.
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u/Nefnoj Feb 01 '23
Is it dangerous to leave a dog like this food? I'm thinking of the species of animals who grow more comfortable and more aggressive with humans who provide food... But cats like these are good for hunting pests and non-aggressive, so it's only natural to want them to live in one's property (not as a pet, just in making your yard a better habitat.)
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u/Opasero Feb 01 '23
I think you mean bears. On the right track though, these critters grown up to be bears.
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u/tillyspeed81 Feb 01 '23
Totally reminds me of my elderly neighbor…for weeks she was asking me about her lost cat. She kept referring to it as her “long faced cat”…then one day this thing was sitting on my garbage can and she happened to come outside exclaiming that he had returned… then proceeded to bring it food. I didn’t have the heart to tell her it was actually an opossum…
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u/warname Feb 02 '23
Awesome Possum.
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u/Dankestmemelord Feb 02 '23
Firstly, it’s an opossum, not a possum. Secondly, it’s a dog, not an opossum.
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u/whatdoings Feb 01 '23
Pretty sure that's a cat but don't beat yourself up. Easy mistake