DEAR JOAN: A couple of years in the past, I began feeding an opossum that confirmed up on my again porch in the course of winter injured, weak and sickly.
She was dwelling below my deck and took kindly to the meals I began placing out for her, and she or he got here each night time searching for it. After just a few weeks she bought stronger, her wounds had been therapeutic, and she or he was doing a lot better.
I began seeing her solely often so I give up placing out meals, however she has come again each winter since, solely not sickly. I do know it’s the identical opossum as a result of she has fairly a battle wound scar on the base of her tail.
Properly, round Mom’s Day, she confirmed up with three infants. I put a bit bowl of strawberries and bananas out for her for a correct Mom’s Day celebration, and she or he and her infants took full benefit. They're scooting round on their very own, not using on her again, so I do know they're now studying to feed themselves.
I’m feeling like I ought to withhold meals now, as I’m afraid the infants will change into depending on it and never be taught to fend for themselves, however I positive love watching them by my sliding glass door. My cat loves Mama Opossum too and all the time alerts me to her arrival.
Simply searching for your affirmation that though I’d like to maintain placing out treats, and watch these little beauties develop up, it’s not of their greatest curiosity.
Lori, Livermore
DEAR LORI: When you actually supplied a kindness to the opossum while you gave her meals, permitting her to get well from her accidents and regain her power and almost certainly saving her life, it’s usually not a good suggestion to actively feed wildlife.
For one, it’s towards the legislation. For an additional, it might result in issues for the animal. Not everyone seems to be completely happy to have wildlife of their yards, they usually would possibly take drastic measures if the opossum visits their again porch.
That mentioned, we frequently inadvertently present meals for wildlife, after they go to our vegetable gardens and fruit bushes. We didn’t plant these gardens and orchards for them, however we're feeding them nonetheless.
I don’t assume placing out just a few treats every now and then will maintain the joeys from studying methods to forage on their very own, so long as you aren't making an attempt to feed by hand, which I do know you aren’t. However it might be greatest to cease and let Mama Opossum deal with the feeding duties.
DEAR JOAN: We discovered a nest of eggs on the bottom. We do not know who they belong to, and we’re hoping you can establish the proprietor of the nest. They're tan with darker brown splashes.
Marty B, Brentwood
DEAR MARTY: I believe the nest and its eggs belong to a killdeer, which is a sort of plover widespread within the Bay Space. Whereas technically a shore chook, the killdeer lives in lots of places.
A killdeer creates its nest by scratching out a shallow despair, often beneath shrubs or some type of concealment, and begins laying her eggs. She often provides some rocks, shells, sticks and even trash to assist camouflage the eggs.
The chook will get its uncommon title by its excessive pitched “kill deer” name. To attract predators away from the nest, the killdeer will pretend an injured wing.
Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com.
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