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Rescued Hairless Opossum Receives Adorable Tiny Sweaters

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  • The tiny, months-old, underweight, hairless opossum was placed in a box at the South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center’s door.
  • Opossums need their fur to regulate their body temperature.
  • The center’s workers campaigned for the public to donate tiny sweaters and pouches for the possum.    

When South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (SPWRC) executive director Gail Barnes opened the doors of the facility in October, she saw a hairless arm come out of a box.  She initially thought it was a hairless kitten but then upon closer inspection learned that it was an opossum.

Rescue workers found out that the underweight, freezing, months-old possum had alopecia, a hair loss condition.  Possums need fur to regulate their body temperature.  In its absence, it has to be in an incubator or bundled up warmly especially in winter. It would not be able to survive in the wild without fur.

Photo Credit: @spwrc (Facebook)

And what timing did the possum have.  For just two days upon her arrival, the center was covered with snow and ice. Rescue workers kept her warm and fed.  In just a week, she nearly doubled her weight!

Aside from the incubator, they also devised a way to keep her warm— by putting a call for teeny tiny winter wardrobe.  The public response was not just physically warming for the opossum but also warmed hearts.

Photo Credit: @spwrc (Facebook)

The possum was swamped and wrapped in opossum-sized pouches and sweaters from knitters from all over!  And when she grows bigger, she already has a reserve wardrobe from hairless cat clothing donations!

In no time, she will surely fit into these clothes as she has already gained 401 grams since she came to the center.  The workers have been feeding her her favorite foods of applesauce and crickets.

Photo Credit: @spwrc (Facebook)

Although still shy around people, with the best care that she has been getting, volunteers will soon gain her trust.

Once the center secures a permit for her to stay there permanently, they will also be baptizing her with a name.

Photo Credit: @spwrc (Facebook)

If they could campaign for sweaters for the possum, maybe they could launch a “name that possum” campaign, too!

Gail said possums are very misunderstood. “She’ll have a good life and educate so many people about the benefits of opossums.”

If you are interested in knitting a sweater for the cutie possum, you can mail your created donations to South Plains Wildlife Rehabilitation Center, 3308 95th Street, Lubbock, Texas, 79423.  Oh, and they need donations, too!

Source: Inspire More

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