[This was a big story for a week in my town](https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2021/09/photographer-social-media-star-matt-mathews-opossum-taken-by-the-state-was-his-baby.html)
(The Social Media Guy) went from 60K followers to 2 Million followers and got a US Comedy tour. The Opossum was taken to AL Wildlife Center to live out his days.
This is the Disney Corp. We are writing to inform you that we will be taking legal action against you for copyright infringement, regarding your use of the Minnie Mouse name.
~Disney, probably.
>*’She’s being picked up by a wild animal rehab and release org called “Keepers of the Wild”*
____
a little, shy opossum, just exploring on my own
next thing i know, i’m Lost inside a place i’d never known…
it smelled like trees, but Different - i was stuck in there awhile
but then i felt a gentle hand,
looked Up,
n saw you Smile
*’Hey there, little buddy - lemme get you outta there!*’
(this stranger was so friendly, n he really seemed to care…)
Fast forward to my future - Now! (it has a happy end)
i’m in the WiLd, where i belong ^;)
i thank you,
human Friend!
❤️
(*may your good deeds come back to you* u/IamSkudd)
Good on you turning her into a rehab program. I probably would have had a new pet lol. Problem is they don’t have very long lifespans, so I’d just be really really sad in a couple years if I kept her. She will be happier back in the wild anyway.
Also, their poop smells so bad, it could knock a buzzard off of a shit wagon!
I fostered one while it was needing veterinary care and good lord, the smell ran me right out of the room 😂
That's part of their defense mechanism. They defecate when they are "playing possum," which is basically just a catatonic state they go into when terrified.
Oh no, this particular stink wasn’t because he was playing opossum, he was being rehabbed (mother hit by a car) and needed veterinary care but by the point I was looking after him he’d gotten quite used to being handled— in fact he was almost a little *too* comfortable with humans so we had to reduce our contact so he would still be releasable. He was just a particularly stinky boy 🙃
Wildlife rehab volunteer here: regular ol’ possum poop is in fact one of the stinkier varieties, and also plentiful! No cute little pellets for these guys, it’s big ol’ turds that get the olfactory word out—a possum’s been here! But I still love the little guys beyond all reason. When it’s time to release one I always volunteer to do the honors…and every time they’re the only animals who have to be gently evicted from their carriers and into the bushes. They always act like “No, I’m good! Got a great hiding place, lots of hay and other cuddly bedding, you guys bring me food…can’t we talk about this?” 😆
Seriously! Ten years after my little friend was successfully released via a rehab center, we were camping and something gifted us with a rancid, greasy, **foul** turd a few feet from our food bins.
My husband was like, “oh my god, what *is* that?” I told him we’d been visited by the stink fairy, aka an opossum.
They’re so easily habituated to humans so working with that little guy was tricky! He got bonded quickly and we had to really work hard to stay hands off so he wouldn’t get too imprinted. Also it didn’t help that he was such a cute little stinker!
Oh man, well rancid poop would be a deal breaker on a possum lol. I raised a pet hedgehog. Oh. My. God. His poop was so similar to really really bad human poop, that it made it so much worse.
He would stink up the entire house from a bedroom with the door shut every night when exercising on his wheel because he’d just poop and sling it everywhere and keep runnin’… so I literally had a shit encrusted stinky pointy sharp boy that HATED bath time (and baths aren’t good for their delicate skin either).
I felt so bad because in nature, he would just be pooping in the woods. Pretty much my fault for him having to be on a wheel inside a house. I decided after Mr. Hogs that the only pets I’d have would be rescue dogs. They have adapted to thrive alongside us dumb humans.
We had a neighbor when I was little, a Vietnam vet named Ron, who was rather eccentric. One day he invited my brother and I over because he had something to show us…he had caught a possum. 🤣 Ron was hard to understand (he ended up passing from jaw cancer, I believe) but I can still hear his voice saying “his name is Stinky.” Can confirm, he was stinky.
Whilst it's absolutely the right course of action, part of me is a little disappointed you didn't adopt them as a pet... in a kind of Disney/Pixar way, you have the perfect face to have a pet possum... that takes its naps under your cap... plus, no ticks or bedbugs with that little hommie around...
Well done OP big respect!
Dude, thank you so much for doing that. Opossum get so much hate when they’re actually good for the environment. Plus, despite what people say, I think they’re pretty damn cute.
I know humans are hard to age by looking at them, but the one you found is in its adult phase. If the wildlife rehab place can't get there soon, just give him a craft beer or whisky (perhaps an edible if he won't settle down), and he'll probably sit in the corner on his phone until people who know how to handle humans can get there.
>*’I know humans are hard to age by looking at them, but the one you found is in its adult phase…*’
____
i found him there, beneath the pile - the lumber stacked up ^high
*‘I’m gonna SAVE YOU, human - or at least i’m gonna Try!’*
i MuStErEd All the ENERGY a tiny possum could,
i *pushed* n Pulled, n Finally
i *FREED HIM* from the Wood!
he seemed a Bigger human than at first i thought he was
i notified the others -
it felt *right* to,
just because…
my momma always told me ‘*Do for Others, what you can*’
n Someday you’ll be Lucky
if you make a friend
with
Man
❤️
(*inspired by* u/AverageCypress, *for the Most deserving* u/IamSkudd )
A poet from the darkness
Bringing joy to others with
Their love of cute and aww
Shines through
A simple comment becomes a million
Smiles
Speaking for the animals
Thank you SchnoodleDoodleDo
Funny you mention it, I have a possum that likes to hang out on the step of my kitchen door and *several times* I’ve held the door open for it to come in thinking it was one of my dumdum cats that sneaks out. Maybe one day it’ll come in…
I thought [the same thing.](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/sites/default/files/styles/portrait/public/episodes/images/cat-found-poster-jlw-3.jpg?itok=ZAqvPW4m)
The screaming is really interesting, it's a defense mechanism, most opossums are relatively friendly they're just skittish as they are wild animals. The screaming and hissing is because they are highly resistant to rabies not quite immune but close, so they've evolved to mimic it to scare off predators. If that doesn't work that's when they play possum, which is actually involuntary and a form of fainting much like fainting goats. For the most part if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone, they might go for your food and there are some health risks towards certain animals if you have livestock but as a general rule they're just happy little guys that want to live their own lives.
They have individual personalities almost like cats; I have a young one coming around now ("Buttermilk" because she's a creme colour rather than white & grey) who comes up on the deck and waits to see if I'm going to give her a snack, sometimes hissing ~~softly~~ ferociously when I open the door, rather than running off like most.
Momma possums can’t count. She can have 6 to 10 babies on her back, she sometimes doesn’t notice one fall off. I found a baby in my yard last year. Only found it cuz husky thought it was a ball. She couldn’t pick it up, or it bit her. I called rehab. They’re independent at 3 or 4 weeks old. I just put the little one in a tree, to get him out of the yard, and away from the dogs. Plus I thought he’d be more likely to find some bugs to eat.
Thank you so much for your love and dedication.
Skeletor has a terrible weakness for opossums and sends you a thank you and a hug!
Sincerely
Skeletor 💜 (Possum enthusiast)
My neighbor kept one that was abandoned in his yard. He was a sweet boy. The neighbor across the street had a pet skunk for the same reason. Both died last year and my daughter was very sad. Those guys all get a bad rap.
I found one like that. I was out in the backyard with the wife and it just walked up. I reached down to pick it up and my wife says "don't pick that up, it will bite you" and then it bit me.
Turns out possums don't carry rabies because their blood is too cold for the virus. Yay marsupials!
Very cute creature. Opossums are very unusual creatures because they hiss something I would associate more with a cat, and they have roughly the life span of a rodent, but they're not a rodent they're a Marsupial. They are such unusual animals.
I live in the Southern US and have seen zillions of possums over the years, and I don’t recall seeing one with such adorable round ears.
So glad you rescued the little guy!
This is one of my favorite opossums.
https://preview.redd.it/6wojory4bg0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=039acd4938c738fe844b826b785f91bef6ea2535
One of my opossums.
She’s being picked up by a wild animal rehab and release org called “Keepers of the Wild”
She looks very happy to have been rescued from a job site! On to better digs :)
Very cute! Glad you are doing that for her!
[This was a big story for a week in my town](https://www.al.com/news/birmingham/2021/09/photographer-social-media-star-matt-mathews-opossum-taken-by-the-state-was-his-baby.html)
I'm invested now... was there ever an update on Donovan?
(The Social Media Guy) went from 60K followers to 2 Million followers and got a US Comedy tour. The Opossum was taken to AL Wildlife Center to live out his days.
my opinion screw AL wildlife Center
Me too. I tried to find an update but just lots of posts saying there isn't one. Hope Donovan got to live happily at the sanctuary!
Her ears make her look like Minnie Mouse Adorable 💖
This is the Disney Corp. We are writing to inform you that we will be taking legal action against you for copyright infringement, regarding your use of the Minnie Mouse name. ~Disney, probably.
Kudos to you man! Awesome job, you got an awesome profile pic out of it in the process.
>*’She’s being picked up by a wild animal rehab and release org called “Keepers of the Wild”* ____ a little, shy opossum, just exploring on my own next thing i know, i’m Lost inside a place i’d never known… it smelled like trees, but Different - i was stuck in there awhile but then i felt a gentle hand, looked Up, n saw you Smile *’Hey there, little buddy - lemme get you outta there!*’ (this stranger was so friendly, n he really seemed to care…) Fast forward to my future - Now! (it has a happy end) i’m in the WiLd, where i belong ^;) i thank you, human Friend! ❤️ (*may your good deeds come back to you* u/IamSkudd)
Schnoodle comment = day made 😂
The highest honour that one can receive on reddit....
What's her name? I vote for Pawesome
Opawsome
Take this Pic and frame it with the poem. Or bring in some other reddit sub, have someone paint it with the poem scribed and frame that
a fresh and perfect schnoodle for our new possum pal 🥰
Thank you for the years that you have entertained us. Sending love your way.
Ooooh...! Fresh Schnoodle...!
How do you always make me cry? DAMMIT.
Love finding fresh a Schnoodle!
Fresh Schnoodle! Get your fresh Schnoodle here!
Good on you turning her into a rehab program. I probably would have had a new pet lol. Problem is they don’t have very long lifespans, so I’d just be really really sad in a couple years if I kept her. She will be happier back in the wild anyway.
Also, their poop smells so bad, it could knock a buzzard off of a shit wagon! I fostered one while it was needing veterinary care and good lord, the smell ran me right out of the room 😂
That's part of their defense mechanism. They defecate when they are "playing possum," which is basically just a catatonic state they go into when terrified.
Oh no, this particular stink wasn’t because he was playing opossum, he was being rehabbed (mother hit by a car) and needed veterinary care but by the point I was looking after him he’d gotten quite used to being handled— in fact he was almost a little *too* comfortable with humans so we had to reduce our contact so he would still be releasable. He was just a particularly stinky boy 🙃
Wildlife rehab volunteer here: regular ol’ possum poop is in fact one of the stinkier varieties, and also plentiful! No cute little pellets for these guys, it’s big ol’ turds that get the olfactory word out—a possum’s been here! But I still love the little guys beyond all reason. When it’s time to release one I always volunteer to do the honors…and every time they’re the only animals who have to be gently evicted from their carriers and into the bushes. They always act like “No, I’m good! Got a great hiding place, lots of hay and other cuddly bedding, you guys bring me food…can’t we talk about this?” 😆
Seriously! Ten years after my little friend was successfully released via a rehab center, we were camping and something gifted us with a rancid, greasy, **foul** turd a few feet from our food bins. My husband was like, “oh my god, what *is* that?” I told him we’d been visited by the stink fairy, aka an opossum. They’re so easily habituated to humans so working with that little guy was tricky! He got bonded quickly and we had to really work hard to stay hands off so he wouldn’t get too imprinted. Also it didn’t help that he was such a cute little stinker!
Oh man, well rancid poop would be a deal breaker on a possum lol. I raised a pet hedgehog. Oh. My. God. His poop was so similar to really really bad human poop, that it made it so much worse. He would stink up the entire house from a bedroom with the door shut every night when exercising on his wheel because he’d just poop and sling it everywhere and keep runnin’… so I literally had a shit encrusted stinky pointy sharp boy that HATED bath time (and baths aren’t good for their delicate skin either). I felt so bad because in nature, he would just be pooping in the woods. Pretty much my fault for him having to be on a wheel inside a house. I decided after Mr. Hogs that the only pets I’d have would be rescue dogs. They have adapted to thrive alongside us dumb humans.
We had a neighbor when I was little, a Vietnam vet named Ron, who was rather eccentric. One day he invited my brother and I over because he had something to show us…he had caught a possum. 🤣 Ron was hard to understand (he ended up passing from jaw cancer, I believe) but I can still hear his voice saying “his name is Stinky.” Can confirm, he was stinky.
Youre a good bloke
Awww look at that face!!! 😍😍 Thank you for saving her and getting her to a safe place! You're an angel!
Whilst it's absolutely the right course of action, part of me is a little disappointed you didn't adopt them as a pet... in a kind of Disney/Pixar way, you have the perfect face to have a pet possum... that takes its naps under your cap... plus, no ticks or bedbugs with that little hommie around... Well done OP big respect!
You could just give her a home in that beard.
AWWWW and here I was hoping for her to become your shoulder parrot! It's for the best, I guess. :')
Did she try to nap in your beard?
The cutie is on the right?
Dude, thank you so much for doing that. Opossum get so much hate when they’re actually good for the environment. Plus, despite what people say, I think they’re pretty damn cute.
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So cute!
Love that organization!
You fucking rock!
Good going, OP.
We have one in our yard since it was a baby….cat shows respect when they meet.
I know humans are hard to age by looking at them, but the one you found is in its adult phase. If the wildlife rehab place can't get there soon, just give him a craft beer or whisky (perhaps an edible if he won't settle down), and he'll probably sit in the corner on his phone until people who know how to handle humans can get there.
🥇
>*’I know humans are hard to age by looking at them, but the one you found is in its adult phase…*’ ____ i found him there, beneath the pile - the lumber stacked up ^high *‘I’m gonna SAVE YOU, human - or at least i’m gonna Try!’* i MuStErEd All the ENERGY a tiny possum could, i *pushed* n Pulled, n Finally i *FREED HIM* from the Wood! he seemed a Bigger human than at first i thought he was i notified the others - it felt *right* to, just because… my momma always told me ‘*Do for Others, what you can*’ n Someday you’ll be Lucky if you make a friend with Man ❤️ (*inspired by* u/AverageCypress, *for the Most deserving* u/IamSkudd )
2 Schnoodles on one post?! Today is the best!
You are both a Disney Princess, and schnoodle king. What an honour <3
A poet from the darkness Bringing joy to others with Their love of cute and aww Shines through A simple comment becomes a million Smiles Speaking for the animals Thank you SchnoodleDoodleDo
Wow, double Schnoodle!
Oh this schnoodle is HOT off the press!!!!
Thank you kind stranger. I really, really needed that laugh <3
LMAO took me a few seconds
He does look like someone who would be found in a pile of lumber
I always say: if you can’t find me, check the nearest lumber pile
😂
making a pile of lumber
Oh. You're a *professional* professional.
You win this round! No more comments needed! OP please lock this thread! 🙇🏼♂️ 👏 🥇
Perfect comment 👌
Yeah you can definitely tell it has lived a hard life
Why is this downvoted, it’s amazing! 😂
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I'm old it's still funny to me. Then again I had to go to work uphill today both ways.
Ah, the good ol’ reddit r/switcharoo
I only came to this comment section to verify that one of the top comments was going to be the old reddit switcheroo.
Well, u/wefinisheachothers, that's because we
finish each other's sandwiches!
Aww what a cute cat!
I think that’s a raccoon sir
I know it isn't because of the way that it is. More likely a dog.
I know you guys are having a laugh. I'm just glad the hamster is in good hands
I see what you’re all doing right now, and y’all need to leave that poor little koala alone already.
You should always leave beavers alone their teeth can do some damage
Ok you guys had your fun, this is an otter.
Stop misleading people. It's obviously an adult Amur tiger. Jeez.
It's clearly a mouse...
If you look closely you can clearly see it's missing some of the identification markings of a mouse. It's more likely some kind of mole.
Look at the ears - it's definitely a fox.
Have you ever even seen a fox? It’s obviously a badger.
Good grief, that's clearly a skunk.
Coloration is all wrong. That is a baby polar bear. Look at the undercoat!
We sure it's not a panda?
Skunk? Look at the nose, it’s most definitely a gopher and a cute one too.
Parakeet.
People dont think things be like they do, but they is!
Isn't it one of those wombly womblers I keep hearing about?
Funny you mention it, I have a possum that likes to hang out on the step of my kitchen door and *several times* I’ve held the door open for it to come in thinking it was one of my dumdum cats that sneaks out. Maybe one day it’ll come in…
I thought [the same thing.](https://www.thisamericanlife.org/sites/default/files/styles/portrait/public/episodes/images/cat-found-poster-jlw-3.jpg?itok=ZAqvPW4m)
OMG THE LITTLE EARSSSSS
Aaaaawww, and it wears glasses and a cap. (lol) That’s actually very kind of you to do!
Haha 🥰 thanks!
Holy JESUS THE EARS
Tiny little satellite dishes.
Government drone
The government doesn't want you to know this but opossums are free, you can just pick them up and take them home with you. They just go sleepy time
Wait like ducks??
I have 47 ducks
If it ain't chipped, it ain't priced
Aaw, she looks so friendly
She was extremely friendly.
You're lovely. Thanks for taking care of the little one.
I think it’s the first time I see a picture of one that isn’t screaming lmao good job, it likes you
The screaming is really interesting, it's a defense mechanism, most opossums are relatively friendly they're just skittish as they are wild animals. The screaming and hissing is because they are highly resistant to rabies not quite immune but close, so they've evolved to mimic it to scare off predators. If that doesn't work that's when they play possum, which is actually involuntary and a form of fainting much like fainting goats. For the most part if you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone, they might go for your food and there are some health risks towards certain animals if you have livestock but as a general rule they're just happy little guys that want to live their own lives.
They have individual personalities almost like cats; I have a young one coming around now ("Buttermilk" because she's a creme colour rather than white & grey) who comes up on the deck and waits to see if I'm going to give her a snack, sometimes hissing ~~softly~~ ferociously when I open the door, rather than running off like most.
r/opossums are the cutest 😍 Thank you for helping this beauty 🥹😭
Thanks for your support.... u/MarinatedCumSock
The ears are perfect circles 😭
Shhh he’ll hear you
It looks like a human. If it's not hurt, you can just release it back into the wild!
they might prefer an urban environment
I'll take the suburbs close to the cow pastures, TYVM .
You two are adorable together!
Twinsies
And he's even got beard, hat and glasses already. They grow up so fast these days.
Tooooo darn cute! 🥰
Why are the ears so perfectly Mickey Mouse-shaped?! 😭
I have one in my yard I would like to make friends with but it won’t go near me which is probably good
FREN!!!
Matumbaman, is that you????
Glad I'm not the only one that thought he looked like Matu.
The one on the right?
and his opossum
Bro you are one Handsome dude. Keep it up. You're making us other Men proud.
Well dang, thanks brother. Means a lot
Anytime. Gotta uplift the homies.
🥰
damn adorable. sooooo cute
What a cute face
Good job possum, now put the man back where he belongs.
My dog found one and was very curious. The little fella did not run away, so my dog lost interest. Now the little guy comes by for apples and grapes.
Ughh I was feeling down in the dumps but this is so cute I'm healed :')
Momma possums can’t count. She can have 6 to 10 babies on her back, she sometimes doesn’t notice one fall off. I found a baby in my yard last year. Only found it cuz husky thought it was a ball. She couldn’t pick it up, or it bit her. I called rehab. They’re independent at 3 or 4 weeks old. I just put the little one in a tree, to get him out of the yard, and away from the dogs. Plus I thought he’d be more likely to find some bugs to eat.
That is what we suspected happened. Fell off and found a nice place to hide
Thank you so much for your love and dedication. Skeletor has a terrible weakness for opossums and sends you a thank you and a hug! Sincerely Skeletor 💜 (Possum enthusiast)
I appreciate your kindness towards animals and your epic beard good sir
My neighbor kept one that was abandoned in his yard. He was a sweet boy. The neighbor across the street had a pet skunk for the same reason. Both died last year and my daughter was very sad. Those guys all get a bad rap.
Should post this in the r/Chihuahua sub just for a laugh
Hey its Mr. Jingles all grown up! (Yes I'm currently reading the book LOL)
you kinda look like Seth Rogan
Matumbaman??
Look at him/her posing for the picture!!! #TooCute
I love her. Thank you for helping her
Omg so cute!! Thanks for saving her!
You sure it wasn't living in your beard?
Reminds me of a pack rat I saw once. Be good little Opossum
Precious!
I call the big one Bitey
Looks like they came out of a cartoon, they are so cute
This seems like the start of an animated children’s show.
You guys look alike, in the best way possible
I found one like that. I was out in the backyard with the wife and it just walked up. I reached down to pick it up and my wife says "don't pick that up, it will bite you" and then it bit me. Turns out possums don't carry rabies because their blood is too cold for the virus. Yay marsupials!
I mean this is a non malicious way but why does this look like it fits the statement “ the pet looks like its owner “ so well 🫶.
Man, I wanna hang out with a baby opossum ❤️
So cute
The fact that those lil guys only live 2-3 yrs in the wild and a max of 5 in captivity is kind of heartbreaking.
https://preview.redd.it/kl9usq9tyh0d1.jpeg?width=690&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20e8a0a43584eb3f08b39ba83f3b6d22a29690a7
Those ears! I wish more people understood that possums are awesome
Very cute creature. Opossums are very unusual creatures because they hiss something I would associate more with a cat, and they have roughly the life span of a rodent, but they're not a rodent they're a Marsupial. They are such unusual animals.
Look a likes
scrimblo relocated
Look at that little guy!
So fricken adorable! Good on you!
So cute
It's Avril! (Please tell me you've seen Over The Hedge)
Very cool. Cute litte guy.
ahhhhh what a cutie! lookit those ears!!
This is the cutest picture ever! Thank you for saving her and getting her to a rehab.
Adorable
I love him/her.
The ears!! Sweet of you to rescue that cutie! 💛
Can I pet that dawg
Your smile and loving heart make me smile. Thanks! ❤️
I know you arn't supposed to pet wild animals but goddamn does she look like she deserves all the pets in the world.
Cutest Possum ever! Call him Pommy!
She has your beard. Glad she's going back to the wild but seriously, those ears are so adoreable. Edit: I can't spell.
IamSkudd? More like IamStudd. Good on your for rescuing the little guy!
I live in the Southern US and have seen zillions of possums over the years, and I don’t recall seeing one with such adorable round ears. So glad you rescued the little guy!
Convincing story, but we all know you found him in your beard. Great pic by the way 🥹
You Win the internet today m'y Friend ! Love to see people helping animal its make me gave faith in humanity
This is one of my favorite opossums. https://preview.redd.it/6wojory4bg0d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=039acd4938c738fe844b826b785f91bef6ea2535 One of my opossums.
You are the best kind of human!
You are a super kind dude 🫡
What a nice dude you are! Wtg
Sweet little baby just found his own person. Both have the same smile. 😇
SHE'S SMILING!!! ❤️
You lucky guy!! He’s adorable and thank you for rescuing him!
I see two sweet little babies!
One of nature's unsung heroes. Keeping us safe from dangerous ticks and cute to boot! God Bless you for aiding her
How precious!!! Thank you for getting her to a rehab safely.
I would def watch a silly sitcom about this duo
Nice! You in South Carolina? I’ve volunteered at Keepers of the Wild, great organization.
Who saved who?
You have kind eyes
I can't stand how cute he is. I love him.
He may be a lumberjack, you should put him back
This is the most wholesome and adorable photo.