Starlings By Day, Possums By Night

Tuley seems to have recovered from his ailments for the most part. His vet is concerned about kidney issues based on his recent blood work and we are planning to find out more about that. One thing has changed since Tuley was sick. Before, he'd eat every morsel of food in his bowl, on the patio, and a few pine cones for good measure. Now he seems to have developed the ability to stop eating when he is full. So, sometimes there is food left in the bowl. If there is a lot, we put it in the refrigerator for later. If there's a little, I've just been leaving it. The starlings seems to find it during the day - fighting with each other and making a mess on the patio. Last night, he left a tiny bit - maybe an eighth of a cup. When he wanted to go out at 4:45 a.m., I turned on the outside light and was momentarily frozen. Two furry SOMETHINGS were at the back door. In my sleepy state, I could not identify them right away. Rats! No... Moles? No... Oh! I know - baby possums! I could not believe my eyes. There, sitting in Tuley's now empty food bowl, was a possum. Staring right back at me. I didn't want to send Tuley out to possibly have to deal with a mama possum, so I knocked on the door to scare them away. One waddled slowly off. The one in the food bowl just sat there. I got my camera and tried to take a picture with out opening the door, but of course it flashed against the glass and I got Gracie's reflection instead. By this point, Tuley is crossing his legs and dancing around. I opened the door and the fat baby mosied off. I was certain that they were just past the circle of light shed by the porch light. Tuley took care of business, but then decided maybe he didn't want to come back in quite yet. I had to tiptoe out to get him...certain that Mama Possum would jump out of the shadows at me. She didn't.

This morning, there wasn't any sign of them. Just an empty food bowl, which I washed because really - would you want to eat out of something that a possum had been sitting in?

Another day (night) at the Downing Animal Refuge.