Daughter distraught over Opussum dispatch.

[AmarachAcres]

Hey, COTHERs.

Our family is one of animal lovers. Live and let live. Take the spiders outside, let the moles be unless the cats get them, etc…

However last night my daughter and I went to go feed the horses and there was a possum chilling on top of our hay. Poop in numerous places. Got husband to ponder situation.

Choices:

Chase it away. Could pee and poop more on it’s way out and may very well come back once we are gone. It is pouring buckets here and probably realizes this is the only safe warm spot for miles. However, at least it lives.

Trap it. We have no trap currently, all the stores are closed. May or may not work. Illegal to relocate a trapped possum here so we would still have to shoot it.

Shoot it. It’s cornered, huge, and not scared at all. Just staring at us.

I don’t hate possums. Nor most wildlife. They each have their own beauty. This one however is pooping in our hay and while I know they are nomadic, I’ve known of barns that couldn’t get rid of a possum that found such a lovely place to live.

My 13 yo daughter was frantic, we had to explain the EPM risk to her, the fact that we didn’t want it living in our barn. That chasing it may do nothing.

Called some neighbors who had delt with it and indeed, only killing one that has discovered a warm barn seems to work.

The deed was done with one clean shot by a neighbor while our daughter was inside, but she still cried for a long time.

While I don’t regret it, I do feel bad the darn thing got killed for wanting a warm place to sleep.

We lost a lot of hay as well, can’t risk it.

Just venting. Sigh.

[HorsesinHaiti]

How old is daughter? Old enough to handle showing her youtube videos of horses with EPM? This is a case of ensuring the fewest possible animal deaths and the least animal suffering possible.

ETA: duh. there’s a 13 in there.

[arapaloosa_lady]

Hard lesson to learn for a farm kid :-/

[cutter99]

I agree with HorsesinHaiti. EPM can be a death sentence for a horse and a huge loss financially and emotionally for an owner. Could your vet have a conversation with your daughter about it?

[JoZ]

I think she probably “gets it”. Getting it and feeling comfortable with it are two different things. I remember driving with my dad at some early teen age and he hit some little animal – woodchuck? gopher? Who knows – and there was nothing he could do to avoid it. I could NOT stop crying! Animals + hormones, volatile combination. My dad felt horrible (and probably would have vented online had that been an option back then!). It’s tough but she’ll come through it. I know just how you feel though.

[AmarachAcres]

[QUOTE=JoZ;8431366]
I think she probably “gets it”. Getting it and feeling comfortable with it are two different things. I remember driving with my dad at some early teen age and he hit some little animal – woodchuck? gopher? Who knows – and there was nothing he could do to avoid it. I could NOT stop crying! Animals + hormones, volatile combination. My dad felt horrible (and probably would have vented online had that been an option back then!). It’s tough but she’ll come through it. I know just how you feel though.[/QUOTE]

Very true. I’m often the same way. Just feel so bad, I know it’s something she needed to understand, but even I felt a little bad.

Glad we got our crack shot neighbor to do it though.

[AKB]

I assume you also shoot any cats that you see in or around your barn, so as to prevent EPM. In one study, cats on the premises were related to a higher risk than opossums. I would have just covered the hay.

[GraceLikeRain]

I understand and would have supported a friend or family member doing the same but I probably would cry. Logically knowing an animal didn’t suffer isn’t the same as having empathy for having ended a life. I’d be a bit more worried if she seemed ambivalent. Big hearts get hurt more often but it is worth the pain.

[saje]

Opossums (opossum singular? like moose?) do good things too. They are grub & tick eaters and are an endpoint for Lyme, which is also Not Good in horses.

http://www.poughkeepsiejournal.com/story/tech/science/environment/2015/03/14/lyme-disease-opossum-ticks/70221442/

[js]

Intermediate hosts include: Researchers have identified the nine-banded armadillo as an intermediate host, along with striped skunks and raccoons. Also on the suspect list are the brown-headed cowbird and the domestic house cat.

• See more at: http://www.equisearch.com/article/epmexposure_041504#sthash.aeaCWJXV.dpuf

While relatively few horses actually develop the disease, research suggests approximately one-half of all horses in the Midwest have been infected by and/or exposed to the parasite that causes EPM.
Not every horse exposed to S. neurona will develop EPM. Three factors determine if infection leads to disease:
1.Number of sporocysts ingested. The more parasitic eggs ingested, the more likely symptoms will develop.
2.General immune system health. Imunocompromised animals are more likely to develop EPM. Certain drugs (e.g., dexamethasone, prednisone), foaling/ dystocia, pain, surgery, or general anesthesia can hinder a horse’s ability to fight infection.
3.Environmental stress. Long trips, management changes, new ownership, excessive workloads, or inclement weather can cause stress. http://www.in.gov/boah/files/cp-3499.pdf

I’m not sure you can effectively do anything to 100% protect your horse from exposure, especially in some areas of the country where possum, armadillo and cow birds are plentiful. In our area, this time of year fields are covered with cow birds in the hundreds, we have possum and armadillos.

There is no way to stop every animal that potentially carries the disease. Best if you keep your horses in good health. Keep hay in an area where critters can’t get to it. I doubt you can do much for pastures, unless you have critter proof fencing around them. If you have barn cats, put their food in a room that has a pet door, don’t leave it out.

[fordtraktor]

It sucks but necessary.

I keep a humane trap on the farm and my son loves to bait it with horse treats and leave it out. We caught a raccoon on Sunday and drove it to a state park 30 minutes away and released it. We are setting it up again to get an opossum behind the house. I try to keep down the critters this way – might be worth the investment if you have one that’s not actually in your barn. It makes the whole thing a bit fun for the kids. he LOVES to trap and release, and see the critters up close.

Of course, if it is illegal you might not want to do it. I would probably consider how illegal. Some things are “illegal” like five years in prison, and other things are “illegal” like the speed limit and driving three miles over it is not the end of the world.

And I make sure I don’t drop it off near anyone, because that is very rude.

[SonnysMom]

[QUOTE=AKB;8431664]
I assume you also shoot any cats that you see in or around your barn, so as to prevent EPM. In one study, cats on the premises were related to a higher risk than opossums. I would have just covered the hay.[/QUOTE]
We have a number of barn cats at the farm I board at. They don’t pee and poop on the hay and don’t go in the horse fields much. No feral cats at this barn. I think it would be pretty hard to cover hay in such a way that a cat, raccoon or opossum could not get under the tarp yet not make it a chore to get the hay to feed the horses.

[Pennywell_Bay]

Agree farm life it tough, and often sad. Thankfully for us, the raccoon moved out of the barn when horses and I moved in (on his own and hasn’t been back).

We had 2 possums but not in the barn that we ever saw. We found them in our backyard, where they crossed paths with our GSDs (up to date on shots and no wounds present). Possum 0, GSDs 2. No that I encourage it, but it’s a farm life/ farm dog hazard- ask the feral cats that are left.

I don’t have much advice except to explain whatever decision you make to your daughter. Having animals, there are many more unpleasant, unappealing decisions in the future. Good luck.

[BeeHoney]

It’s a hard lesson, sometimes for adults, too. I’m sure plenty of my clients (all animal lovers) would be shocked if the knew the number of “cute” little raccoons and opossums that have been exterminated for the sake of running a barn that is safe for horses and humans. Unfortunately EPM and rabies are real. Real life stinks.

A horse barn is an incredibly attractive home for raccoons and opossums. Opossums carry EPM and raccoons carry rabies. Personally, I’ve dealt with a hay storage area infested with raccoons and opossums and prolific amounts of feces and urine and it’s not pretty–nor safe for horses. No, there isn’t a good solid way to cover hay such that they don’t go under it unless you have a lot of time on your hands, and hay should not ever be tightly covered anyway. I think you will find that most/ ?all of the people that are “sure” there is a solution to be had other than extermination have never actually run a real facility. Yes, I do know people with backyard barns that just ignore the problems/risks, but that is not evidence of a successful solution.

I’ve never had a problem with cats, but then I keep a few litter boxes around and the shavings in the stalls seem to be a more attractive place for them to relieve themselves.

[chillydc]

Sorry about the situation, but be proud you raised such a good hearted teenager.

[asb_own_me]

Add me to the list of those who would love to hear about how to keep hay so tightly covered that possums and raccoons can’t get into it, and it also won’t combust or mold

::crickets::

[trubandloki]

[QUOTE=asb_own_me;8432254]
Add me to the list of those who would love to hear about how to keep hay so tightly covered that possums and raccoons can’t get into it, and it also won’t combust or mold

::crickets::[/QUOTE]
Me too! I can not think of a way.

We had to dispatch (like that word) an possum last year that we found inside our chicken coup (it wandered in while the chickens were having some out time). I felt horrible. The poor thing just wanted some warmth and food. But…my horses and my chickens come first.

[cowboymom]

My daughter would have shot it herself and still felt bad for it. Distraught seems to be a little too far dramatic for the situation to me. Maybe it’s a teenage girl situation but if you’re going to live outside of town situations like this are going to come up. She doesn’t seem like she was prepared for it, unfortunately.

[Bluey]

Just be glad you don’t have rattlers.

There is no way to be careless with those around.
Not their fault that they are rattlers, not ours to try to stay safe either, just a dangerous situation all around that needs to be tended to best we can manage.

Last summer I had some flakes of alfalfa laid out to feed, reached for them early morning and several baby rattlers scooted out of the top flake and disappeared into the hay stack.

Just lucky it was the small ones, not a big one resting there.

I consider pest control in the country to be no different, other than some the species needing to be controlled, than in the city, where no one wants rats, mice or cockroaches in their kitchen, bedbugs in their mattress or fleas in their carpets.

I would not know what to tell your kid, but maybe her reaction was because she had other going on and that is where she just had too much stress in her life at that time?

[mvp]

[QUOTE=chillydc;8432028]
Sorry about the situation, but be proud you raised such a good hearted teenager.[/QUOTE]

@cowboymom;8432285

My daughter would have shot it herself and still felt bad for it. Distraught seems to be a little too far dramatic for the situation to me. Maybe it’s a teenage girl situation but if you’re going to live outside of town situations like this are going to come up. She doesn’t seem like she was prepared for it, unfortunately.

Yeah and yeah. I think this is a valuable, age-appropriate lesson about choosing the least worst of the bad options and taking care to do the least harm possible to an animal that has to go.

The people who haven’t had a chance to work through these issues before it comes to big social issues involving people… like end of life stuff or choosing between options in an ethically-complex world… those people do badly when the stakes are higher than an animal who could be killed without seeing it coming and they had never had a chance to “practice.”

Its important to learn to do the Right Thing even while you feel like sh!t about it… and it does have to be lived-through and learned.