Traveling Tips
For Short-Tailed Opossums (STO)
By Molly Kalafut
I occasionally receive questions from concerned owners who want to know if it's okay to take their short-tailed opossums on lengthy car trips. Luckily, STO usually do just fine on long car rides. Here are some tips to make the trip as comfortable as possible for both of you.
The STO should be transported in a solid cage, like plastic rather than wire bars. I've found small to medium plastic traveling cages work best. While it's possible to move them with wire bar cages, solid cages decrease the possibility of drafts, messy spills from cage bedding, and is less likely to stress them with too many new smells. Covering or wrapping the cage with towels or blankets can also help prevent drafts and sun exposure during the trip. Make sure that anything in the travel cage is stripped down to the bare minimum, so contents don't shift while in motion. If your short-tail is small enough to curl up in a toilet roll tube, that can be a great and lightweight toy to put in the cage. To help increase their comfort, take their fluff nest from their regular cage or some bedding for the travel cage. The familiar smells are comforting for them. I usually provide a lightweight plastic igloo for them to nest and sleep in.
Make sure food and water is available. My food of choice during trips is dry food, plus some applesauce or baby food that has a high moisture content. Water can be provided at intervals in small plastic containers, or if it spills too much you can try some of the slow 'drip' water bottles. I've found those don't leak very much -- just make sure they are very tightly secured to the cage because you don't want it to come crashing down your poor little critter!
During the trip, you can interact with your opossum particularly if they like bonding pouches. If they are comfortable with sleeping in the pouches, you can keep them in the pouch around your neck during parts of the trip. I've spent many happy hours as a passenger during a trip with my hand inside the bonding pouch while my STO curls up under my hand and sleeps.
If you're spending the night somewhere while traveling, I recommend bringing an exercise wheel for them to play in. It helps keep their regular schedule and is of course usually their favorite toy. One important tip to keep in mind - bring some Vaseline to make sure the wheel runs smoothly. Since you're likely to be sharing a room or small space with your pet you'll probably want the wheel to be as quiet as possible.
Good luck with your travels!
