[farmpony84]

For the past 2 evenings, I have had the cutest little opossum in my barn. That being said, it's a opossum. I think it's going after the cat food and not the horse feed, I'm not sure it can get into my grain tubs, but, it's still a opossum. SO... My question is...

I called my brother and he is coming over tomorrow to try and trap it. he's going to look for it in the AM but I don't think it comes into the barn until the evening so he'll have to come back around dark time. If he takes it away, how far does he need to go with it to ensure that it doesn't come back? Can he turn it loose in my moms barn? (she only has feral cats - no livestock in her barn). She's about 2400 feet from my place... I geuss? I'm not good with distance, she's up on the hill, about a 10 minute walk through the woods. Would the opposum come back? I hate to kill it. That just isn't my style. I'll drive it across the county if I need to....

 

[farmpony84]

All,

Thanks for the responses. I do know what EPM is and I do know where it comes from which is why I know that it is so important to get rid of the opossum. I worked at Quantico Stables several years ago when EPM was a fairly rare/unknown disease. We had ELEVEN horses come down with signs of it within a month. At the time it was really scary becuase we did not quite know how the horses contracted the disease, as it was pretty "new". The barn used a grain silo and I assume the opossums had pooped in the grain. So yes, I've seen the effects from life-ending to controllable. I understand the severity of the situtation.

I can't even squish a bug so until my husband comes home from travel all animals, mighty and dangerous, will live. My brother is also not the killing type but he is willing to trap it and remove it. I appreciate the advice on distances, that was my main question, how far do I need to go with him. There is a bald eagle preserve about 15 miles from the house, no horse farms nearby. I think we'll dump him there.

 

[farmpony84]

Farmpony, you're far kinder hearted than I am.

I've seen the ravages of EPM up close, and no way will I allow a possum to live.

I have a humongous one that is going to meet his Maker very soon. He's going to die by lead injection. I'd rather not poison him, because I don't want a predator to die by eating the carcass.

I can play the part of the mob boss and order the hit. I just need a hitman....

 

[farmpony84]

Less than 1%?? I've seen 7 horses my whole short 19 years of life contract the disease. And six of the seven were completely healthy horses. Two of them were almost dead. And I also know alot of wildlife rehabilitators who will disagree that they won't come back. It's your risk, and it's not worth taking in my opinion.

It's not uncommon for several horses in one barn to contract the disease as they are all sharing the same food source.

 

[farmpony84]

husband comes home today. he will catch it and remove it. He says he's just going to run it down the road and drop it off.

 

[farmpony84]

It's gone. while we were typing this thread I was doing opossum research. All of the sites on opossums that I read said basically that they are transient animals only staying in a place for 3-4 days. I took the cat food away and the opossum went away.

 

[farmpony84]

I'm all for simple solutions, and glad it's gone... however think about how much time it had to spread urine and poo around your place while you were deciding what to do. Lepto in urine and EPM in poo (possibly)

Leptospirosis is an infectious disease caused by a particular type of bacteria called a spirochete. Leptospirosis can be transmitted by many animals such as rats, skunks, opossums, raccoons, foxes, and other vermin. It is transmitted though contact with infected soil or water. The soil or water is contaminated with the waste products of an infected animal. People contract the disease by either ingesting contaminated food or water or by broken skin and mucous membrane (eyes, nose, sinuses, mouth) contact with the contaminated water or soil.
Leptospirosis occurs worldwide, but it is most commonly acquired in the tropics. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention states 100-200 cases of leptospirosis are reported each year in the United States, with about 50% of cases occurring in Hawaii.

While it's something to be aware of, I really think it's important that the facts on diseases such as this are clear in these posts. I love my family and my horses and would never purposely put them in any danger. What I knew about oppossums before I started this thread was that horses get EPM from their feces. I did not know the numbers or the exact information. Since I found one in my barn I've been doing a lot of research and was actually very surprised by the actual facts. Also, I live on 80 acres. 60 of which is wooded. I have 100 acres of protected wetlands on one side and am surrounded by a cattle ranch, corn field and a neighbors 130 acres of woods. There are skunks, opposums, coyotes, bears, deer, and many, many other wild life that crosses my land daily. I've even had a bear in my barn. That one oppossum will not be the last to enter my barn.

As many as 50 percent of all horses in the United States may have been exposed to the organism that causes EPM. Not all horses who are exposed to the protozoan Sarcocystis neurona will develop the disease and show clinical signs of EPM. Some horses seem to mount an effective immune response and are able to combat the disease before it gains a foothold. Other horses, especially those under stress, can succumb rapidly to the debilitating effects of EPM. Still others may harbor the organisms for months or years and then slowly or suddenly develop symptoms.


Unfortunately, there is little horse owners can do to adequately protect their horses from infection with EPM. There are currently no vaccines to immunize animals against protozoal diseases. At best, good horse-keeping practices will discourage unwanted visitors such as opossums, other rodents and birds from contaminating hay, grain and bedding.
Here are a few suggestions:

• Keep feed rooms and containers closed and sealed.
• Use feeders which minimize spillage and are difficult for wild animals to access.
• Clean up any dropped grain immediately to discourage birds and other scavengers.
• Feed heat-treated cereal grains and extruded feeds since these processes seem to kill the infective sporocysts.
• Keep water tanks clean and filled with clean fresh water.
• Maximize your horse's health and fitness through proper nutrition, regular exercise, and routine deworming and vaccinations.
• Schedule regular appointments with your equine veterinarian.