Just a few minutes ago I heard the sound of something falling on my front porch, followed by the sound of my dog barking, that bark that tells me I need to go check it out. So I grabbed my .22 rifle and headed to the door. I flipped the porch light on, and lo and behold, there was this little guy, trying to navigate a way down from the back of the plastic lawn chair:
I didn't have any shoes on, so I came back in and grabbed my shoes and my camera (I figured I had to tell you guys about this, and without pictures I'd be blackballed :foot
, while he high-tailed it to the far corner of the porch, hiding in a corner behind a cabinet where all our junk tends to wind up. So I waited him out, and after a minute he came out and climbed up the screen door to try and get out the way he had come inthrough the screen (gotta fix that, thanks for the reminder little buddy). I took that opportunity to take the above picture.
Unfortunately, he didn't like the photo shootguess he forgot to gel his fur beforehandand scooted off back to his corner. I wedged open the screen door to give him an escape route, brought in my cat when she came in to investigate the noise (gave her a bowl of milk to make her forget about how I wouldn't let her do her 'job') and waited. He stayed put. So I climbed on top of the (low, thankfully) cabinet, walking stick in hand, and started prodding his behind to get him to motivate. No good. He insisted that he liked it where he was, thank you very much and goodnight. :yawn:
I was stumped as to how to move the lil' guy without dismantling half my porch (the junk, not the actual porch) until I set eyes on the clothesline hanging from an eyelet in front of me. I forget why it was even there, but it gave me an idea. My walking stick has a hole for a lanyard at the top! I cut two feet of line off, ran it through the handy hole, made a quick slipknot (not smart, Josh) noose, and in about two seconds had it maneuvered around his neck. Opossums are tough critters, so I wasn't too worried about hurting him. Up he came, but he wasn't happy about it. That prehensile tail was grabbing onto everything he could reach to slow him down. The tight space didn't help much, either.
I got him outside soon, though, after setting him down on the floor so he wouldn't choke, then jumping over him and down myself, but once outside I realized my earlier folly: the slipknot. Instead of the loop-through-overhand knot variety I'd tied, I should have tied a bowline and run the loop through that. Because now I had no easy way to loosen the noose around the poor critter's neck (if I'd done it right, as soon as the tension was off, he'd be free). So I had to drag him halfway back inside, fetch my gloves and a towel, throw the towel over his head, and pull at the knot till the loop was big enough for him to duck out of it and scamper off. He was a gentleman about it, though, and never even threatened to bite. In fact, he quite thoughtfully held (mostly) still for me.
At least he knows I mean business now. I also re-tied that noose properly as soon as he was off, in case I need it again. :thumbup:
I didn't have any shoes on, so I came back in and grabbed my shoes and my camera (I figured I had to tell you guys about this, and without pictures I'd be blackballed :foot
, while he high-tailed it to the far corner of the porch, hiding in a corner behind a cabinet where all our junk tends to wind up. So I waited him out, and after a minute he came out and climbed up the screen door to try and get out the way he had come inthrough the screen (gotta fix that, thanks for the reminder little buddy). I took that opportunity to take the above picture. Unfortunately, he didn't like the photo shootguess he forgot to gel his fur beforehandand scooted off back to his corner. I wedged open the screen door to give him an escape route, brought in my cat when she came in to investigate the noise (gave her a bowl of milk to make her forget about how I wouldn't let her do her 'job') and waited. He stayed put. So I climbed on top of the (low, thankfully) cabinet, walking stick in hand, and started prodding his behind to get him to motivate. No good. He insisted that he liked it where he was, thank you very much and goodnight. :yawn:
I was stumped as to how to move the lil' guy without dismantling half my porch (the junk, not the actual porch) until I set eyes on the clothesline hanging from an eyelet in front of me. I forget why it was even there, but it gave me an idea. My walking stick has a hole for a lanyard at the top! I cut two feet of line off, ran it through the handy hole, made a quick slipknot (not smart, Josh) noose, and in about two seconds had it maneuvered around his neck. Opossums are tough critters, so I wasn't too worried about hurting him. Up he came, but he wasn't happy about it. That prehensile tail was grabbing onto everything he could reach to slow him down. The tight space didn't help much, either.
I got him outside soon, though, after setting him down on the floor so he wouldn't choke, then jumping over him and down myself, but once outside I realized my earlier folly: the slipknot. Instead of the loop-through-overhand knot variety I'd tied, I should have tied a bowline and run the loop through that. Because now I had no easy way to loosen the noose around the poor critter's neck (if I'd done it right, as soon as the tension was off, he'd be free). So I had to drag him halfway back inside, fetch my gloves and a towel, throw the towel over his head, and pull at the knot till the loop was big enough for him to duck out of it and scamper off. He was a gentleman about it, though, and never even threatened to bite. In fact, he quite thoughtfully held (mostly) still for me.
At least he knows I mean business now.
I also re-tied that noose properly as soon as he was off, in case I need it again. :thumbup:
