A Tiny Opossum Family Got Stuck in the Walls — Here’s How They Were Saved

The Strange Noise in the Wall

Lindsey’s house was super busy the other day. Everyone was getting ready for her daughter’s wedding. Then, a weird noise suddenly stopped all the fuss.

• Lindsey was sure she heard scratching coming from inside the walls.
• When everyone stopped to listen, the noise went away.

Lindsey’s house has a big wooded area in the backyard. So hearing a small animal in the walls is not that weird. Usually, the little animal finds its own way back outside.

Important Point: Because the scratching stopped, Lindsey thought the animal had left on its own and went back to wedding prep.

A Surprising Discovery in the Basement

A few hours later, Lindsey’s husband found something that made their hearts drop.

• He found a single baby opossum all alone in their basement.
• Deema Al-azzeh, from Opossum Hollow Wildlife Rehab (OHWR), said they were shocked.
• Their first thought was: “The mom has to be here somewhere.”

Lindsey actually volunteers for OHWR, so she knew what to do.

Looking for the Mom

Lindsey gently picked up the baby opossum and started taking care of it. She and her husband looked everywhere for a hole or crack where the mom could have gone into the walls.

• They could not find any entry point.
• After the scratching had stopped, they stopped searching for the night.

Al-azzeh said Lindsey went to bed hoping the mom had made it back outside. At that point, they thought the mom had accidentally left one baby behind.

But the next day, Lindsey heard scratching again. That meant the worst had happened:

Important Point: The mama opossum was still trapped inside the wall and had never gotten out.

The Rescue Mission

Lindsey called her OHWR friends right away. Al-azzeh came with another volunteer named Cynthia.

Here is what they did, step by step:

1. Al-azzeh figured out exactly where the scratching was coming from.
2. The team cut into the wall.
3. They found a second baby opossum in “very poor condition.”
4. They believed the mom had fallen into the wall space, and that baby got separated from the family.
5. They took the sick baby out and gave it fluids it badly needed.
6. While Lindsey cared for that baby, Cynthia kept cutting the wall.
7. Cynthia finally found the mama opossum guarding the rest of her babies.

Then they finished the rescue:

• Cynthia carefully caught the mama opossum.
• Al-azzeh collected the remaining two babies.
• They checked well to make sure no opossum was left behind.
• They brought the whole family to OHWR’s headquarters.

Healing at the Rehab

When the opossum family arrived at OHWR, they all needed special fluids through an IV (a tiny tube into the vein for medicine or water).

• The separated baby was the sickest.
• He needed antibiotics (medicine that fights infection) and regular nebulizer treatments (a machine that turns medicine into mist to breathe in) because he had breathed in drywall dust.

Thanks to the care from OHWR, the tough little baby got better. He “graduated” from rehab with the rest of his family.

Important Point: Everyone recovered well, and the whole family was released back into the wild together.

A Happy Ending

The OHWR team was so happy to see the opossum family go back to nature. Lindsey was extra happy because she could enjoy her daughter’s wedding knowing the wall critters were OK.

This was not the first opossum rescue for the volunteers, but it was one they will never forget.

• Al-azzeh said they had heard of wildlife getting trapped in walls before, but this was the first time their team responded to it.
• They were very glad it happened at a volunteer’s home, because Lindsey was happy to let them cut into her walls to save the family!

How You Can Help

If you want to help animals like this opossum family, you can donate to Opossum Hollow Wildlife Rehab. Every bit helps them give wild animals the care they need.

Summary

A baby opossum was found in a basement during wedding prep. The mom was later found trapped in the wall with more babies. OHWR volunteers cut into the wall, rescued the whole family, and nursed them back to health. In the end, the opossum family was safely returned to the wild, and Lindsey could enjoy the wedding worry-free.

FAQ

What is an opossum?
An opossum is a small, furry wild animal that often lives near woods. It is the kind of critter that sometimes sneaks into houses or walls by accident.

Why do small animals get into walls?
Animals like opossums may slip into wall spaces by accident, especially if there is a wooded area nearby. Sometimes they fall in and cannot find the way out.

What is OHWR?
OHWR stands for Opossum Hollow Wildlife Rehab. It is a group that helps hurt or trapped wild animals get better and go back to nature.

Was the baby opossum okay after being separated?
Yes. He was very sick at first from drywall dust and needed strong care, but he recovered and was released with his family.

Can I help OHWR even if I do not have an opossum?
Yes! You can support them by donating so they can keep helping all kinds of wildlife in need.