If we were to ask everyone which animal they think is the cutest in the world, a cat or dog would definitely come out on top. Well, this is no surprise as these two are stiff rivals as being the world’s most favorite pet. And for sure, not many would’ve picked opossums as their top choice. If anything, most people would consider these critters as pests rather than pets.
Gross, aggressive, dangerous, ugly – these are some of the stereotypes that are associated with these marsupials. But just like raccoons, they are also one of the most misunderstood creatures because they’re not as dangerous as many people think. You may associate them with trash but they can be sweet and cute animals when given the chance.
This Instagram Page Shows The Cute Side Of Opossums And It Will Change The Way You See Them
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Ally Burgueires, the one behind the Instagram page itsmesesame, wanted to show the world how adorable these creatures are. This artist from New Orleans is on a mission to rescue and rehabilitate these marsupials. She then shares photos of these cute critters on Instagram to show their progress. And with these photos, people are able to see the beautiful side of these animals that we don’t usually see up close.
“Our opossums are rescue animals—we always free them back to nature, except when they cannot survive in the wild.” Burgueires said. “Two of mine are losing their tails and that is why they cannot be released and they love me as wildlife ambassadors. To inspire everyone to love and care for wildlife and the land.”
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It is important to understand that these creatures live and thrive in the wild
So, they often scavenge in garbage for food but that doesn’t mean they’re disgusting. When threatened, they open their mouths and hiss as a bluff to look vicious. But they’re not as aggressive and dangerous as we think. The most amusing thing about these critters is that they play dead when they’re really scared.
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What most of us don’t know is that having these creatures around can be beneficial. They are known to feed on annoying pests such as rats and snakes. They also eat insects such as cockroaches, slugs and snails. So, having them around may help get rid of these insects from your garden. However, that doesn’t mean that you can keep them as household pets. As we said earlier, these marsupials are wild creatures that suit living in the wild. So, it’s best to leave them alone when you see one. Some of them may be friendly towards humans but they don’t make good pets.
These Rescues Are Released To The Wild Once They’re Healthy
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The Instagram page itsmesesame got its name from Burgueires’ first rescue named Sesame. Burgueires took Sesame in when its previous owner gave up on it due to the overwhelming amount of care and attention it requires. Sesame was sick at the time and Burgueires had to find a way to rehabilitate the poor critter. By giving it proper nutrients, Sesame became healthy again and even got an Instagram page. But sadly, Sesame passed away since these creatures only have an average life span of 2 – 4 years.
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Sesame inspired Burgueires to continue her rescue mission and that’s when Starfish came into her life. She used to take in rescues and later release them to the wild once they’re healthy. Unfortunately, Starfish came in without a tail which made it ‘nonreleasable’ as they need their tails to stay alive in the wild. Burgueires would later find two more tailless critters named Daffodil and Cornelia. Just like Starfish, they also cannot be released to the wild so Burgueires had to adopt them too.
“Opossums are a lot like cats in some ways! Mine have free run of the house and are litter-trained. They nap a lot! They love to snuggle and are affectionate, but also independent. It’s a joy to see them explore and discover new things.”
Follow itsmesesame on Instagram to see adorable photos of Starfish, Daffodil, Cornelia and other rescues that are currently on rehabilitation.
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So, which photo is your favorite? Let us know in the comment section.
Source: itsmesesame