'Possum

 On our morning walk, I picked up a smallish Corn Snake who had met an untimely and sad end having been run over by a car. Brought the snake home, but of course I did. Placed it's remains in our open compost 'orb'. The plan...to allow insects to clean the 'prize', leaving me a very cool fully intact snake skeleton. This morning when I checked on it's progress, the snake was gone and in it's place a very full and sound asleep young Virginia Opossum! The 'orbs' sides are slippery and curved inward making the 'possum's escape impossible. So Ms Possum just decided to take her usual daylong nap and worry about it come nightfall. I took lots of photos, woke the poor little thing up, left it some water and a stick to climb out of it's prison. Opossums are native marsupials and are amazing survivors! They are not aggressive unless threatened and then they usually just 'play dead' until the coast is clear. They dine on dead animals, insects (they adore ticks and can reportedly eliminate thousands in a season!), rodents and birds. They also eat eggs, frogs, plants, fruits and grain. They need a high level of calcium in their diets so they eat the skeletal remains of roadkill. They enjoy dog or cat food as well. Opossums are immune to the venom of rattlesnakes and other pit vipers and appreciate a tasty meal of snake whenever the opportunity arises.
Wishing All a Very Peaceful Week.