Confrontation with opossum, need advice and guidance regarding rabies.
Hey everyone.
Last night I found a opossum (or possum?) napping under the hood of my car. So I opened the hood and spent a good 20mins trying to make it climb out of my engine bay. It was hidding well inside the engine bay so I had to use a wooden broome handle to guide it out.
The opossum wasn't aggressive and was calm. It hissed at me when I polked with my the stick to try to guide it out of the engine bay. It even took a bite at the end of the stick. After a good 20mins, I was able to make it jump out of my engine bay and it ran away.
I did not have any direct contact with the opossum, however I did handle the broome stick without gloves during and after the confrontation (I was sweeping the driveway) and I dont remember if I have came incontact with the saliva that was present on the end of the stick.
I did not have any scratches or wounds on my hands.
I am not sure how to go about with my situation. I am just very worried about being exposed to rabies. Should I go seek treatment? My dad had also handled the stick without gloves, should we both seek treatment?
Please help me, I am getting close to the point of going straight to the ER.
Re: Confrontation with opossum, need advice and guidance regarding rabies.
Or call your local health department. In some areas, they are the ones that keep track of any rabies possibilities. When I lived in a rural area that had a lot of rabid racoons, the health department was the only organization that even had the rabies vaccine. The local hospital didn't have it, though the health department could provide it to them if necessary.
It sure wouldn't hurt to ask! You ought to for your peace of mind, if nothing else!
Re: Confrontation with opossum, need advice and guidance regarding rabies.
I would seriously doubt you could contract rabies just by touching the broom handle. If you washed your hands before eating or touching your mouth. I believe it has to enter your bloodstream to infect you. If you are worried you can call the ER and ask to speak with a nurse.
If the possum had rabies - he probably wouldn't have been as calm as you say he was and biting the broom handle was just his way of trying to defend himself.
Hope this helps. God bless you . . . and that mischievious possum.
Re: Confrontation with opossum, need advice and guidance regarding rabies.
I've been having upper abdominal pain - been to the Er like three times in two weeks. I guess I am the local loon around here! Your not alone with the nuttiness. . . at least you can rest easy now.
Your not alone with the nuttiness. . . at least you can rest easy now. 
