My Little Predator is Growing Up...:::sniff:::...

Actually, I spent much of the night worrying over Opus.  I expect him to eat like the kittens do.  Devouring everything in sight, waddling to the basket, sleeping a bit and then devouring everything in sight, etc.  Opus seems to follow a pattern of eating quite a bit and then just nibbling and sleeping for the next day or even the day after that.  On his napping/nibbley days, I begin worrying over him, fearing he is getting sick or something, even though I have seen him do this consistently.  Last night was worrisome.  Not only did he refuse his dinner, but he didn't poop either.  At 6AM, I put him fresh formula and a bit of cantaloupe.  He devoured it.  Then at 9AM, he pooped EVERYWHERE.  Missed the latrine completely   But I cleaned his box and went back to bed...and finally rested...happily.  Helluva thing to be happy about, but there it is.

(Aside:  I am kind of glad I don't do this too often.  I get really emotionally invested and it's exhausting.)

I turned my phone off and slept for about three hours.  The fish were not happy, their breakfast being served at noon.  I dug some earthworms for the bluegill (she has a new trick:  when she is really hungry she actually jumps out of the water to grab the earthworm out of my hand.  Sometimes she just thinks I have the earthworm and grabs my fingers.) Then I headed back upstairs for more coffee.

I popped in to check on Opus.  He climbed up into my hand and then climbed my arm like I was a tree.  He settled into my lap and then began sniffing my fingers.  I still had earthworm slime on them.  Now.  I have fed this little possum watermelon and green beans and cantaloupe and fresh peaches.  He is not fond of bananas.  But this was the first time he really and truly attacked a food substance.  He grabbed a hold of my fingers and looked for that earthworm.  When that didn't work, he started trying to gnaw my fingers, I stopped him just short of sinking those sharp little teeth into me.  So this afternoon, I am going to find him a small earthworm.  Since he is having a hungry day, I really want him to fill up on his formula.  It has all the stuff he really needs.  But he knows what his "real" food is.  And...he is already taking to "freezing" and hiding whenever someone enters his room.  This is good.  He should be leery of people.  Instinct is kicking in.

My mom drove down and is spending the week at the island with my aunt.  Though we had tentative plans for months to spend a couple of days there as well. we kind of put them on hold when Opus entered the picture.  Also, there is the fact that it costs a small fortune to fuel up the van.  But it looks like we might go for the afternoon Thursday.  David can handle putting Opus some fresh formula while I am gone...and Opus will be fine. 

(It's still gonna cost a fortune to fuel up my church bus though.)   

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Just editing to add some photos...

Opus napping.

I'm awake now!

Collette

Pierre (with a dirty nose  He enjoys his canned cat food.  A lot.)

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Edit again:  Opus loves earthworms.  I have never seen him eat anything with as much gusto as he ate that earthworm.