Kenya Nixon has always had a soft spot for animals — something she inherited from her mom and her Aunt Karen. So when her aunt told her that a wild possum named Hank had moved into her garage, Nixon wasn’t surprised.
“He began sleeping in her garage last month,” Nixon told The Dodo. “She put a little makeshift bed together for him. He stays there a lot of the time.”
Hank’s fur doesn’t provide much insulation from the cold, and his hairless ears and tail are prone to frostbite. Since possums don't hibernate during the winter, finding food can be a struggle — that is, until Hank moved in with Karen.
“She has this massive garage and has an out-of-the-way space for him,” Nixon said. “The garage is detached from the house, so she leaves the side door open for when he wants to go out.”
Nixon’s aunt believes Hank is one of two possums she bottle-fed and released approximately 18 months ago. She took in the pair of babies after their mother was hit by a car.