When Ayesha, a resident of Melbourne, Australia, heard her dog barking at the window last month, she figured it was just another passing distraction. But when she followed her pup’s gaze, she was stunned — perched nervously on top of her curtain rod was a tiny, furry visitor.
At first, Ayesha thought the little creature was a rat — she’d spotted something scurrying across her floor days earlier. But now, with a better look, she realized it wasn’t a rat at all. It was a possum.
Unlike opossums found in North America, possums are marsupials native to Australia. They’re natural tree-dwellers, but in urban areas, it’s not uncommon for them to end up inside homes by accident.
Since the holiday season was just around the corner, Ayesha decided to give her unexpected guest a fitting name: Mistletoe.
Wanting to make sure Mistletoe was removed safely, Ayesha called The Wildlife Rescuers for help. Soon, wildlife rescuer Meaghan Scott arrived to assess the situation.
Looking around, Scott and Ayesha noticed the area near the chimney seemed disturbed — it was likely Mistletoe had climbed down in search of a cool spot during a stretch of hot weather. Scared and disoriented, she’d scrambled up the curtains for safety.
“A possum naturally would be in a tree in a higher place,” Scott explained. “So I imagine she climbed the curtains and then thought, ‘Well, I can’t go anywhere else.’”
Despite her own fear of heights, Scott set up a tall ladder and carefully worked with Ayesha to coax Mistletoe into a carrier. Together, they made sure the little possum was calm and secure for the journey.
At Scott’s wildlife care facility, a health check revealed Mistletoe was dehydrated, had a minor nail injury, and some digestive trouble. But with fluids, food, and a couple of days of veterinary care, she bounced back quickly.
“She had gained her appetite back and was a little more feisty,” Scott shared on Facebook.
Once she was fully recovered, Mistletoe was released back into her natural habitat — this time, not a curtain rod, but a leafy tree.
“As soon as I opened the carrier, she was off,” Scott said. “She was very keen to go.”
Thanks to a barking dog, a quick-thinking homeowner, and a fearless rescuer, Mistletoe got her second chance at life in the wild — right where she belongs.
To support other animals like this possum, you can make a donation to The Wildlife Rescuers here.
