Instructions
Speak in a quiet voice around your Virginia opossum, and try to keep the environment free from background noise, as well. Virginia opossums have extremely sensitive hearing. Do not allow children to be loud and rowdy around the creatures.
Handle your Virginia opossum gently, and with deliberation. Do not startle the animal by picking it up, but rather let it know that you are approaching. Allow your Virginia opossum to climb on you, but do not cup it in your hands as opossums prefer to be upright and reach the top of a destination. Limit passing opossums around to several different people as this can be frightening for your opossum.
Prepare a quiet bedding area with a cover in a room with good air circulation. Put a pouch-style blanket in the opossum's bed, similar to the natural pouch in which wild young opossums sleep. Do not place your Virginia opossum in a wire cage or aquarium, as being able to see activity while caged can be frightening and disorienting to the animal. Remove the opossum from the enclosed bedding area frequently to prevent panic, as well as to provide ample exercise.
Place the Virginia opossum on your lap while rocking in a rocking chair. Put the opossum on your head to play with your hair. This sort of play, which mimics forest rummaging and nesting, is calming for opossums.
Slowly introduce the outdoors to your Virginia opossum by taking it with you outside, either in the early morning or at dusk. Never put the opossum on the grass and leave it as this can be extremely scary for the animal. If you sit the opossum down, be sure to sit down with it.
Keep plenty of water out in a bowl for your Virginia opossum, and take care to follow the National Opossum Society's recommended diet. Feed your opossum processed almonds, crickets and mealworms, along with cooked eggs, boneless poultry and fish. Include fruits up to three times per week and some high fiber foods such as cereal and whole grain bread. Put out a box with litter for potty training.
How to Tame Virginia Opossums
Virginia opossums are adorable animals with a need to be nurtured -- but they are wild, and domesticating them can take considerable effort. Although Virginia opossums can be tamed, some states do not allow wild animals to be cared for by anyone other than a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. However, if it is permissible in your state to raise a Virginia opossum and you choose to adopt one, create a loving environment and follow recommended house training procedures. In the right circumstances, the opossums adapt well to change, and will be domesticated before you know it.