Georgia mom makes friends with backyard opossum. Then her daughter reads Larry a bedtime story: ‘I can’t even get a … text’

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Everyone loves a bedtime story, at least when they’re young. It stands to reason that other species might not mind one every now and then, either.

One Georgia woman’s family found that out firsthand, thanks to an unusual visitor who stopped by for nighttime snacks.

‘How [Did] This Dude Get a Bed Time Story’

Content creator Christine Causey (@ckcausey22) shares a video of her daughter reading a bedtime story to a wild opossum. Her video has since accumulated more than 2.1 million views.

Causey’s video, “Night 33 with Larry,” is part of an ongoing series. It’s a newer installment out of dozens of videos showing her trying to earn the trust of Larry the opossum.

Causey films Larry sitting on her fence at night, a snack placed next to him. Larry’s tail is curled around her daughter’s wrist as the girl reads from the children’s book “Goodnight Moon.”

“And a cow went and brushed in a bowl full of mush,” the girl says. “A quiet old lady was whispering, hush … Good night, moon. Good night, cow jumping over the moon. See you soon.”

The video then cuts to Larry sitting placidly while Causey pets his head.

“Dinnertime got an upgrade … Larry got a bedtime story tonight,” Causey writes in her caption. “Goodnight Moon! I think he loved it, and we love tail hugs.”

Viewers were starry-eyed in Causey’s comment section over the Disney-esque scene.

“Awww sweetheart,” one wrote. “I had a pet opossum for a long time. They’re like cats and are very clean.”

“Give him lots of love,” another advised. “They only live up to two years.”

One viewer was aghast at the love Larry was receiving.

“How [did] this dude get a bed time story I can’t even get a good night text,” they wrote.

Are Wild Opossums Dangerous to People?

While people often associate opossums with rabies, they’re actually poor candidates for the infection. The National Park Service says their lower body temperature makes them “bad hosts for rabies,” and that infection is “relatively uncommon.”

The City of Long Beach’s Animal Care Services says their open-mouthed hissing and drooling are a bluff, not a sign of rabies. However, you should always go to a doctor if an animal bites you.

Other germs are more realistic concerns. The Michigan Department of Natural Resources lists opossums among wildlife susceptible to leptospirosis, a bacterial infection that can cause fever, headaches, vomiting and, in severe cases, kidney failure.

People are usually exposed via urine-contaminated water or contact with an infected animal’s urine. If you touch an opossum, make sure to wash your hands after to protect yourself from transmission.

Parasites are another risk, according to Critter Control.

Opossums can carry “fleas, ticks, and mites,” Critter Control writes. “[They] often host parasites that can transmit diseases such as Lyme disease, murine typhus, and other illnesses to humans and pets.”

Should You Keep an Opossum as a Pet?

Crucially, experts advise against humans attempting to domesticate opossums or take them in as pets. This has less to do with the dangers opossums pose to people and more to do with the wellness of the animals. Terminix reports that “they cannot be domesticated and don’t make suitable pets.”

“They cannot be domesticated because they are wild animals that have not been selectively bred over generations for life with humans,” Terminix writes. “Opossums can form a bond with their caretakers if they are socialized from a very young age, but this is more of a dependency than an actual bond … Most wildlife experts and veterinarians strongly advise against keeping opossums as pets.”