Sioux Falls Tattoo Parlor Helps Rescue Baby Opossums After Mother Stuck in Window Well

A mother opossum entered a deep window well behind Vishnu Bunny Tattoo and Piercing in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and became wedged. Animal control freed the animal, but several joeys fell from the mother’s pouch onto the ground. The tattoo shop contacted wildlife rescuer Deanna Leach of Keepin’ It Wild Wildlife Rescue, who traveled over an hour to retrieve the displaced joeys and provide round-the-clock care.

Upworthy

North America’s only marsupial, the opossum, carries its young in a pouch until they can survive independently. Juvenile opossums are vulnerable; if separated from the mother they often receive no parental care. The Opossum Society notes an average lifespan of one to two years, shortened by predation from dogs, cats, and humans. Consequently, orphaned joeys frequently require human intervention to survive.

Upworthy

• Vishnu Bunny Tattoo and Piercing – posted the incident on Instagram and coordinated the rescue.

Upworthy

• Deanna Leach – founder of Keepin’ It Wild Wildlife Rescue (Jefferson, SD), whose mission is “to protect and rehabilitate injured, orphaned, and displaced animals, returning them to their natural habitats.”

Upworthy

• Animal Control – municipal agency that extracted the trapped mother.

Upworthy

• Christine Manika – co-host of KXRB radio, who amplified the story on the station’s social platforms.

Upworthy

• Day 1: Mother opossum becomes stuck; animal control intervenes.

Upworthy

• Day 1 (later): Tattoo shop posts details and contacts Leach.

Upworthy

• Day 2: Leach arrives, collects the joeys, and begins continuous feeding.

Upworthy

• Subsequent days: Rescue team shares updates, requests formula donations, and posts videos of the joeys’ progress.

Upworthy

• Ten joeys were rescued in total, including three from the tattoo-parlor incident.

Upworthy

• The rescue currently cares for an “overwhelming number” of baby opossums, prompting a public appeal for additional formula.

Upworthy

• Opossum lifespan: 1–2 years; primary mortality factors include predation by dogs, cats, and people.

Upworthy

The incident shows how urban wildlife can become entangled in human infrastructure and how community partnerships—between businesses, municipal services, and wildlife NGOs—can reduce mortality. It also highlights the resource demands of caring for orphaned marsupials, underscoring the need for public support in formula and shelter.

Upworthy

Vishnu Bunny Tattoo and Piercing announced that they contacted Leach and praised her rapid response. Leach reiterated her organization’s mission and emphasized the urgent need for formula to sustain the joeys. Christine Manika noted the rarity of mother opossums returning for displaced young and commended the rescue effort.

Upworthy

No criticism or opposing viewpoints were reported in the available sources.

Upworthy

Leach’s social media displayed the joeys in a red, white, and blue blanket, receiving continuous feedings. Video footage showed a joey yawning before choosing to burrow or snack, indicating normal developmental behavior under care.

Upworthy

The sources present a consistent account; no conflicting information was identified. Exact numbers of joeys rescued beyond the three mentioned remain unspecified.

Upworthy

• “A momma opossum made her way to a deep window well behind the shop. Animal control helped her out, but in the process, some babies fell from her pouch. We then learned that the mommas don’t know that they dropped babies and therefore they don’t come back for them.” — Vishnu Bunny Tattoo and Piercing, Instagram

Upworthy

• “We contacted Deanna at @keepinitwildwildliferescue, and she changed her route for the day and drove over an hour to come save them. We cannot thank her enough for not only what she did for these babies but for all she does for animals in general.” — Vishnu Bunny Tattoo and Piercing, Instagram

Upworthy

• “With the overwhelming number of baby opossums currently in our care, we are in desperate need of more formula.” — Deanna Leach, Keepin’ It Wild Wildlife Rescue

Upworthy

• “The sad part is it’s not unusual that possum moms don’t come back for their babies once they are out of the pouch. Luckily these babies were in good hands!” — Christine Manika, KXRB radio

Upworthy

• “The opossum has an average lifespan of 1 to 2 years. This short lifespan is due in part to the presence of many predators, including dogs, cats, and people. Sometimes the opossum is able to escape death by ‘playing ‘possum’ or feigning death.” — Opossum Society US

Upworthy

• “Despite its appearance, the opossum is not related to the rat. In fact, the opossum is a marsupial, or ‘pouched’ mammal, and is therefore related to other marsupials such as the kangaroo and the koala. Like kangaroos and koalas, infant opossums stay inside the mother’s pouch to nurse and develop. The opossum holds the distinction of being North America’s only marsupial.” — Opossum Society US

Upworthy

Keepin’ It Wild Wildlife Rescue will continue feeding the rescued joeys until they are ready for release, maintain its public appeal for formula donations, and monitor the identified window-well locations to prevent future entrapments.

Upworthy