Some internet stars are polished influencers. Others are marsupials who show up at the fence for snacks. Meet Larry, a wild opossum in Georgia whose nightly visits have turned into one of the sweetest viral series online this week, especially after a little girl decided he deserved a bedtime story.
The story was first reported by Yahoo Lifestyle.
“Night 33 with Larry”
Content creator Christine Causey has been documenting her family’s slow, patient effort to earn Larry’s trust in an ongoing video series. The latest installment, titled “Night 33 with Larry,” shows the opossum perched on the family’s fence at night with a snack beside him.
Then comes the part that won everyone over. Causey’s daughter reads him the children’s classic Goodnight Moon, while Larry’s tail curls around her wrist. The clip ends with Larry sitting calmly as Causey pets his head.
“Dinnertime got an upgrade … Larry got a bedtime story tonight,” Causey wrote in her caption. “I think he loved it, and we love tail hugs.” The video has racked up more than 2.1 million views.
The comments section had jokes
Viewers were charmed, and a little jealous. One commenter summed up the mood with a line that quickly became a favorite: “How [did] this dude get a bed time story I can’t even get a good night text.”
Others shared their own opossum stories, with one saying opossums are surprisingly clean animals, and another simply urging the family to “give him lots of love.”
Why opossums keep going viral
Larry is part of a bigger trend. Opossums have enjoyed a full-blown image makeover online in recent years. Once dismissed as creepy backyard scavengers, they now star in memes, plush toys and wildlife videos celebrating their goofy grins, tiny pink hands and dramatic “playing dead” routine.
Part of the appeal is that they defy expectations. They look scruffy, but they are known for grooming themselves. They hiss and drool when frightened, but that display is mostly a bluff, as the City of Long Beach’s Animal Care Services notes. And as North America’s only marsupial, they carry their babies in a pouch, which never stops being surprising.
A gentle reality check
As adorable as Larry is, wildlife experts consistently advise against treating wild opossums as pets. They are wild animals that have not been bred for life with people, and the Yahoo report notes that experts and veterinarians strongly advise against keeping them. Like other wildlife, opossums can carry parasites such as fleas and ticks, so washing your hands after any contact is a smart habit, and anyone bitten by a wild animal should see a doctor.
If an opossum visits your yard, the kindest approach is usually to admire from a distance, secure trash cans and pet food, and let it go about its business. Many people appreciate having them around because they eat insects and other pests.
Why we can’t stop watching
In a week packed with heavy headlines, a video of a child reading Goodnight Moon to a patient opossum is the kind of thing people want to share. It is gentle, a little absurd and completely wholesome. Larry did not ask to be famous. He just wanted a snack, and he ended up with a story and a few million new admirers.
Goodnight, Larry. See you on night 34.
Image: Virginia opossum during daytime by PookieFugglestein via Wikimedia Commons, CC0 1.0
