Opossum-White Dog Facts

Opossum-White Dog Facts

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1. Opossums are often mistaken for rats. They are not rodents, they are marsupials so they are related to the kangaroo.

2. The opossum is North America’s only known marsupial (that is, the female has a pouch in which she carries her young).  The opossum has gray to black fur, black eyes and ears, pink feet, a pink pointed nose, and a long scaly, rat-like tail.  It grows to the size of a cat, weighing 4-15 pounds.

3. Opossums prefer to live in wooded areas, but they will live any place where they can find food, water and shelter.  This includes areas under houses and decks, and in sheds, garages, woodpiles and chimneys.

4. The opossum’s usual diet is helpful to humans because it includes insects, snails, slugs, rodents and fallen berries.  However, opossums will also eat garbage, birdseed, pet food, and food from your garden.

5. The opossum comes out at night.  It is shy, slow moving and when frightened will hiss and growl, showing its sharp front teeth.

6. Opossums lived during the Age of the Dinosaurs...fossil remains have been found from 70 million years ago! This means that the opossum is part of the Earth's oldest surviving mammal family.

7. The opossum doesn't have a permanent "nest" because it is nocturnal and transient.  It will spend and average of 2-3 days in the same hideout, then move on.  Some weeks later it may return to your place, depending on your hospitality.

8. Opossums have soft, rounded opposable thumbs with no fingernails, on their hind feet. 

9. Opossums do not dig holes, as their paws are very soft and tender, much like a human hand.

10. Opossums may drool, growl and show their 50 teeth when frightened, but in reality are placid and prefer to avoid any confrontation.

11. They are slow-moving with very sensitive hearing and smell, opossums are not territorial and will adapt to any environment where food, water and shelter exist.

12. Opossums do not hand by their tails-the tail stabilizes their position while climbing and walking.

13. Besides their natural predators in the wild, humans, cars and cats are the demise for this docile creature.  Very few survive to adulthood, and usually live only 1-2 years if they do.

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Playing Possum

14. "Playing Possum" is one of the most effective ways the opossums defends itself.  When unable to flee, extreme fear places the opossum into an involuntary coma.  They become stiff and their mouths will gape open.  This condition will last 40 minutes to 4 hours.  Most predators will abandon their attack, once the opossum is thought to be dead.

15. Opossums cannot jump.  An opossum may get into a trash can only if it has been knocked over by another animal, or if it's against a fence and the opossum drops into it, which can trap the opossum in the trash can.  Just tip the can over and eventually the opossum will scramble away.

16. Opossum fur coloring is most commonly gray, but can range from white and cinnamon to black.

17. Baby opossums are usually born between the months of February and June.

18. Opossums may bear up to 14 young and when they are born the entire litter can fit onto a teaspoon.Like other marsupials, the blind, helpless young develop in a pouch. They are born 13 days after mating.

19. One reason that opossums can be so abundant in some areas is that they eat almost anything. Being omnivorous they eat insects, snails, rodents, berries, fruit, grasses, leaves, carrion, snakes, bird and waterfowl eggs, corn and all other vegetables.

20. Another reason is their adaptability. They can live wherever water, food, and shelter exist. At home in trees, opossums use their prehensile tails to help stabilize themselves when climbing. They do not customarily hang by their tails as some folklore suggests. 

21. The word opossum was first used by John Smith in the early 1600’s. It is derived from the Algonquian word “wapathemwa” or “apasum” meaning “white animal","white dog" or "white beast/animal". Possums are arboreal marsupials native to Australia and are named after Virginia opossums.