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- They're Not Aggressive. Even when confronted with a predator, they will use the infamous "playing possum" technique to appear dead and avoid an actual brawl.
- They Rarely Have Rabies. Unlike most other wild animals, possums are nearly completely immune to contracting rabies or passing it along. According to Dr. Karen Becker, this is due to their natural body temperature being too low to maintain hosting the virus.
- They Kill Thousands Of Ticks. According to stats reported by the National Wildlife Federation, a single possum can potentially eliminate 4,000 ticks in one week thanks to their extreme self-grooming methods (either crushing or consuming the ticks burrowing in their fur).
- They Won't Destroy Your Lawn Or Property. Unlike other nocturnal animals creeping around neighborhoods, possums won't destroy your lawn or property, and they don't spray like skunks.
Opossums ( / əˈpɒsəm /) are members of the marsupial order Didelphimorphia ( / daɪˌdɛlfɪˈmɔːrfiə /) endemic to the Americas. The largest order of marsupials in the Western Hemisphere, it comprises 126 species in 18 genera.
- Description of The Possum
- Interesting Facts About The Possum
- Habitat of The Possum
- Distribution of The Possum
- Diet of The Possum
- Possum and Human Interaction
- Possum Care
- Behavior of The Possum
- Reproduction of The Possum
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These creatures vary in size and appearance, but generally have the same body shape. They walk on all four legs, have long tails, and usually live fully or partially in trees. Possums vary in size, from positively tiny to the size of a large cat. The Tasmanian pygmy is the smallest species at just under 3 inches long. Conversely, bear cuscusare the...
Throughout their range you can find a wide variety of different Possum species. Learn more about some individual species and their traits below. 1. Sugar Glider – This little creature is one of the most popular species of Possums in the world. In fact, you can find sugar glidersin households worldwide! This species, along with its other “glider” re...
With such a variety of species, habitat preference varies drastically. Most of these creatures live in trees, so their habitats must have some amount of mature vegetation. Some of the different habitat types that these marsupials occupy include woodland, shrubland, forest, rainforest, mangrove, eucalyptus forest, and more. They inhabit arid, semi-a...
Different Possum species have different ranges and distributions. Some species live across wide regions, while others inhabit only a small area or a few islands. Naturally, the various species inhabit Australia, Sulawesi, and New Guinea. Humans have introduced some species into China and New Zealand.
Possums are usually herbivorous or omnivorous, which means they only eat plants, or they eat both plants and small animals. Some species specialize on specific types of plants or foods while others eat just about anything. Their various diets include insects, invertebrates, leaves, buds, fruits, berries, seeds, nuts, nectar, flowers, and more.
Human interaction impacts different species of these marsupials in different fashions. Some species live across wide ranges and human interaction does not impact them adversely. Other species actually prefer living in close proximity to humans and inhabit gardens, parks, and farms. Unfortunately, many different Possum species suffer from human inte...
Zoos do keep some species of Possums, but not all. Their care needs vary drastically from species to species, particularly their diets. Some feed primarily on insects, others plants, and others a mixture of the two. Veterinarians choose the best diet based on the species at hand. Most Possums live in large enclosures with lots of trees, branches, s...
Each and every species of Possum is slightly different from the next. However, most species are primarily nocturnal, or most active at night. They usually sleep during the day in the branches, a tree hollow, rocky cave, or other similar area. At night, these marsupials emerge to search for food. Possums are also generally arboreal, which means that...
The reproductive strategies of these creatures vary drastically from one species to the next. Despite this, all species are marsupialsand carry their young in a pouch. Most have a gestation period that lasts about two or three weeks. At birth, the joeys climb to their mother’s pouches. The amount of time it takes for the joeys to reach independence...
Learn about the Possum, a group of marsupials that live in Australia, Sulawesi, and New Guinea. Find out about their description, behavior, reproduction, and different species, such as the sugar glider and the feathertail glider.
Learn about the opossum, a marsupial native to North and South America, and not related to the possum of Australia. Find out about its features, behavior, diet, reproduction, and human interaction.
- Michele Debczak
- Opossums and possums aren’t the same animal. In North America, opossum and possum describe the same animal, but in Australia the word possum refers to a completely different order of organisms.
- They’re the only marsupials found north of Mexico. Marsupials—mammals that carry and nurse their young in pouches—are absent from much of the world, and in Canada and the United States, the Virginia opossum (Didelphia virginiana) is the sole representative of the group.
- They can’t choose when they “play dead.” Perhaps the most famous characteristic of the opossum is its tendency to play dead in front of predators. When the animal experiences intense fear in the face of danger, it seizes up and flops to the ground where it can remain for hours staring blankly ahead and sticking out its tongue.
- An offensive odor helps sell the performance even more. A picture of a possum playing dead doesn’t really do it justice. To get the full experience, you need to be standing over to it to smell the putrid odor it emits when pretending to be a corpse.
Learn how opossums, also known as possums, are misunderstood and helpful urban animals that eat carcasses, ticks and pests. They are immune to snake venom, digest anything and fall unconscious when threatened.
Learn about opossums, the only marsupials native to North and South America. Find out how they look, eat, breed, and defend themselves from predators and poisons.
