1. Opossum - Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia Didelphimorphia is the order of common opossums of the Western Hemisphere. opossums probably diverged from the basic South American marsupials in the late http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Opossum

Opossum From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Jump to: navigation search For the Eastern Hemisphere marsupial, see possum Didelphimorphia Fossil range: Late Cretaceous - Recent Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Infraclass: Marsupialia Order: Didelphimorphia Gill Family: Didelphidae Gray Genera Several; see text Didelphimorphia is the order of common opossums of the Western Hemisphere . Opossums probably diverged from the basic South American marsupials in the late Cretaceous or early Paleocene . A sister group is Paucituberculata shrew opossums ). They are commonly also called "possums," though that term is also applied to Australian fauna of the suborder Phalangeriformes . The Virginia Opossum is the original animal named "opossum". The word comes from Algonquian wapathemwa . Colloquially, the Virginia opossum is frequently called simply possum. Their unspecialized biology, flexible diet and reproductive strategy make them successful colonizers and survivors in unsettled times. Originally native to the eastern United States, the Virginia Opossum was intentionally introduced into the west during the Great Depression , probably as a source of food. Its range has been expanding steadily northwards, thanks in part to more plentiful, man-made sources of fresh water, increased shelter due to urban encroachment, and milder winters. Its range has extended into

2. Opossum - Texas Animals Fun facts about opossums, the only living marsupial in North America. http://www.flex.net/~lonestar/opossum.htm

Opossums Photo courtesy of The Opossum Photo Album Fun Facts Nicknamed the living fossil , the opossum dates back to the days of the dinosaur. The opossum is the only living marsupial (mammal with a pouch) in North America today. Weighing in at 9 pounds, the opossum has a white face, a fuzzy grey body, naked ears, and a scaly, prehensile tail. Prehensile means that the tail is adapted for seizing, grasping, and wrapping itself around objects. The common picture of opposums hanging by their tails is, for the most part, a myth. A young oposum may hang briefly by its tail. But an adult opossum's body is far too heavy to be held suspended by its tail. The opossum actually uses its tail to stabilize its body while climbing. Opossums are not related to rats. They are marsupials and are exceptionally clean. Like cats, they are fastidious and groom themselves. Opossums are extremely resistant to disease. They have a strong resistance to rabies and to snake bites, including rattlesnakes. Opossums are sometimes referred to as the sanitation engineers of the forest. They help to keep the environment clean by consuming carion and all kinds of bugs, including roaches. They help gardeners by consuming snails, slugs, and other destructive creatures. They also eat over ripe fruit before it rots and catch and eat rats. In fact, opossums will eat just about anything. Leave a bowl of cat food or dog food out long enough and you'll probably attract a opposum. But you may never see your extra dinner guest: opossums are strictly nocturnal.

3. Opossum Society Of The United States The Opossum Society of the United States is a nonprofit, wildlife rehabilitation and educational organization dedicated to the welfare of the Opossum. http://www.opossumsocietyus.org/

LINKS Found an orphaned or injured opossum? xGeneral Information Frequently Asked Questions (Opossum Problems and Solutions) ... Shop while help opossums! Click on the Image. As development of once rural land increases, the opossum continues to be pushed out of its natural habitat and forced into closer proximity to people, often with injurious consequences to the opossum. This is where the Opossum Society of the United States comes in. The Opossum Society of the United States is a non-profit, wildlife rehabilitation and educational organization dependent entirely upon volunteers, membership dues and donations. Our goals are to: Provide for the care and treatment of injured and orphaned wild opossums for release back into the environment. Educate the public about the misunderstood opossum and the benefits the opossum provides. Network and share knowledge and experiences with fellow wildlife rehabilitators and others in the wildlife health field. We do not condone nor encourage the keeping of opossums as pets.

4. Opossums | The Humane Society Of The United States The opossum (properly, the Virginia opossum—Didelphis virginiana) is the only marsupial found north of Mexico. Marsupials are distinguished by their unique http://www.hsus.org/wildlife/a_closer_look_at_wildlife/opossums.html

Pets Wildlife Wildlife Marine Mammals ... Books Receive action alerts, tips, news and special offers via e-mail. The Humane Society of the United States 2100 L Street, NW Washington, DC 20037 HSUS Wildlife A Closer Look at Wildlife Opossums Didelphis virginiana ) is the only marsupial found north of Mexico. Marsupials are distinguished by their unique mode of reproduction: The young are born in an almost embryonic form and make their way to the pouch in their mother's abdomen, where they are nourished for what in other mammals would be most of the gestational period. Opossums are omnivorous and consume an amazing variety of plant and animal foods. Invertebrates, such as insects, slugs, snails, and worms, can comprise a large part of their diet, and they're not above scavenging carrion. Contrary to popular folklore, opossums very rarely raid garbage cans, poultry coops, or gardens. They are most active at night, and they have a habit of ceaselessly moving along the ground in search of food, without following trails or travel routes to places of known food sources. In fact, adult male opossums may wander continuously. Females spend their lives in more defined areas, but still move around almost randomly. Most opossums seen in yards and neighborhoods are likely to move on without human encouragement or intervention if given enough time. Problems and Solutions Opossums are undoubtedly more beneficial to humans as consumers of undesirable insects, snails, and slugs than they are harmful to people for any damage they cause. If you see an opossum in your yard and wonder what, if anything, you should do, the best reaction is patience. The animal will likely move on in short order and should not be a threat or concern. Where an opossum is known to den under a porch or patio, the eviction strategy is much the same as for skunks (click on "Solving Problems with Skunks" below). While it is unlikely that they'll plunder your garden or trash cans, the most effective methods for discouraging visits by opossums or other urban wildlife are to secure trash containers with tight-fitting lids, secure pet doors at night, and pick up food bowls at night if pets have been fed outdoors.

5. OPOSSUMS opossums are solitary, reclusive animals that often are not understood or appreciated and the result can be traumatic and disastrous for them. http://pleasebekind.com/opossum.html

COMPASSIONATE ACTION INSTITUTE Home About Us Save A Life Adopt ... Cruelty-free Links Kids Corner Things Kids Can Do To Help Kind Kids Club Poster Contest ... Humane Education Children'sBook Bibliography OPOSSUMS Opossums are solitary, reclusive animals that often are not understood or appreciated and the result can be traumatic and disastrous for them. Because they are basically defenseless, despite giving the appearance of being able to defend themselves, they have often been the target of unnecessary cruelty, especially in urban areas. A better knowledge and understanding of opossums and the benefits of having them as neighbors are essential to a peaceful coexistence. Listed below is some opossum information that may not be widely known. Opossums are exceptionally non-aggressive and non-destructive. They will not harm people or pets. However, they are wild animals and should not be handled. A opossum will use its 50 pointy teeth to defend itself if necessary. Opossums do not dig into the soil nor do they destroy property.

6. WDFW -- Living With Wildlife opossums are marsupials (mammals with a pouch in which they carry their young), opossums lived during the time of the dinosaurs and one reason for their http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/living/opossums.htm

Your browser does not support script Figure 1. Opossums measure 2 to 3 feet in length, a third of which is a round, scaly, sparsely haired tail. The head is conical, tapering to a slender, elongated snout tipped by a pink-colored nose. The face is light gray to white, whereas the general color of the fur from neck to rump is grayish white. Because of its body shape, a small opossum is sometimes mistaken for a large rat. (Photo by Kim Chandler.) Opossums Download PDF Print Version Viewing Opossums Playing "Possum" Preventing Conflicts ... Additional Information Prior to European settlement of North America, the Virginia opossum Didelphis virginianus , Fig. 1) was found only in Central America and the southeastern United States. During the 1900s, its range expanded northward and westward.

7. Opossums The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana) is an interesting animal ( Figure 1 ), though it can be a nuisance to man, a detriment to some wildlife, http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/UW026

Whole Document Navigator (Click Here) Top of Document Description Range and Habitat Feeding Reproduction Playing Possum Importance Nuisance Problems Legal Aspects Suggested Reading Endnote Footnotes Opossums Ruthe Smith and Joe Schaefer The Virginia opossum ( Didelphis virginiana ) is an interesting animal ( Figure 1 ), though it can be a nuisance to man, a detriment to some wildlife, and has a name difficult to spell. True, they are not the cutest critters to ever to visit our backyards, but believe it or not, they are closely related to the adorable koala. Description The opossum ranges in size from 4 to 13lb (2 to 6kg), about the size of a house cat. The body is 15 to 20in (37 to 50cm) long, with a tail 9 to 20 in (24 to 50cm) long. Opossums have a cone-shaped head and a pointed snout ( Figure 1 ). Their overall color is graywith slight variations. Opossums have a scaly, rat-like, prehensile tail they use with their opposable thumbs ( Figure 2 ) to grasp small branches and other objects. Opossums also have more teeth (50) than any other North American mammal. Figure 1. The Virginia opossum is the only North American marsupial. Credit: Drawing: Hygnstrom et al., 1994.

8. Raising Orphaned Opossums Explains Care and Feeding of Orphaned Baby opossums. http://www.2ndchance.info/raisepossum.htm

Taking Care of Orphaned Wild Opossums Ron Hines DVM PhD 4/30/06 Furry opossums are quite easy to raise, if given the proper diet and care. Smaller infants are quite a challenge. Try to find a wildlife rehabilitator in your area with experience with very young opossums. Should you decide to attempt to raise the orphan(s) yourself, this is how I do it: Opossums that are cold, dehydrated and nearly dead when you get them often make miraculous recoveries with subcutaneous fluids. Giving fluids intravenously or intraperitoneally is a last ditch effort and is best left to a veterinarian if done at all. Only inject sterile saline (PSS), Ringer's solution or 5% dextrose solution. Consult With Dr. Hines More Articles Home Page Links Please email if you find errors, broken links , have suggestions, or additional information But you can not ask your personal pet questions through this link. Threads: Ms. G. Ok...I found a baby possum on its dead mother, no one will help me not even my vet b/c its a wild animal....I have had it since last sat, and have done everything, kept warm, gave pedialyte to rehydrate, I am feedin esiblac goats milk and apple sauce, he eats very well, but he has crispy ear I have been giving him a lil Baytril and it seems like it is getting better but now I think he has Bloat...I have put him in warm water...and everything I can think of....I dont know what to do..I really want to help him...what can i do i rub his belly and I am just at a loss and I know if I don't get him going soon he will die...i got a small drop to come out this morning and last night but that is it...his lil tummy is very tight....Please Help...thank you very much...

9. Possum Page This means relatives of the opossum in your backyard roamed the Earth with opossums are covered with short silvery fur interspersed with longer course http://www.bio.umass.edu/biology/conn.river/opossum.html

The Virginia Opossum, Didelphis virginiana One of the most unusual mammals that can be encountered along the river is Didelphis virginiana , the Virginia opossum (sometimes called the American opossum). This is North America's only representative of the order Marsupialia, the marsupial mammals, so called because of the external abdominal pouch called the marsupium within which the young develop. These are ancient animals with fossil remains known from 70 million years ago. This means relatives of the opossum in your backyard roamed the Earth with the great dinosaurs! Today Marsupials mainly occur in Australia (kangaroos, wallabies, etc.), and many people don't realize that we have a marsupial mammal here in New England, the shy and unassuming 'possum. Opossums are covered with short silvery fur interspersed with longer course white-tipped hairs. Each foot has five toes equipped with a sharp claw except for the inner toe of the hind foot which has no claw and is opposable like the human thumb. This greatly aids the animal in climbing trees, a major part of its lot in life. The tail is bare and prehensile, allowing the possum to stabilize itself in the tree branches, though they do not swing from their tails like monkeys. Generally shy and slow moving, the opossum relies on stealth and a nocturnal lifestyle to avoid danger. When an opossum does find itself in danger it is not (quite) defenseless, as we'll see in a moment. Opossums have large mouths which contain a number of sharp jagged teeth.

10. Opossums At first you may think you re seeing a superhuge rat, but it s none other than the opossum, sometimes known as the Virginia Opossum, Didelphis virginiana. http://www.backyardnature.net/opossums.htm

Photo courtesy of Orlando Animal Rescue I f you live anyplace in the U.S. other than the far north or the western states' mountain or plateau region, and if you're in a small town or even a big one with some scattered natural or semi-natural areas, there's a fair chance that eventually a gray, cat-sized, long-haired, long-snoutted, long-tailed animal will lumber across your backyard, or poke its pink nose at you over the edge of a garbage can. At first you may think you're seeing a super-huge rat, but it's none other than the opossum, sometimes known as the Virginia Opossum, Didelphis virginiana. Elsewhere we've spoken of those "living fossils," the Duck-billed Platypus and Spiny Anteater of Australia and New Zealand. Here in America our opossum is nearly as curious despite its being fairly common. OPOSSUMS ARE MARSUPIALS If you open just about any field guide to North American mammals, the opossum will probably be the very first of the 380 or so mammal species described. That's because opossums are our only marsupial , and marsupials are considered very ancient forms of mammals. Field guides typically place the "primitive" organisms first. The vast majority of the world's marsupials occur mainly in Australia, where kangaroos are the best known of the group.

11. Short Tailed Opossums As Pets Introdutction to keeping short tailed opossums as pets. http://exoticpets.about.com/cs/opossums/a/shorttailopp.htm

zGCID=" test0" zGCID+=" test4" zJs=10 zJs=11 zJs=12 zJs=13 zc(5,'jsc',zJs,9999999,'') zDO=0 You are here: About Exotic Pets More Exotic Pets Opossums Short Tailed Opossums as Pets Exotic Pets Exotic Pets Essentials Pet Pictures - Photo Gallery ... Submit to Digg Suggested Reading Exotic Pets A to Z Choosing an Exotic Pet How to Check if a Pet is Legal Where You Live Elsewhere on the Web Know Your STO Most Popular Hamsters as Pets Snakes as Pets Red Eared Sliders Aquatic Turtles as Pets ... Exotic Pets A to Z Short Tailed Opossums From Lianne McLeod, DVM Your Guide to Exotic Pets FREE Newsletter. Sign Up Now! Introduction to Keeping a Pet Short Tailed Opossum Short tailed opossums are growing in popularity as an exotic pet. They are small, generally friendly creatures which have good pet potential. They are certainly cute enough! Short tailed opossums ( Monodelphis domestica ) are from South America, and are 4-6 inches long (body only; their tail is almost as long as the body) with thick grey-brown fur. The tail is prehensile, meaning it can wrap around and hold onto things, and hairless. They are marsupials, although they do not have a pouch like most marsupials. However, their young are born quite premature and helpless, latch on to a nipple on their mother's abdomen, and stay there until they are further developed, like other marsupials. In the wild they will eat insects, spiders, and rodents. For this reason they are actually welcome house guests in their native countries. They are easily handled if tame from a young age, but should be kept as solitary pets because of their tendency to fight with other opossums. They are nocturnal so will be most active at night, although if they do awake they will be social during the day.

12. FWC - Critter Questions - Opossum opossum.jpg (15526 bytes) Florida s only marsupial is the Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana). opossums are about the size of a house cat, http://floridaconservation.org/critters/opossum.asp

13. Know Your STO Shorttailed opossum pet care guides, tips, articles, breeders, laws and care sheets. I have spent the last 7+ years caring for these opossums, http://www.knowyoursto.com/

Know Your STO Short-Tailed Opossums Keeping and Caring for These Pets By Molly Kalafut Welcome! This is the place for information about the Brazilian gray short-tailed opossum ( Monodelphis domestica ). This website is designed to help potential pet owners, current pet owners, exotic pet rescues or animal shelters, veterinarians caring for STO...and anyone interested in keeping their short-tailed opossum happy and healthy! I have spent the last 7+ years caring for these opossums, researching and writing a book on their care, and maintaining a mailing list (with 250+ members) for owners, breeders and potential owners. About Gray Short-Tailed Opossums Gray short-tailed opossums (STO) are a small, solitary, exotic marsupial gaining popularity as a "pocket pet". They are from Brazil, Bolivia, Paraguay and northern Argentina. They were originally brought to the USA from Brazil in 1978 and have been bred for the pet trade since 1994. When full grown they reach about the size of a large gerbil or hamster and have a lifespan of about 4 years in captivity. They live by themselves in the wild and should be kept singly as pets. They are known by several different names, including "Brazilian short-tailed opossum", "South American Short Tail opossum", "Rainforest opossum", "Brazilian opossum" and "Laboratory opossum". Incorrect names include "Pygmy Opossum" and "Dwarf Opossum", and many websites incorrectly spell their name as 'possum', 'opposum' or 'oppossum'.

14. Florida Opossum Removal - How To Get Rid Of Opossums Possum Possums Orlando Florida Opossum Removal How To Get Rid Of opossums Possum Possums. http://www.aaanimalcontrol.com/opossum.htm

Services Prices FAQ Links ... Home Orlando Florida Opossum Removal Don't live in Orlando? Click here for a nationwide list of opossum trappers! Opossum Info: Opossums are the only North American marsupials. The females of this group typically have a pouch on the belly where the young are carried and nourished for a time after their birth. Opossums are 2-3 feet long including the tail, and weigh 8-14 pounds as adults. They live in a variety of habitats. They are famous for their prehensile tail, which they use for balance and grasping, and can occasionally hang from. They are also known for "playing possum", a defense tactic of mimicking death when frightened. The are nocturnal animals. Opossums are omnivores, and will eat almost anything, including insects, snails, rodents, berries, fruit, grasses, leaves, carrion, pet food, and garbage. They prefer meat to vegetables. Nuisance concerns: Opossums are prolific, and need places to live. Oftentimes human structures, such as the undersides of porches and sheds provide ideal habitat. Opossums can raid garbage cans and steal pet food. They can also carry parasites and rabies, although rabies incidents are less frequent than in other animals, such as raccoons. I often encounter opossums living in attics, where they make a terrible mess and a lot of noise. Opossums are also the most common dead animal that I deal with, because they don't live long in the wild, and tend to die under homes and in attics. Click here for my opossum photo gallery.

15. The Opossum Page - Caring For Orphaned Opossums Finally, by chance, they ran into The National Opossum Society web site where they got a special diet to help us get better. http://theopossumpage.com/

Merry Christmas to Possums and Possum Lovers Everywhere A word from Theo Possum: Hi there! My name is Theo Possum. Get it? Theo Possum... The oPossum... the Opossum... Oh well, never mind, it's a dumb name anyway. Stupid humans and their cute pet names... Anyway, as far as I can tell, I am the only possum on earth with his own 'dot com'. But I'm not here to talk about the internet, I'm here to talk about me. And did I mention that my name is Theo Possum? My story starts the night dear old Mom walked out in front of a pickup truck. Even though Mom was not looking very good and was feeling kind of run down (pun intended), my two sisters and three brothers and I were all safe and cozy in her pouch. We were adopted by well meaning human types who wanted to save us from certain death. They gave us a nice cardboard pouch with soft fuzzy towels and a hot water bottle to keep us warm. Every three hours they would wake us up and feed us a warm formula of soy milk and 2% milk out of an eyedropper. Why soy milk and 2% milk, you ask? Who knows? As we grew, our humans fed us all kinds of things that they thought possums liked to eat. We were given grapes, apples, earthworms, cicadas, balogna, baby food, cheese, hamburger, turkey, gravy and other things I still can't name. We were happy, hungry and growing. Our humans were very pleased at saving us from inevitable doom.

16. Opossum Species The Virginia opossum is a unique creature, as it is North America s only marsupial, and is related to kangaroos and koalas. After a brief gestation of a http://www.arcwildlife.org/opossums.htm

Home About us Members Links ... Merchandise Found Wild Opossums? If you find injured or orphaned wildlife: Call ARC for instructions or read the information provided in this site. If it is determined the animal needs assistance, then: Pick up the animal gently with gloves on; Place animal in a small box with soft cloth on the bottom. Secure lid and create ventilation. Place a heating pad set on "low" half way UNDER the box, or a plastic bottle filled with hot water and wrapped in a cloth IN the box; Place the box in a quiet, dark room. DO NOT give food or water. The Virginia opossum is a unique creature, as it is North America's only marsupial, and is related to kangaroos and koalas. After a brief gestation of a mere 12-13 days, the tiny undeveloped young (weighing only about a tenth of a gram and the size of a lima bean) crawl from the birth canal and find their way into the mother's pouch, a fur-lined cavity on the outside of her abdomen. Once inside the pouch, the babies each fasten to a nipple, which expand to "lock" the little ones in place.

17. Using A Crossbow To Kill Opossums Is Not Legal In City Mar 3, 2008 My neighbor has purchased a crossbow with the intent of killing opossums in his backyard. And he plans to drag them to the curb so the city http://www.statesman.com/life/content/life/stories/other/03/03/0303peter.html

var cxType = ""; document.domain="statesman.com"; News Entertainment Shopping Jobs ... Subscribe to the Type Size: S M L More about: RSS Wireless Search Site Web Yellow Pages Archive Register Now Log In News Local ... Classifieds Life Life Travel Style Raising Austin ... CLOSE Jenni Girtman ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION (enlarge photo) Firing a crossbow at backyard opossums poses a threat to misidentified pets. MORE INSIDE LIFE Anders Meanders: The Wednesday deal: A week in Nova Scotia Comments (0) Life Guide: Getting married in Austin? Let us hear from you Comments (18) Design Notebook: Eco-challenge check-in Comments (2) A peek inside two of Austin's more creative work spaces All dressed up and ready to go see "Sex and the City" ... Style Calendar fnInformRArticles(3) MOST E-MAILED STORIES Entrepreneur charged with having sex with 8-year-old More illegal immigrants are being charged criminally in Austin Austin firefighter fired for delaying emergency response to get food Police identify wreck pedestrian killed in collision ... Former Bush spokesman releases highly critical book var clickSummary = 'My neighbor has purchased a crossbow with the intent of killing opossums in his backyard. And he plans to drag them to the curb so the city will pick them up. Is this legal? I live within the city limits. He told me this just in case one of the poor opossums that has an arrow in its body falls into my yard. I have a small dog that goes out in the backyard periodically after dark. I don't want one of his arrows accidentally hitting my dog. There are also a lot of cats that roam at night. Can the city do anything about this? Whom can I call? - A.R.';

18. The Lord Geekington: Swimming Opossums Even less widely known than the yapok is the thicktailed opossum (Lutreolina crassicaudata), also said to be quite competent in the water. http://cameronmccormick.blogspot.com/2007/11/swimming-opossums.html

skip to main skip to sidebar Wednesday, November 7, 2007 Swimming Opossums Let's start off with a mystery: In a 1999 field report by Angel Moran For s (readable: here ) he claimed to have found and photographed a strange aquatic animal in Macas, Ecuador. He said it had white fur with brownish spots, was 35-40 cm long with no tail, had webbed fore and hind-feet, no pouch, and a proboscis. The specimen was never sold, so all we have to go on is a photograph and that description: "Mystery Animal" photograph by Angel Morant For©s. And now to make things interesting, here is a photograph of a Water Opossum or Yapok: Taken from Wikipedia While living yapoks seem to have much darker fur (see here ) for some reason either preservation makes the fur lighter or there is a light colored morph. Either way, both specimens have the same striking bodily coloration pattern (down to the barely visible dorsal stripe), which For©s did not mention. The size would be a little large, unless the legs were counted; but the main problem is with the weird anatomical features. Yapoks do have pouches (rear-opening, so maybe it was missed?) and tails and also lack webbed fore-feet and a proboscis. I for one can't see a proboscis in that picture, but I'll take the author's word for it. While new species are being discovered at a fairly impressive rate in this region of the world, I think this is more likely a poor case of taxidermy than anything. Of course with many things of a cryptozoological nature, this one doesn't appear to be wholly resolvable any time soon.

19. Opossums opossums can be found almost all the way across America. They are about the size of a cat, and they shelter in hollows, under fallen trees and logs, http://www.gotpetsonline.com/pictures/gallery/small-animals/all-by-photo/opossum

Pictures Small Animals All by Photo Opossums You can buy these pet pictures for as little as $1.99. Check the classifieds ads concerning Opossums for sale. Sign-up free at ebay and find low-cost pet supplies for dogs, cats, birds and more. Opossum Opossum Opossum Opossum Opossum Opossums can be found almost all the way across America. They are about the size of a cat, and they shelter in hollows, under fallen trees and logs, and sometimes they take up residence in attics, cellars, garages and so forth. They feed on carrion, leaves, garbage, and tree bark. Opossums are vulnerable to attacks by dogs, cats, owls, foxes, and, if threatened, they feign death or illness. Add YOUR pet to our Picture Gallery! Add Your Pet Pictures Advertise Contact Us ... Site Map This page was last modified 04:15, 27 May 2008.

20. Opossums And Other Pets At WillasArk.com Resources for taking care of an opossum or what do to do if you find an orphaned opossum. Tips and Q A forum. Shop our store and help opossumss. http://www.willasark.com/opossum.cfm

Opossum Care at Home Cats Dogs Buns ... Contact Us Click here to learn more about opossums and the National Opossum Society! National Opossum Society To learn more about opossums, check out this book: Opossums : Naturebooks Series Did You Know? Opossums Eat: Roof Rats Snails Cockroaches Welcome to the opossum care page of Willa's Ark. Opossums are the only marsupial which lives in North America, a mammal which gives birth to her young at the embryonic stage. The babies find their way to a small pouch where they mature, like a kangaroo. They have opposable thumbs on their hind legs, and a prehensile tail to help them climb and keep their balance. And no, they do NOT hang by their tails! They have existed on this earth for 70 million years. Opossums roamed the earth during the Jurassic period, along with the tyrannosaurus rex. After 70 million years, opossums have undergone very little evolutionary changes. They are essentially immune to rabies, more than any other mammal. Opossums are very useful animals to have in your neighborhood. They love to eat snails, slugs, and insects such as cockroaches and beetles, and even catch and eat roof rats. Opossums also like to eat carrion, helping to maintain a clean and healthy environment. They are very smart, ranking above dogs in IQ, and closer to pigs. Opossums have verymean and intimidating teeth, but their main method of defense is to appear that they are scary. If they are cornered to the point where they think they cannot get away, they will "play dead".

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