Opossums

(click the picture for a closer view)

Female Opossums have litters up to three times a year. Babies, typically 5 to 8 in a litter are ready to leave mom's pouch and walk around out on their own by 4 months of age. When they are 7 to 9 inches, nose to rear, and weigh about 10 to 16 ounces, they might still be following their mother. Most Opossums in rehabilitation are released when they are 9 to 11 inches nose to rear, (not counting the tail), and weigh about 1 to 1 & 1/2 pounds.

When you see a dead opossum on the road, take a minute to stop and remove it. Another animal may come by to inspect the dead opossum. You can prevent that animal from meeting it's death in traffic. More importantly, the dead animal may have been carrying young. Babies are carried in the mothers pouch, and they often survive impact with a vehicle. Check the pouch for survivors, and contact a rehabilitator immediately if you do find living young.

Opossums in Rehabilitation

  Only a mother (or a rehaber) could love such a face.

Opossums have been around for a very, very long time. (Over 70 million years ). This means they were around when the Dinosaurs were here. It is the only native American marsupial.

Their intelligence level has been found to be above that of dogs, more on the order of pigs.

Always on the move, their diet consists mainly of insects, snails, slugs, carrion, and any other delights they may find. They will eat other "road kill" as well as cat food, dog food and people food.

When attacked, an opossum will "play dead" to confuse it's attacker, although this tactic doesn't seem to work when confronting an automobile!