Measuring about 2.5 feet in length, it is about the size of a house cat. Also, make sure that there is always an available source of water so that your opossum doesnt become dehydrated. The opossum grows to about the size of a large cat, with an adult weighing around 4-6 kgs (8.8-13.2 lbs) and usually about 76 cm (2.5 feet76 centimeters) in length. The catatonic state can last for up to four hours, and has proven effective as a deterrent to predators looking for a hot meal. Opossums are often seen with the tips of their ears and tails missing due to frostbite, as these do not have fur. However, in the wild, opossums have a much lower life expectancy and do not commonly make it past their first year. In addition, opossums are expert climbers, and spend much time up in the trees. Opossums are born after an 11-13 day gestation period. If the opossum continuously receives exceptional care and appropriate types of food, opossums could live for more than five or six years, although this is rare. Once they have claimed the den, they fill it with grass and dried leaves. Melissa Bialowas has taught preschool through high school for over 20 years. It could take some time for an opossum to become trustworthy and dependent on a human source for food and resources. Live Weird, Die Young: The Virginia Opossum | The Outside Story Opossums can die under houses for many reasons. According to the National Wildlife Federation, in each tick season, a single possum eats roughly 5000 parasites. Life span. They may build their nest in your chimney, crawl space, and attic when looking for a den site in your house. Taurine and other supplements such as calcium are important for opossums. It contains more teeth than any other mammal in North America. Explore the characteristics of North America's only marsupial. Even after the joeys can leave the pouch, the devoted mother will still tote them about on her back while she hunts and scavenges for food. This wild animal has powerful claws and prehensile tails that makes it a strong climber and helps it grasp branches. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. The oldest opossum captured in the wild was only three years old. orangutan With a weight between 1 and 5 kg, it is hardly larger than a cat. Penguin Underground dens:They are not very keen diggers like rabbits, groundhogs, or badgers, but they live in underground dens and burrows. The opossum is found in North America, South America, Australia, and Oceania. By six weeks old, the opossum develops whiskers and hair. They eat fruits, leaves, reptiles, flowers, birds, insects, and even small mammals. For males, the age of maturity occurs at 8 months. This information sheet reviews natural history, conservation status, and taxonomy, as well as a number of clinically relevant information including (but not limited to) diet, housing, behavior, normal physiologic data and . When threatened, opossums run, growl, belch, hiss, urinate, and defecate. The opossum also has opposable thumbs on its hind feet for holding onto branches. While females can go unnoticed, the male stands out and gets eaten by predators. A single opossum can eat about 5,000 ticks per year, protecting other wildlife (and humans) from tick-borne diseases like Lyme disease. The marsupial, who is at least seventy million years old, has remained unchanged and maintains the same genetics. Opossums are classified as marsupials, which are mammals that carry and nurse their young in pouches. The temperature of the enclosure should be kept at 70 to 80 degrees Fahrenheit. Its generally a good idea to feed an opossum at least three times per day. All will go through the cycle: embryo, juvenile, independent, adult, death. Opossums prefer to sleep alone. Some possums may live for longer or shorter periods of time than the average lifespan, depending on their specific circumstances. Thank you for reading! This keeps our pets happy and healthy. An Opossum's Lifespan - How Old Do Opossums Get? - Floofmania In the absence of predation, island opossums have been subjected to natural selection, resulting in a group with a longer lifespan. They roll over, become stiff, close their eyes (or stare off into space) and bare their teeth as saliva foams around the mouth and exude a foul-smelling fluid. The Virginia opossum (Didelphis virginiana), also known as the North American opossum, is the only opossum living north of Mexico, its range extending south into Central America.It is the northernmost marsupial in the world. I feel like its a lifeline. They also hunt snails, mice, beetles, and other harmful insets- providing a type of pest control.Their urban-dwelling den is found in garages, porches, firewood piles, inside sheds, and underneath houses. As a result, possums in captivity can live for longer periods of time than those in the wild.
opossum life expectancy in captivity
