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Category: Possum

Ever wonder how fast an opossum can run or how many teeth it has?  Keep reading for answers to these and more interesting facts about the opossum.

  • Opossums are the only marsupials in North America.
  • Opossums are doing very well in North America compared to other marsupials on other continents that have been driven to extinction by more modern mammals.
  • Opossums are smart animals. Results from some learning and discrimination tests rank opossums above dogs in intelligence.
  • Opossums do not hibernate in the winter and they do not store food.  They forage year-round.
  • The opossums of North America are different from the "possum" of Austrailia.
  • While not related to the possum of Australia, the male opossum is called a "Jack", the female a "Jill", young are called "Joeys" and a group of opossums are called "Passel".
  • Opossum's are highly resistant to rabies.
  • Opossums do not hibernate.  They stay awake and forage all winter long.
  • Opossums are immune to the venom of both the rattle snake and cottonmouth snake.
  • Every see a cross eyed opossum?  That could mean that he hasn't missed any meals.  This marsupial gains weight at the base of their tail and the whites of their eyes. The extra fat in the eyes pushes them closer to their snout.
  • Opossums have 50 teeth! 
  • Because of their affinity to eat almost everything, including things other animals will not, opossums have been coined by some as Nature's Sanitation Engineer.
  • The term "Playing Possum" comes from one of the animal's main defense against predators-pretending to be deceased. This is actually a nervous/shock reaction where the animal lays on its side, its heart rate slows and its tongue hangs out of its mouth.
  • Infant opossums are so small at birth that you could fit 20 newborns into one (1) teaspoon.
  • Opossums give birth to seven (7) to nine (9) babies only 12 -13 days after copulation.
  • Opossum babies are dependent upon the mother for about 100 days after being born.
  • Opossums have a very short life span. Most only live 18 months to two (2) years.
  • Opossums are not very social adept.  Males will fight each other if they are confided together.
  • The population density of opossums in the wild is small with only about one (1) animal per ten (10) acres.
  • Opossums are very clean!  Despite what some people believe opossums spend most of their time grooming themselves, much like the domestic cat.  They have even been known to interrupt eating to wash their fur!
  • Opossums are so used to being around people they have been known to enter homes through pet door looking for food.
  • Opossums are slow movers and have a top running speed of only about 4-7 miles per hour.