Opossum

Didelphis virginiana

What They Look Like

An opossum is the size of a large house cat, normally 26-33 inches long and 4.4-12.1 lbs.  Its fur is grayish white and scraggly looking and their ears and tail are naked.  Because of this lack of protection on the ears and tail they commonly lose parts of them to frostbite in the winter.

Where They Live

The opossum was originally a southern species but has been moving north and is now very common throughout Michigan.  They live in deciduous woodlands, normally near a stream or lake and sleep in an abandoned wood chuck burrow.  Sometimes they will also sleep in a hollow tree or brush pile and they wander often, changing dens every few days.

What They Eat

This mammal is a true omnivore eating whatever they can get their paws on.  The list includes worms, insects, bird eggs, small mammals, nestling birds, amphibians, snakes, fruits, nuts, seeds, mushrooms, and it will scavenge whatever is available.

Things to Know

The opossum is partially arboreal, which means that they spend a part of their time in trees.  To help them climb they have what no other mammal in North America has, a prehensile tail.  They are also the only marsupial in North America.  Marsupials keep their babies in their pouch like a kangaroo.  Twenty newborn opossums can fit into a teaspoon and weight less than a penny!  Even though they can only nurse 13 babies at once because they have 13 teats an opossum can have up to 23 babies at a time and they will stay in their mothers pouch for two months and then ride on her back for another month, until they are big enough to be on their own.  They are also immune to rattlesnake venom!

Why We Have One

MUCC has two opossum in our education program.  Our male Opossum joined the program in July of 2003 and the female in June 2005.  Both were found orphaned and raised by people so they cannot be returned to the wild.