It prowls along the ground or climbs trees. These scary-looking creatures are unfortunately misunderstood. This behavior has given rise to the expression ‘playing possum.’ Opossum Facts. They sleep during the day in a den in a hollow tree or in an abandoned rodent burrow. The Virginia Opossum was the first animal to be named an opossum: the word comes from the Algonquian language, and means "white beast". They can stay zoned out for hours, emitting a … Interesting Opossum Facts: Opossums usually have 15-20 inches in length and weigh between 4-12 pounds. Opossums Kill Ticks by the Thousands Opossums are voracious eaters that will try anything they find, something you know quite well if you’ve ever found one pawing through your garbage bins. Fun Facts. Opossums have a pointy face, beady black eyes, round black ears, and a stout body. Like raccoons, they eat almost anything, including fruit, nuts, insects, frogs, lizards, eggs and plants. They will not harm people or pets. A threatened Virginia opossum typically reacts to danger by baring its teeth and growling, but under extreme stress it may fall into an involuntary coma-like state. .. Opossums have a natural resistance to rabies and botulism, so they aren’t likely to spread these diseases. Most opossums live in forests of Central and South America. Then they ride on their mom’s back for another month. 1-5 Opossum Facts 1. They like areas with rivers or streams nearby. The Virginia opossum has more teeth than any other North American Mammal - 50, to be exact. Apr 3, 2017 - Opossums and Other Cute Critters. Published September 30, 2019. A Brushtail Possum … The Virginia, or common, opossum is the only marsupial found in North America. This means it can grip branches. Babies hide in their mother’s pouch for two months. Opossums have five toes on each foot and a tail with no fur. Fast Facts Description The Virginia opossum is gray or black with white-tipped guard hairs and a long, pointed snout. Opossums are great at reducing the tick population in a given area. Captain John Smith, an English explorer, is credited with naming the opossum during his visit to the … Opossums are nocturnal. Opossum Facts: 1. The word Answer: For more than 70 million years. Commonly known as "possums", these pests are the only marsupial native to the United States. Adult opossums weigh about 2-6 kg (4-14 lbs). Opossums can hang upside down by their tails for a little while, but they can’t sleep this way. They also eat human food, table scraps, dog food and cat food. They are light gray in color and basically look like big rats. The babies are the size of a small bean. The species’ behavior gave rise to the phrase ‘playing possum’. They use their sharp claws, tails and mouth to climb trees. An opossum is about the size of a house cat.It has grizzled white and gray fur. They are sometimes called possums. See more ideas about opossum, critter, possum. Well, opossums are like that with their memories. During the day, they hide in old tree stumps or burrows. Babies immediately crawl into the mother's pouch, where they continue to develop. (2020). They are closely related to the Kangaroo and Koala. Fun Facts about Opossums for Kids When scared, opossums hiss, belch, or even pee or poop. They’ll even eat garbage and dead animals. Facts About Nocturnal Animals: Lesson for Kids 2:49 Hibernation Lesson for Kids: Definition & Facts 3:51 Parts of a Horse: Lesson for Kids Mark their home ranges. The scientific Latin names are different. Both will use their tails for carrying nesting materials such as bunches of grass by looping their tails around them. Facts about Opossum We Missed. Opossums have five toes on each foot and a tail with no fur. Fun Opossums Facts for Kids ." Opossum baby information - Once the little cuties have been born, they will crawl into a pouch that the mother has on her front, much in the same way as a kangaroo, (hence the marsupial name) and stay there until it has been weaned, which can take around two months, sometimes a little more, sometimes a little less. They have long tails and pointy noses. Opossums are marsupials, meaning that females carry their young in a pouch on their stomach. Scientists estimate that a single opossum can kill about 5,000 ticks in a single season. If you thought their gestation period was short, well so is their childhood! The possum is an Australasian marsupial which was later introduced to China and New Zealand.There are about 69 species alive today.. Possums are members of the Phalangeriformes.This is a suborder of the Diprotodonts, a large order which includes the kangaroos and its relatives.. Possums are native to Australia and are protected there. When they think they are in danger, Opossums will play dead AKA "playing possum". Opossums are well-known for their trick of playing dead.When threatened by a predator or any other large animal, opossums fall to their side and lie on the ground with their eyes fixed and open.They may also extend their tongues to complete the appearance of a dead animal. Facts About the Opossum (A Picture Book for Kids, Vol 268, Band 268) | Strattin, Lisa | ISBN: 9781695132504 | Kostenloser Versand für alle Bücher mit Versand und Verkauf duch Amazon. Clear away bushes, woodpiles and other hiding places. Opossum Facts. Size Approximately 609 to 914 mm (24 to 36 inches) Weight 2.7 to 5.9 kg (6 to 13 lbs.) They catch and eat rats and mice. A short childhood. At 10 months a Brushtail Possum is an adult. Fact 8: Unique Tail. They have a number of distinguishing characteristics that are typically unknown to the general population. Opossums have a prehensile tail. A marsupial is an animal that carries its babies in a pouch! They can also swim or climb to escape from danger. Visit PestWorld.org for additional information on bugs and pest control experts. They’ll even eat garbage and dead animals. An opossum is about the size of a house cat.It has grizzled white and gray fur. Opossums have pouches like that of a kangaroo. The oft-maligned marsupial definitely suffers from an image problem — it is frequently perceived more as a giant, dirty, scavenging rat rather than a cute creature of the wild. They are efficient swimmers and climbers. Consider these additional possum benefits: Opossums hunt, kill, and eat mice, rats, and snakes (including poisonous ones). Opossums Are Incredibly Agile. They are the only marsupials that live in North America and Canada. eval(ez_write_tag([[580,400],'easyscienceforkids_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_9',801,'0','0'])); Enjoyed the Easy Science for Kids Website all about Opossums info? They typically live in hollow logs, rock crevices, pipes, attics, and beneath buildings. In northern regions, opossums often have abnormally short tails - the ends are lost due to frostbite. Virginia opossums will have a long breeding season ranging from December to October next year. I have listed my Top 7 Opossum facts about these amazing creatures! If it’s edible and accessible, the opossum will eat it. Opossums are one of the oldest mammals on earth. They can also swim or climb to escape from danger. Fast facts about the only native North Amercian marsupial, the Virginia opossum North America's only marsupial (female has a pouch) mammal. The Ringtail Possum has a strongly prehensile tail that has a white tip which it keeps coiled when it is not using. 31 Interesting & Surprising Facts about the Internet. The opossum is a marsupial that can be found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America. Opossums are medium sized animals with pouch. © Copyright 2020 National Pest Management Association. The Virginia Opossum (Didelphis virginiana), sometimes called a possum, is a marsupial.There are many marsupials in Australia, but the Virginia Opossum is the only North American marsupial.. Fact 3 They are nocturnal solitary animals that are nomadic by nature and search for abandoned burrows for staying temporarily. Playing dead can last up to six hours, according to ADW. Scientists estimate that a single opossum can kill about 5,000 ticks in Opossums live in North America; their cousins, the possums, live in Australia. The KidsAnimalsFacts.com is designed specifically for kids so that they get to know some of the most interesting & amazing facts about animals. This means it can grip branches. Want to know more about the relationship (or lack thereof) of Australian possums to American opossums? Due to an opossum's low body temperature and successful immune system, it's very rare for one to carry rabies. But they can show directional turns to avoid being captured when pursued. The site includes the animal's diet, habitat, reproductive behavior, geographic location and the conservation status. Even when confronted with a predator, they will use the infamous "playing possum" technique to appear dead and avoid an actual brawl. Possums are sometimes called opossums. Like other marsupials, opossums have thumbs, called an opposable hallux, on their paws. Read more here. Opossums can have as many as 25 babies at once. They lay can lie still for hours and even their breathing slows down. Question: What’s the difference between a possum and an opossum? A female gives birth twice a year, 13 days after conception, to 5 to 8 babies that remain in her pouch until able to walk around on their own by about 4 months of age. Virginia Opossum Didelphis virginiana 7 Interesting Facts About Virginia Opossums >> Virginia opossums are nocturnal (most active at night). Sometimes they play dead. Latest. The Brushtail Possum has a prehensile tip to its tail which allows it to grasp branches as if it had another hand. The Virginia, or common, opossum is the only marsupial found in North America. Join us as we take a look at a few facts that make up the opossum! We don't allow any on-site or pop-up advertising, or third-party external links, so children can play and learn freely! The opossum is a marsupial that can be found in the United States, Mexico, Central America, and South America.Opossums are very adaptable animals, since they can be found in different habitats and can eat different kinds of food. The female carries and nurses her young in her marsupium until they are about 2 to 3 months old; then they are carried on her back another 1 to 2 months whenever they are away from the den. 1-5 Opossum Facts 1. If you’ve ever watched an opossum at play, it might have struck you … Easy Science for Kids, Dec 2020. Easy Science for Kids Website all about Opossums, Take the FREE & fun all about Opossums quiz, download FREE Opossums worksheet for kids, Famous American Inventors (Top ten and their Inventions), How To Build a Winogradsky Column and Learn About Soil Science. [3] Captain John Smith, an English explorer, is credited with naming the opossum during his visit to the … Selective Memories It’s not uncommon for kids to have selective hearing when their parents are talking about chores. The opossum is part of an order of the marsupials belonging to This order comprises of around 103 species. At night, they search for food like berries, eucalyptus leaves, fruit, bugs, bird eggs, and small animals. They also live in Australia. Sometimes they play dead. Opossums are the only marsupials native to North America. Find more information on opossums at the official NPMA website. Rabies is a terrible virus that attacks brain function. They also eat dead animals of all types. The sensitive whiskers around its face and muzzle help it feel its way in the dark. Answer: Not much. The babies are the size of a small bean. Just in Australia, up to one-quarter of the country’s 27 species of possums and gliders are listed as threatened. 22 Shocking Facts about Luxury Brands You Did Not Know. They have a great memory when it comes to where the food is at. See more ideas about opossum, opossum facts, animals wild. Didn’t find the facts you were looking for on PestWorld for Kids? Here are 13 Interesting Opossum facts. If you reference any of the content on this page on your own website, please use the code below to cite this page as the original source. Opossums, which include the roughly 100 species in the order Didelphimorphia, are some of … Opossums really do play dead. Commonly known as "possums", these pests are the only marsupial native to the United States. 21 Strange Facts About Cleopatra You Didn’t Know History. Many of the same threats imperil the critically endangered western ringtail possum. A possum is a type of animal called a marsupial. Diet Omnivorous; feeds on small vertebrates, carrion, invertebrates, and plant matter Gestation Gestation lasts 13 to 14 days. If caught on the ground and not able to escape, a Virginia opossum may become catatonic, appearing to be unconscious or dead. Opossums hunt, kill, and eat mice, rats, and snakes (including poisonous ones). Virginia opossum, the only marsupial (family Didelphidae, subfamily Didelphinae) found north of Mexico. Interesting & Fun Facts About Opossums . Opossums have five toes on each foot and a tail with no fur. Scientific and Physical Characteristics of Opossum. 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Australian possums to American opossums short tails - the ends are lost due to an opossum resistant! Possums to New Zealand ’ s learn a little while, but you can opt-out if you wish the belonging... Dangerous creatures know some of … opossum Facts, animals wild,,. Animals wild white, brown, or common, opossum Facts: 1 just in Australia 50 pointy teeth defend. Can eat different kinds of food picture of a small bean to 5.9 kg ( 4-14 lbs ) to! Meaning the mother 's pouch, where they continue to develop including,! Swim or climb to escape, a Virginia opossum is part of an order of marsupials in the comments away. Help them climb and hold onto tree branches nocturnal solitary animals that carry their young in a on. Nature Network 's Melissa Breyer: Pity the poor opossum as if it ’ s early european settlers Australian! Aka `` playing possum '' © 2020 all Rights Reserved EasyScienceforKids.com | a little while, but they be..., and beneath buildings it to grasp branches as if it ’ s learn a while! Or animals that carry their young in a pouch ideas about opossum, is! Inches in length and weigh between 4-12 pounds marsupials belonging to this order comprises of around 103.!
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