Underrated animal, to say the least. Let's all take a moment to appreciate the best marsupials.
I want one as a pet.
This is my good luck shirt for finals
#rallypossum
Weren't they the only marsupial to survive the great American interchange?
>>2127829
I think i need this.
>>2127839
Virginia opossums are always cited to be North America's only marsupials but Derby's woolly opossum, yapok/water opossum, the common opossum, gray four-eyed opossum, and probably some more(got bored before i reached the mouse opossums) reach into Mexico.
They are probably the US's and Canada's only marsupials though.
>>2127781
I recently saw an opossum walking in circles. Is this normal behavior?
>>2127942
Rabies
>>2127942
During the day? Walking in repetitive, staggering, jerky circles is not normal. Opossums shouldn't be out in the day but at the same time it's not terribly uncommon. An opossums gait in general is sluggish and 'stupid', and they may walk in circles to forage but they wouldn't be doing it repetitively, would break it up and move on, not be consistent with it, etc.
Opossums are incredibly resistant to rabies due to their lower body temp. It's not impossible for them to get it, but other diseases, injury and neurological problems can explain similar symptoms. Either way that opossum is probably a goner.
I scream at own ass
Memes
>>2127781
>>2127781
I've killed so many of these abhorrent things. They're every-fucking-where in central VA.
>>2127781
>best marsupials
but thats not a wallaby
My mission is to own opossums. Legal in my state too. We're just not allowed to buy and sell them. All I have to do is find some roadkill that's not squished all the way and hope for babies in that pouch. I will opossum.
>>2127948
Possums have possibly the lowest incident rate of rabies for mammals.
I love them. Slow babies. My favorite was when I talked to one for a while telling it to be quiet, not actually seeing it or knowing what it was, because it was loudly rustling a bush while I was on the phone. It came out to investigate me.
I have one living in my yard right now, but I barely see it.
>>2128203
Are you allowed to use traps for them? I have 3 that used to fight in the trees around the house but I think they've gotten old and placid now so they just chill most of the time.
>>2129110
They only live for about 2 years, man. They're probably dead.
>>2129071
Sloths are probably lower.
>>2129110
I could, but if I'm going to have pet possums, I'd rather save a live than steal a baby from it's mom.
life
My dog caught an adolescent possum a few months ago, she's a 95 lb alaskan malamute. I found her laying next to it on my porch. Somehow playing dead worked for it though and after it regained consciousness it was able to walk away. Tough little critters
A friend of mine recently "rescued" a baby opposum but I get the feeling that it's an adolescent and not a baby. What do you guys think? I told her to measure it and see if it's 7in+ but she has yet to do that.
>>2130149
Here's another picture of it.
>>2130149
It's old enough to eat solid foods but it's still pretty young. I think you're right that's it's just an adolescent. At this point, she can either keep it as a pet or let it go wild and both options would work equally well. If she decides to keep it, she needs to be diligent about feeding it an extremely varied diet. Fruits, veggies, meat, yogurt, bugs. Every once in a while, I would recommend that she lets things go a little bad before she feeds it to the opossum just so that it can maintain proper gut bacteria. Opossums are scavengers and omnivores. I wouldn't give it anything with salt at all since salt is not a natural part of their diet. Also, feeding it kibble of any kind will likely shorten it's lifespan and make it go blind. Also Opossums in the wild only live about 2 years and in captivity only live about 3 years.
Oh! Also have her give it a pouch. Even something as simple as a pillowcase. They find it very soothing, even as adults to have a pouch to snuggle into.
Possums are fucking cute. I accidentally caught one in a trap and observed it. It stared back at me and drooled a lot. Then I let it go and it shuffled off.
Kawaii.
Holding and snuggling opossums is the most awesome experience. They snuggle right in and they're so soft and sweet natured. I put one to sleep by just gentle petting it. Every once in a while it's eyes would flicker open or it'd yawn and cuddle a little closer.
>>2127781
Love me some possums. Here is one that some one brought to our rehab.
>>2132106
And this is what happens when you overfeed your possum and feed it mostly kibble. Idiot lady.
>>2132366
>it stores its fat in its tail
>its tail is fat
>must mean PAIN!!!!
/an/ you crazy sometimes
>>2132106
Now that is a FAT possum.
Used to work at a wildlife sanctuary, we had an empty enclosure that a wild opossum wandered into one day. We got a new guy who had just started working there, and he assumed it was one of ours and fed it, and from then on it wouldn't leave so we just kind of adopted it.
It was actually really cute and very passive, didn't mind people being around it at all.
>>2132664
Oh man. That's adorable.
>>2128104
I accidentally ran over one once. It gave a unexpectedly large thump.
>>2129031
jesus it looks like it's infected with parasites
>>2134575
I want to be infested with baby possums
>>2127781
>Let's all take a moment to appreciate the best
Why do people who come from other boards to shitpost always use this phrase? Some meme I'm unaware of?
>>2134885
I'm down for that too.
>>2129079
I think I remember you from an opossum thread from months ago.
Also cute story.
